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Police say suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing wasn't a client of the insurer
By Jody Godoy (Reuters) – Andrew Ferguson, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to chair the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, has expressed the desire to go after Big Tech companies while taking a hands-off approach to regulating artificial intelligence. Ferguson’s views on social media, data privacy, AI and the need to boost American competitiveness are likely to affect the regulator’s approach to companies including Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Alphabet’s Google. Here are some of the views Ferguson has expressed in statements during his term as an FTC commissioner which began in April and ends in 2030. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE The “pro-regulation side of the AI debate” is “the wrong one,” Ferguson said. “A knee-jerk regulatory response will only squelch innovation, further entrench Big Tech incumbents, and ensure that AI innovators move to jurisdictions friendlier to them — but perhaps hostile to the United States,” he said in a September statement on the FTC’s report on social media. The report called for comprehensive legislation to protect users’ data and prevent AI from perpetuating discrimination. ONLINE PRIVACY Ferguson has described the vast collection, aggregation and indefinite storage of data on social media and internet users in the U.S. as an “online privacy crisis” that regulators should focus on. However, he has warned against regulating how such information is used to target advertising. “If regulators and lawmakers attempt to ban or seriously curtail targeted advertising, they will be undoing the balance of the online economy,” he said. CONTENT MODERATION POLICIES Ferguson has criticized social media platforms for instituting “Orwellian policies banning nebulous categories of content like ‘misinformation,’ ‘disinformation,’ and ‘hate speech.'” The FTC could take action against social media platforms if their terms of service misled users about content moderation policies. With more transparent policies, users could decide if they want to stay on the platforms, Ferguson said in December. “But the choice would be real only if there are suitable free-speech-respecting substitutes to the censorious platforms,” Ferguson said, praising Elon Musk’s “unusually firm commitment to free and open debate” after the billionaire took over social media platform X. PLATFORM COLLABORATION ON CONTENT Ferguson has expressed concern that social media platforms may have coordinated in banning Trump in 2021, taking down posts they deemed harmful during the COVID-19 pandemic, and restricting dissemination of stories about Hunter Biden’s laptop computer. “If the platforms colluded amongst each other to set shared censorship policies, such an agreement would be tantamount to an agreement not to compete on contract terms or product quality,” which would violate antitrust laws, Ferguson said. ADVERTISER COORDINATION Coordination between advertisers to pull money from platforms such as X over content concerns could violate antitrust laws, Ferguson said. The World Federation of Advertisers’ Global Alliance for Responsible Media, which was formed to help advertisers avoid their ads being placed next to harmful content on social media, shut down after X sued, accusing it of facilitating group boycotts. Ferguson has said the FTC could investigate similar efforts. KIDS AND TEENS ONLINE Congress should pass a law that would require online service providers to give parents more control over children’s online privacy, Ferguson said. “Congress should empower parents to impose whatever level of supervision and control over internet messaging they feel is right for their family and their children,” he said. (Reporting by Jody Godoy in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );CBI files fifth charge sheet against five in NEET paper leak case
Venezuela accuses an Argentine officer of terrorism as relations deteriorate
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save NEW YORK — The man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was not a client of the medical insurer and may have targeted it because of its size and influence, a senior police official said Thursday. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC New York in an interview Thursday that investigators have uncovered evidence that Luigi Mangione had prior knowledge UnitedHealthcare was holding its annual investor conference in New York City. Mangione also mentioned the company in a note found in his possession when he was detained by police in Pennsylvania. Suspect Luigi Mangione is taken into the Blair County Courthouse on Tuesday in Hollidaysburg, Pa. "We have no indication that he was ever a client of United Healthcare, but he does make mention that it is the fifth largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest healthcare organization in America. So that's possibly why he targeted that company," Kenny said. People are also reading... OSU football: A prediction gone badly wrong OSU men's basketball: Beavers hope blowout wins pave the way for bigger things Philomath driver suspected of DUII in Corvallis pileup Corvallis police seek grinches who stole Christmas Rebuilding the Pac-12 Conference As I See It: Six reasons why Trump won again Corvallis Samaritan hospital has