'Obvious US interference': Russia accuses US over Asia meddling, Taiwan crisis
Giannis Antetokounmpo returns for Bucks after missing 1 game with knee swellingELECTION watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) is confident that next year's elections will be one of the country's most transparent electoral exercises. "I feel that this election cycle is one of the most transparent. We have been allowed to observe nearly every electoral process," said PPCRV's IT Director Director William Yu during The Manila Times-DZRH TownHall. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.Senseonics (NYSE:SENS) Now Covered by StockNews.com
Star Australian golfer Cameron Smith introduced himself simply as “Cameron” as he shook hands with his playing partners Nick Voke and Ben Schmidt and their caddies on the first tee at Kingston Heath last Sunday morning at 7.22am. He was about to play the final round of the Australian Open, the last leg of a busy Australian tour in which he had played four tournaments in five weeks for three podium finishes – but no victory. Cam Smith finished runner-up in the Australian PGA and kept drawing big galleries despite being well off the pace in the Australian Open Credit: Getty Images He had played in Brisbane, Swan Hill and then Melbourne during a visit that brought the Australian summer of golf to life, giving it the necessary star factor to make the tour visible. A small crowd took photos of him as soon as he emerged from the Kingston Heath clubhouse in his LIV Golf team’s Ripper GC cap, customary final day maroon shirt and white pants. They watched him chat to his loyal caddy Sam Pinfold and hand the starstruck son of a security guard a golf glove from his bag as a memento. By the time Smith finished his round about four and a half hours later, the gallery watching his every move had swelled to at least a 1000 as he drew a huge roar when finishing the tournament with a birdie. All this was before the main contenders, Smith’s LIV teammate Lucas Herbert and unknown American Ryggs Johnston, had even teed off. With the mullet, a dynamite short game and a laid-back, polite Australian vibe that appeals to all generations, the 31-year-old attracted 20 times more spectators to his round than any other competitor every time he took to the fairways. “He’s a massive drawcard. He still had the biggest crowds out there,” former golf professional Ewan Porter said. Throw in a willingness to disrupt the old (and often older) order, which he showed when he joined LIV Golf just months after landing the 2022 British Open (to, it must be said, significant backlash) and you can see why recognition of his name has crossed over to non-golf fans. That box-office appeal has given him the potential to be the most influential voice in shaping the future of Australian golf.The latest inflation figures from the eurozone will be the main focus for investors this week as markets attempt to gauge the likely pace of interest rate cuts over the coming months. Economists expect the headline rate will climb to 2.3 per cent in November, up from 2.0 per cent in October. “The upward lift to inflation this month is set to be driven by unfavourable base effects from services inflation and from goods prices where we suspect the rise in freight costs this year will provide an upward influence on price pressure,” Ryan Djajasaputra, an economist at Investec said. The anticipated increase will be the second consecutive rise in inflation. In September, inflation stood at its lowest level since April 2021. With growth still sluggish, most economists think that the European Central Bank (ECB) will continue cutting interest rates in the months to come. A closely watched business survey, published last week , suggested that the eurozone fell into contraction for the second time in three months in November. “2024 looks set to end on a very weak note,” Paolo Grignani, senior economist at Oxford Economics said. “Major domestic and international political developments in recent weeks are likely to have played a role, but the bleak state of the current economic conjuncture shouldn’t be downplayed,” he added. Following the survey, investors upped bets that the ECB would cut rates by 50 basis points in the December meeting. Djajasaputra also suggested that inflationary pressures would remain under control. “Despite the anticipated rise in November inflation, we do not believe that the big picture of a disinflationary trend has changed,” he said. The ECB cut interest rates for the third time this year in October, meaning the main interest rate stands at 3.25 per cent. Aside from the european inflation data, there are a smattering of smaller UK data releases, including shop price inflation from the British Retail Consortium and the Bank of England’s money and credit statistics. In the US, minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting will be published on Tuesday while the second estimate for US GDP will be released on Wednesday.