new CEO 2025 to bring rate increases, new fee for hauling Corvallis waste Graduate employees reach deal with OSU to end strike Corvallis woman accused of hammer attack, break-in in Philomath Why did Trump win? Election debrief hosted by Corvallis group Graduate strike at OSU continues. What's the holdup? The real reason Corvallis' Pastega Lights moved to Linn County Philomath gets a new look (at least, its logo does) Molestation victim’s mother tampered with court case UnitedHealthcare is in the top 20 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization but is not the fifth largest. It is the largest U.S. health insurer. Mangione remains jailed without bail in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday after being spotted at a McDonald's in the city of Altoona, about 230 miles west of New York City. His lawyer there, Thomas Dickey, said Mangione intends to plead not guilty. Dickey also said he had yet to see evidence decisively linking his client to the crime. Mangione's arrest came five days after the caught-on-camera killing of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, was arrested on December 9, 2024, after a six-day manhunt and charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. His arrest has sparked a viral social media movement, with many hailing him as a symbol of resistance against systemic healthcare failures. The #FreeLuigi movement gained significant traction, with his social media profiles amassing over 100,000 new followers before being suspended. Despite this, the movement continues to trend, highlighting public discontent with the U.S. healthcare system. Some social media users argue that Mangione's radicalization stemmed from the struggles faced by millions in obtaining necessary healthcare, and not from his university education. Mangione’s arrest at a McDonald's in Altoona led to the seizure of a "ghost gun," a suppressor, fake IDs, and a manifesto criticizing the healthcare system. While the manifesto seems to admit guilt, some users question Mangione's responsibility, pointing out discrepancies in surveillance photos. The fascination with Mangione has only intensified, with discussions about his attractiveness and comparisons to characters in Ryan Murphy's productions. The phenomenon is reminiscent of society's long-standing obsession with infamous criminals, blurring lines between horror and hero worship. Former FBI agent Rob D’Amico noted that Mangione is seen by some as a "Robin Hood" figure fighting against corporate greed, which complicates the investigation. Police say the shooter waited outside the hotel, where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, early Dec. 4. He approached Thompson from behind and shot him before fleeing on a bicycle through Central Park. Mangione is fighting attempts to extradite him back to New York so that he can face a murder charge in Thompson's killing. A hearing was scheduled for Dec. 30. The 26-year-old, who police say was found with a " ghost gun " matching shell casings found at the site of the shooting, is charged in Pennsylvania with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Luigi Mangione was arrested Monday in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in what law enforcement has called a "targeted attack." Mangione is from a prominent Maryland family with extensive business interests. The Mangione family is known for developing real estate and running businesses. Relatives expressed shock over the arrest and offered condolences to Thompson’s family. Mangione faces multiple charges, including murder, firearm possession, and forgery, in New York and Pennsylvania. Mangione is an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family. In posts on social media, Mangione wrote about experiencing severe chronic back pain before undergoing a spinal fusion surgery in 2023. Afterward, he posted that the operation was a success and that his pain improved and mobility returned. He urged others to consider the same type of surgery. On Wednesday, police said investigators are looking at his writings about his health problems and his criticism of corporate America and the U.S. health care system. Kenny said in the NBC interview that Mangione's family reported him missing to San Francisco authorities in November. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition
Lanier's huge first half propels No. 11 Tennessee to 77-62 win over No. 13 Baylor in the BahamasBISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota regulators approved permits Thursday for underground storage of carbon dioxide delivered through a massive pipeline proposed for the Midwest, marking another victory for a project that has drawn fierce opposition from landowners. The governor-led Industrial Commission voted unanimously to approve permits for Summit Carbon Solutions’ three proposed storage sites in central North Dakota. Summit says construction of the project would begin in 2026 with operations beginning in 2027, but it’s expected that resistant landowners will file lawsuits seeking to block the storage plans. “With these permits, we’re one step closer to providing vital infrastructure that benefits farmers, ethanol producers, and communities across the Midwest," Summit Executive VP Wade Boeshans said in a statement. Summit’s proposed 2,500-mile (4,023-kilometer), $8 billion pipeline would transport planet-warming CO2 emissions from 57 ethanol plants in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska for underground storage. Carbon dioxide would move through the pipeline in a pressurized form to be injected deep underground into a rock formation. The company has permits for its route in North Dakota and Iowa but can’t yet begin construction. Also on Thursday, Minnesota regulators approved a permit for a 28-mile (45-kilometer) leg of the project in western Minnesota. Summit also recently applied in South Dakota, where regulators denied the company’s previous application last year. Last month, the company gained approval for its North Dakota route , and Iowa regulators also have given conditional approval. Summit faces several lawsuits related to the project, including a North Dakota Supreme Court appeal over a property rights law related to the underground storage plan. Further court challenges are likely. North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum, who chairs the Industrial Commission, is President-elect Donald Trump's choice for Interior Secretary and to lead a new National Energy Council. Burgum has frequently touted North Dakota's underground carbon dioxide storage as a “geologic jackpot.” In 2021, he set a goal for the No. 3 oil-producing state to be carbon-neutral by 2030. His term ends Saturday. Summit's storage facilities would hold an estimated maximum of 352 million metric tons of CO2 over 20 years. The pipeline would carry up to 18 million metric tons of CO2 per year to be injected about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) underground, according to an application fact sheet. Jessie Stolark, who leads a group that supports the project and includes Summit, said the oil industry has long used similar technology. “We know that this can be done safely in a manner that is protective of human health and underground sources of drinking water,” said Stolark, executive director of the Carbon Capture Coalition. Summit's project has drawn the ire of landowners around the region. They oppose the potential taking of their property for the pipeline and fear a pipeline rupture releasing a cloud of heavy, hazardous gas over the land. A North Dakota landowners group is challenging a property rights law related to the underground storage, and attorney Derrick Braaten said they likely would challenge the granting of permits. “The landowners that I'm working with aren't necessarily opposed to carbon sequestration itself,” Braaten said. “They're opposed to the idea that a private company can come in and use their property without having to negotiate with them or pay them just compensation for taking their private property and using it.” Carbon capture projects such as Summit's are eligible for lucrative federal tax credits intended to encourage cleaner-burning ethanol and potentially result in corn-based ethanol being refined into jet fuel. Some opponents argue the amount of greenhouse gases sequestered through the process would make little difference and could lead farmers to grow more corn despite environmental concerns about the crop. In Minnesota, regulators granted a route permit that would connect an ethanol plant in Fergus Falls to Summit’s broader network. They attached several conditions, including requirements that Summit first begin construction in North Dakota. An administrative law judge who conducted hearings concluded in November that the environmental impacts from the Minnesota segment would be minimal and noted that Summit has secured agreements from landowners along most of the recommended route. Environmental groups that oppose the project disputed the judge’s finding that the project would have a net benefit for the environment. Iowa regulators required Summit to obtain approvals for routes in the Dakotas and underground storage in North Dakota before it can begin construction in Iowa. The Iowa Utilities Commission's approval sparked lawsuits related to the project. In Nebraska, where there is no state regulatory process for CO2 pipelines, Summit is working with individual counties to advance its project. At least one county has denied a permit. Karnowski reported from Minneapolis.None
Braxton Meah is 7-foot-1. But in the first month of his lone season at Nebraska, he needed to take baby steps. “It took a minute trying to understand everything,” Meah said. “There’s a lot coach (Fred) Hoiberg put into this system, so it just took me a little while to figure it out, but we’re getting there.” The senior transfer was one of the last Huskers to arrive on campus this summer, delayed by Washington’s late academic calendar after committing to NU in the spring. He missed Nebraska’s third game of the season with a sprained ankle and has dealt with foul trouble. But during the adjustment period are moments in which Meah flashes what he brings to the table for a team whose identity is rooted in grit and physicality. He bothered Ryan Kalkbrenner in the Huskers’ upset of Creighton. On Wednesday, he scored 12 points, taking advantage of a short South Dakota front line and teammates’ ability to find him for high-percentage shots. People are also reading... “When a team has to collapse in on him, that’s what’s gonna open up those uncontested 3s, and that’s what happens when you got a force back there at the rim,” Hoiberg said. “It was good to see our guys finally throw some lobs to him. We’ve missed him on a lot of occasions." Meah made all six of his shot attempts last Wednesday, when NU improved to 5-1. All were dunks. Three were alley-oops, products