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Kensington Palace Shuts Down Amid Storm Bert WarningsFIA cybercrime wing registers first case of fake news in Karachi The cybercrime Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Karachi has registered its first case related to spreading fake news. The case was filed under provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) for propagating false information during a PTI protest in November. The suspect nominated in the FIR has been identified as Said Ur Rehman, resident of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 1. However, no arrest has been made in connection with the case so far. The FIR stated that a report was received from a source regarding a Facebook account with the title, Saif Ur Rehman, that was involved in propoganda against the state and its institutes. The account owner was spreading fake news on real social media accounts and using derogatory language about the state. During the course of inquiry, the technical analysis of the alleged Twitter account of the same handler was done which revealed that the alleged account was active in propaganda against the state and its numerous posts were found to be anti-state. These posts included derogatory language and attempted to incite the public to harbour hatred against respectable institutions. From the facts and evidence collected, it was established that Said Ur Rehman was using the said Facebook account in the name of Saif ur Rehman and had tried to damage the image of Pakistan's respectable institutions by uploading fake news against them and such acts constituted the commission of offence punishable under the sections 9, 10 and 20 of Peca 2016 read with the Section 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code.Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to become US ambassador to France
Is the Congress government in Telangana returning to the days of killing Maoists?
Nebraska women’s basketball player Callin Hake summed it up as well as anyone could. “I think in South Dakota we shot the crap out of it, which is awesome,” the guard from Minnesota said. On that night last weekend in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Huskers made a school-record 20 3-pointers on 58% shooting beyond the arc in a 113-70 win against South Dakota. That was three more than the previous record, from 2010. Now comes another game against Creighton where the series at times has at times been defined by the 3-point line — both the ability to make and defend it. The 3-point line is something to watch closely again when the Huskers and Bluejays play at 4 p.m. Friday at Sokol Arena in Omaha, a few hours before the men’s teams from the same schools play at CHI Health Center Omaha. Creighton (1-2) has won two straight in the series. Last year, Morgan Maly made three 3-pointers in the first three minutes of the game and Creighton led the entire game while winning 79-74. Creighton didn’t keep its hot 3-point shooting going the entire game but made nine and outscored the Huskers by 18 points beyond the arc. Nebraska was 3-for-21 on 3-pointers. In 2022, Creighton blasted the Huskers 77-51 after making five of its first eight 3-pointers. “One thing I know is they (Creighton) all shoot it pretty well,” Nebraska coach Amy Williams said. “Last year we gave up eight made threes in the first quarter. That’s something we’ll have to shore up. They’re very, very good off the ball with their movement and cuts so you’re positioning really matters. We’ll have to make the hustle plays and not give them second-chance opportunities.” Creighton has won seven of the last eight meetings with the Huskers. The Bluejays are averaging 10.4 made threes per game during the stretch, while Nebraska is averaging 3.6. The 5-0 and 21st-ranked Huskers faced a major dose of adversity this week when sophomore forward Natalie Potts sustained a season-ending knee injury during Tuesday’s game against North Alabama. She’s scheduled for surgery in two weeks. Williams called the injury is “devastating.” “What a start she’s had to the season, leading our team in scoring and rebounding,” Williams said. “She worked really hard this offseason.” Creighton has reached the NCAA Tournament the past three seasons, making the Elite Eight in 2022, the first round in 2023 and the second round in 2024 with several of the same players that are on the team this year. Creighton may be the most experienced team the Huskers face all season, as the Bluejay playing rotation includes five graduate students, two seniors and two juniors. “We’re incredibly familiar with their roster, and they’re incredibly familiar with our roster,” Williams said. Creighton guard Lauren Jensen has already gone off this season, scoring a career-high 32 in an 80-72 win against Drake. She was 6-for-10 on threes and made each of her six two-point shots. One thing new to the series for Nebraska is Britt Prince, the freshman from Elkhorn North getting her first taste of playing against her hometown school. In the past two games combined, Prince is 15 for 21 shooting. She’s driving to the basket, and also shooting 3s. “She’s gotten more aggressive, and I’d like to see her be even more aggressive,” Williams said. The 113-70 win against South Dakota showed the Huskers what it can look like this season. The Huskers zipped passes around the perimeter to get lots of good 3-point chances. Nebraska had 33 assists on 41 field goals. Hake felt like a lot of inside-outside passes helped the Huskers to the fourth-best scoring total in program history. “When you have posts that are willing to kick it out and give you dimes for passes that makes shooting in a guard’s job a lot easier,” Hake said. “I think we really wanted to carry that forward. But we don’t want to live and die by the three.” Nebraska (5-0) G – Britt Prince; 5-11; Fr.; 13.0 G – Callin Hake; 5-8; Jr.; 6.0 G – Alberte Rimdal; 5-9; Sr.; 10.4 G – Logan Nissley; 6-0; So.; 8.0 C – Alexis Markowski; 6-3; Sr.; 13.8 Creighton (1-2) Player; Ht.; Yr.; PPG. G – Molly Mogensen; 5-7; Sr.; 6.0 G – Lauren Jensen; 5-10; Sr.; 21.3 G – Kiani Lockett; 5-8; Jr.; 11.3 G – Mallory Brake; 