of him finding open space when Berke Buyuktuncel was double-teamed on the block, when the defense collapsed on Brice Williams and running the floor in transition. Nebraska didn’t have that kind of lob option a season ago. Nebraska's Braxton Meah (34) dunks the ball against South Dakota on Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Days earlier, he led an effort that stonewalled Kalkbrenner, who entered averaging more than 25 points per game but finished with four points on one shot. Four fouls limited Meah to 11 minutes, but nothing came easily for Kalkbrenner dealing with Meah in front of him and a second defender lurking on the other side. Meah intercepted a pass into Kalkbrenner in the first half, something few other players can do on a high-arcing entry to the 7-1 center. Meah still needs the right circumstances to perform offensively. He doesn’t have Buyuktuncel’s perimeter abilities or the nimble feet of Andrew Morgan in the post, but his presence under the basket can generate easy looks for himself and others. Especially on nights like Wednesday, when the Huskers have a major size advantage almost across the board and are finding him above the rim. Nebraska's offense is still figuring itself out, too, but Meah’s growth is a piece of that. And the last game was a step forward for him and the Huskers, who host North Florida at 3 p.m. Sunday. “We gotta get him easy baskets at the rim, and that’s gonna cause teams to crash in and smash down on him, and that’s what’s gonna create those open, uncontested 3-point shots,” Hoiberg said. “So it was good to see him going, and I think even a better sign for our guys to find him.” Scouting the Ospreys: Seward grad Nate Lliteras comes into Sunday's game averaging 14.3 points. The 6-6 senior guard is one of four players for North Florida (5-2) averaging double figure in scoring. Projected starters Nebraska (5-1) G - Rollie Worster 6-5 Sr. 9.7 G - Brice Williams 6-7 Jr. 18.7 F - Juwan Gary 6-6 Jr. 9,7 F - Berke Buyuktuncel 6-10 So. 9.5 C - Braxton Meah 7-1 Sr. 4.2 North Florida (5-2) G - Jaylen Smith 5-11 So. 10.9 G - Miles Jasai 6-6 So. 11.7 G - Oscar Berry 6-5 Sr. 1.9 G - Nate Lliteras 6-6 Sr. 14.3 F - Josh Harris 6-8 Fr. 15.4 Photos: Nebraska men’s basketball hosts South Dakota — Nov. 28 Nebraska's Connor Essegian (0) celebrates shooting a 3-pointer during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Connor Essegian (0) celebrates shooting a 3-pointer during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's assistant coach Nate Loenser speaks to the bench during the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Cale Jacobsen (right) defends against South Dakota's Jake Brack (21) during the second half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Gavin Griffiths (12) and South Dakota's Jake Brack (front) battle for a loose ball during the second half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Cale Jacobsen (right) defends against South Dakota's Jake Brack (21) during the second half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Braxton Meah (34) dunks during the second half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Brice Williams (3) dribbles down the court while defended by South Dakota's Shey Eberwein (2) during the first half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Connor Essegian (0) defends against South Dakota's Cameron Fens (54) during the first half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Juwan Gary (center) grimaces during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Gary left the game after the play and did not return. Nebraska's Connor Essegian (0) shoots a 3-pointer during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Berke Büyüktuncel (left) and South Dakota's Max Burchill (3) reach for the ball during the first half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Benjamin Becker of Lincoln, 11, jumps around while wearing a turkey hat as South Dakota's Isaac Bruns (12) shoots free throws during the second half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Brice Williams (3) dunks the ball off of a fast break during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Sam Hoiberg (1) shoots a layup during the second half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Cale Jacobsen (31) dribbles down the court while defended by South Dakota's Shey Eberwein (2) during the second half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Connor Essegian (0) celebrates shooting a 3-pointer during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Brice Williams (3) jumps to rebound the ball during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska high-fives fans as they leave the court after the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska won 96-79. Nebraska's Connor Essegian (0) shoots a 3-pointer while defended by South Dakota's Dre Bullock (11) during the first half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Sam Hoiberg (1) shoots a layup during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Connor Essegian (center) drives through South Dakota's Kaleb Stewart (1) and Jake Brack (21) during the first half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Andrew Morgan (23) and Nebraska's Gavin Griffiths (12) reach for a rebound during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Benjamin Becker of Lincoln, 11, jumps around while wearing a turkey hat as South Dakota's Isaac Bruns (12) shoots free throws during the second half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Benjamin Becker of Lincoln, 11, waves his a turkey hat in the air as South Dakota's Chase Forte (9) shoots free throws during the second half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Braxton Meah (34) smiles after a dunk during the second half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Cale Jacobsen (31) shoots a 3-pointer while defended by South Dakota's Isaac Bruns (12) during the second half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Cale Jacobsen (center) dribbles the ball during the second half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Connor Essegian (0) shoots the ball while defended by South Dakota's Cameron Fens (54) on Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Juwan Gary (4) walks off the court holding a towel to his face during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Braxton Meah (34) dunks the ball during the first half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Ahron Ulis (2) celebrates shooting a 3-pointer with .07 seconds left during the second half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Connor Essegian (0) celebrates shooting a 3-pointer during the first half game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Sam Hoiberg (right) drives down the court while defended by South Dakota's Paul Bruns (23) during the first half of the game on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Connor Essegian (0) shoots a 3-pointer during the first half game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Braxton Meah (34) dunks the ball against South Dakota on Wednesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska's Ahron Ulis (2) celebrates shooting a 3-pointer with .07 seconds left during the second half of the game against South Dakota on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Subscribe for the best Husker news & commentary Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Donald Trump ’s campaign pledged to be a champion for the working class. He ran campaign ads vowing to lift up the “hardest working citizens.” The Republican National Convention even put the spotlight on “everyday Americans.” But his incoming administration reflects a government run by billionaires , stuffed with Wall Street fixtures, investment bankers, real estate developers and oil executives, all within reach of power to slash services that millions of poor and vulnerable Americans depend on. Trump himself is set to become the wealthiest president in history, with an estimated net worth of roughly $6 billion, according to Forbes. Elon Musk , whose net worth is more than $343 billion, joins more than a dozen billionaires and ultra-wealthy Wall Street characters joining Trump’s administration. Together, their net worth exceeds $360 billion — larger than the gross domestic product of more than 11 dozen countries. The president-elect has tapped at least 11 billionaires alone, including Musk, tech entrepreneurs Jared Isaacman and Vivek Ramaswamy , former professional wrestling magnate Linda McMahon , investment bankers Howard Lutnick and Warren Stephens, and his son-in-law’s father, Charles Kushner, whose family fortune exceeds $7 billion. The world’s wealthiest man is working with Trump’s administration and congressional Republicans to recommend mass firings and drastic cuts to government services and spending. “We have to reduce spending to live within our means,” he said days before the election . “That necessarily involves some temporary hardship, but it will ensure long-term prosperity.” Here is a look at some of the wealthy Wall Street executives and billionaires Trump wants in his administration. Frank Bisignano, Social Security administrator: More than $900 million Frank Bisignanno, Trump’s nominee to lead the agency overseeing the administration of Americans’ retirement benefits, is the president of Wisconsin-based Fortune 500 financial technology firm Fiserv Inc, which has a market value of more than $100 billion. Stephen Feinberg, deputy defense secretary: $5 billion Trump has offered the second most-powerful position at the Department of Defense to private-equity investor Stephen Feinberg, the CEO of Cerberus Capital Management. The company, which previously owned private military contractor DynCorp, has investments in hypersonic missiles, drawing concerns from the left that the day-to-day operations of the more than $800 billion agency will have significant conflicts of interest and opportunities for self-enrichment with defense contractors. Jared Isaacman, NASA administrator: $3 billion Trump’s pick to lead NASA is Jared Isaacman, the founder of Pennsylvania-based processing firm Shift4 Payments and defense firm Draken International, which he sold to multi-billion dollar asset manager Blackstone for a reported nine-figure sum. Charles Kushner, US ambassador to France: $7.1 billion Charles Kushner is the father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and the co-founder of real estate developer Kushner Companies. Forbes has estimated the company’s net worth at nearly $3 billion and the family’s fortune at roughly $7.1 billion. Charles Kushner and his wife Seryl own a 20 percent stake in Kushner Companies, or roughly $580 million. Kelly Loeffler, small business administrator: $1.1 billion The former senator from Georgia served as CEO of Bakkt, a subsidiary of commodity and financial service provider Intercontinental Exchange, of which her husband Jeffrey Sprecher is CEO. His net worth is estimated at more than $1.1 billion, according to Forbes. Howard Lutnick, Commerce Secretary: $2 billion The CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, Howard Lutnick, with an estimated net worth of more than $2 billion, was tapped to lead the Department of Commerce while he is serving as Trump’s transition team co-chair. He helped raise millions of dollars for Trump’s campaign and has been a cheerleader for Trump’s economic agenda, including the president-elect’s plans for broad tariffs. Linda McMahon, Education Secretary: $2.5 billion The co-founder of World Wrestling Entertainment was nominated to lead an agency that Trump and his allies want to dissolve entirely. McMahon donated $6 million to Trump’s first campaign and later served as the administrator of the Small Business Association during his administration. She is now a co-chair of his 2024 transition team after briefly serving on the Connecticut Board of Education, She shares a $2.5 billion net worth with her husband, professional wrestling mogul and personality Vince McMahon. Elon Musk, Department of Government Efficiency: $343 billion Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, helped steer more than a quarter billion dollars into Trump’s campaign and has used his X platform — formerly Twitter, which he bought for $44 billion — as a megaphone for the president-elect and his agenda. His net worth is at least $343 billion, according to Forbes , and his net worth has increased by billions of dollars since Trump’s election victory. Musk, whose companies have also received tens of millions of dollars in government contracts, has been selected to lead an outside advisory committee to recommend drastic cuts to government spending. Vivek Ramaswamy, Department of Government Efficiency Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk’s co-chair of the incoming DOGE, is a former pharmaceutical executive who briefly ran for the Republican presidential nomination before dropping out to throw his support behind Trump. He made his fortunes with Roivant Sciences, a pharmaceutical company he founded in 2014. His net worth is estimated to be $1.1 billion, according to Forbes. Warren Stephens, ambassador to the UK: $3.4 billion Trump’s nominee for UK ambassador is the CEO of Arkansas-based investment bank Stephens Inc., which notably handled Walmart’s initial public offering in 1970. He donated at least $2 million to Trump-supporting political action committees and the Republican National Committee and gave tens of thousands of dollars to other Republican campaigns in the 2024 cycle. Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East: $1 billion Real estate tycoon Steve Witkoff has an estimated net worth of at least $1 billion, according to Forbes. He reportedly has long-standing ties to wealth funds in the Middle East, much like his Middle East envoy predecessor Jared Kusher, Trump’s son-in-law, who secured a $2 billion investment from a fund led by the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman six months after leaving the White House. Massad Boulos, senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs Massad Boulos, the father-in-law of Trump’s daughter Tiffany , is the CEO of Boulos Enterprises and automobile conglomerate SCOA Nigeria, and has been widely described in reports as a billionaire, though his estimated net worth is not clear. His son Michael Boulous has been described as the “billionaire heir” to his father’s business fortune. Scott Bessent, Treasury Secretary Trump’s campaign economic adviser Scott Bessent founded Key Square Capital Management and worked at a hedge fund founded by major Democratic donor George Soros. The firm had roughly $600 million in assets under its management at the end of 2023. Before becoming a Trump donor and adviser, Bessent donated to various Democratic causes in the early 2000s, notably Al Gore’s presidential run. Doug Burgum, Interior Secretary North Dakota’s two-term Republican governor Doug Burgum made more than $1.1 billion after selling his software company Great Plains to Microsoft in 2001. After ending his own presidential campaign in December 2023, Burgum endorsed Trump and became an outspoken supporter. Forbes estimates his net worth to be at least $100 million. Jim O’Neill, deputy secretary of Health and Human Services Jim O’Neill previously worked as a senior health official during George W. Bush’s administration and was considered for a top job in federal health agencies in Trump’s first term. He later became the acting CEO of the Thiel Foundation, the philanthropic arm of billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel, a former Trump mega donor who financially backed a Senate campaign from his former acolyte JD Vance. O’Neill helped Thiel and investor Ajay Royan launch venture capitalist firm Mithril Capital Management, where the vice president-elect worked before his Senate campaign. Mehmet Oz, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator The TV doctor who made a name for himself through Oprah Winfrey’s daytime talk show and with his own Dr. Oz Show before losing a Pennsylvania Senate race to Democratic Senator John Fetterman has a net worth of at least $100 million. Mehmet Oz holds millions of dollars in stocks at health insurance and pharmaceutical companies , according to financial disclosures during his Senate campaign, and he rakes in millions of dollars from his TV career. A company run by his wife’s family — among the wealthiest in Pennsylvania — had an annual revenue of more than $5 billion in 2022. David Perdue, US ambassador to China The former Republican senator from Georgia is a former executive with Reebok, Sara Lee and Dollar General, where he helped outsource the company’s manufacturing to China. While in office, Perdue was among the most prolific stock traders in Congress, and was under federal investigation for possible insider trading on his sale of more than $1 million in stock to a financial firm. He was never charged, and he lost a re-election bid to Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in 2020. John Phelan, Navy Secretary The founder of Palm Beach-based private investment firm Rugger Management is the former investments manager for billionaire Michel Dell of Dell Technologies. John Phelan, who does not have any military experience, reportedly hosted a fundraiser for Trump’s campaign this summer at his $38 million home in Aspen, Colorado, which cost $25,000 to $500,000 per couple. Phelan and his wife Amy, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, are also avid art collectors, including works from Chagall, Dubuffet and Picasso, among others. David Sacks, White House AI and Crypto Czar Trump, who promised to be the “crypto president” despite calling it a “scam” at one point, has named venture capitalist David Sacks as his pointman on all things involving cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence. Sacks founded Yammer, which Microsoft purchased in 2012 for $1.2 billion, as well as venture capital firm Craft Ventures. He is also a former CEO at PayPal. He notably moderated a Twitter Spaces discussion between Ron DeSantis and Elon Musk in 2023, and he hosted a sold-out fundraiser for Trump’s 2024 campaign at his home, with tickets going for $50,000 to $300,000 per person. His net worth is estimated to be roughly $200 million. Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy Fracking industry executive Chris Wright holds a more than $50 million stake in Liberty Energy, the company he co-founded in 2011. He also drew roughly $5.6 million in compensation from the company last year.Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate products and services to help you make smart decisions with your money. When I first started learning how to budget, I meticulously tracked every penny in a spreadsheet. I don't do it anymore because I learned my own habits over time, and tracking became a stressful waste. Now I use the bucketing method, which works but lets me focus on things other than every penny I have. When I first began saving and investing , I sought a lot of advice from personal finance gurus like Suze Orman and J.D. Roth. I wanted to both preserve what limited financial resources I had at my disposal and make my future earnings grow. These gurus taught me that developing sound money habits was a vital first step to achieving both goals. While they sometimes disagreed about what those sound money habits should be, one recurring suggestion I encountered was to track every last penny I spent or earned. The premise was that before deciding where my money should go, I needed a clear picture of where it was already going. I tracked literally every penny coming in or out of my life I began by first tracking my expenses in a simple Excel spreadsheet. I diligently logged every last cent that came in or out of my life. This included big things like paychecks and bills — but sometimes I'd log even just a quarter paid to a parking meter, or a quarter found on the street. I noted the date, location, payment method, and amount, along with a brief description for each entry. I used color coding to help me categorize and evaluate later. While chronicling my finances in such fine detail was very tedious, knowing how much I really spent from month to month helped a lot with setting a budget for the first time. Things like rent and health insurance premiums were easy to plan for, but my spreadsheet also clarified exactly how much I was dropping on "non-essentials" like desserts, movie rentals, and dodgeball league fees. Documenting these miscellaneous expenses enabled me to budget for my full cost of living — not just what most readily came to mind. Second, confronting my spending habits in black and white gave me an honest view of where my money was going. The numbers in the spreadsheet were objective. I couldn't downplay them or trick myself into believing I spent more or less than I really did. Knowledge is power, and knowing how I really spent my money — rather than how I liked to think I spent it — was empowering. Finally, the spreadsheet illuminated areas where I was overspending, or even underspending. For example, when my trial period expired at the gym, I realized I wasn't getting my money's worth paying the full rate. At the same time, I was using less than a third of what I'd budgeted for clothing and car repairs. Identifying these imbalances helped me recognize when I was being extravagant or tightfisted, and to reallocate accordingly. Compare Today's Banking Offers My spreadsheet stopped being useful and became exhausting I tracked my purchases this way for several years, but once I got a bead on my spending habits and devised a suitable budget, continuing to record every transaction didn't seem useful anymore. I already knew how much I typically spent on staples like groceries and gas, and I had wrangled my other assorted expenses to the point that they no longer needed regular attention. Even when my income rose, my spending remained nearly static as my extra earnings went mostly into savings. Adding more data points to the spreadsheet didn't give me new information, it simply rehashed the information I already had for a great deal of effort. However, I considered that staying vigilant would help me detect future changes in my consumption. That feedback could keep me from sliding back into old spending habits or serve as an early warning system for other concerns, like higher fuel costs that hint at car troubles, for example. But since overspending had never been a problem for me, I was confident I wouldn't start leaking money if I took my eye off the ball. I also considered tweaking my approach so it would demand less persistent effort, perhaps by no longer tracking purchases below a minimum threshold, or by seeking technological solutions like budgeting apps to automate the process. However, there was another, more pressing reason I didn't want to keep tracking every penny: Being hyper-aware of my spending gave me needless guilt over purchases that weren't strictly essential, even if I had budgeted for them properly. I would end up feeling bad about buying things that were supposed to make me feel good, because minding every last cent had trained me to think that every last cent was crucial to my financial well-being. My system was no longer working for me, so it was time to look for another. I still needed to pay some attention to where my money went, but I wanted to shift from scrutinizing my finances constantly in micro-detail to looking only periodically at the bigger picture. Compare Today's Rates I switched to bucketing, which makes budgeting now much easier I found a solution when I began using a strategy known as 'bucketing,' which involves separating funds that are earmarked for different purposes. I seeded my primary checking account with enough to cover roughly two months of living costs, and I put funds reserved for savings, business expenses, taxes, and non-essentials into their own segregated sub-accounts. I then budgeted for monthly contributions to each sub-account, ensuring that all those bases would be covered. This strategy vastly simplified the task of tracking my finances. So long as it stayed close to the amount I seeded initially, I knew I wasn't overspending. If the balance of my main checking account was significantly higher or lower than expected, I could go back through my invoices, checkbook, and credit card statements to figure out why. It wasn't a foolproof approach — but it met my needs. While developing sound money habits is important, recognizing when they've outlived their usefulness is also important. I'm grateful for the advice I received that led me to start tracking every penny, but I hope my experience will help others kick that habit once it no longer serves its purpose. Don't know where to start with your budget? Consider a financial advisor. Finding a financial advisor doesn't have to be hard. SmartAsset's free tool matches you with up to three fiduciary financial advisors who serve your area in minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. Start your search now. This article was originally published in February 2022.‘Should pay’: Albo’s tech company ultimatumLouisville extends athletic director Josh Heird for 5 years through June 2030
US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves officeOba Of Benin Reenacts Traditional Wrestling CompetitionWILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Attorneys for Fox Corp. asked a Delaware judge Friday to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit seeking to hold current and former company officials personally liable for the financial fallout stemming from Fox News reports regarding alleged vote rigging in the 2020 election. Five New York City public employee pension funds, along with Oregon’s public employee retirement fund, allege that former chairman Rupert Murdoch and other Fox Corp. leaders deliberately turned a blind eye to liability risks posed by reporting false claims of vote rigging by election technology companies Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic USA. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
The 45th Mountain Cat Tournament will include eight area high school basketball teams in both boys and girls competition Thursday through Saturday at the Pitt-Johnstown Sports Center. The first girls four-team event will include Berlin Brothersvalley, Bishop McCort Catholic, Forest Hills and Windber. The boys bracket includes Berlin Brothersvalley, Conemaugh Township, Forest Hills and Turkeyfoot Valley. Thursday’s schedule features two girls games, with Forest Hills and Windber playing at 6 p.m., and Berlin Brothersvalley and Bishop McCort Catholic playing at 7:30. On Friday, the boys first-round games include Conemaugh Township and Turkeyfoot Valley at 6 p.m., and Berlin Brothersvalley and Forest Hills at 7:30. Saturday’s schedule includes a pair of consolation contests – the girls play at 2 p.m. and boys at 3:30 – and the two championship games – girls at 5 p.m. and boys at 7. (c)2024 The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) Visit The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) at www.tribune-democrat.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers?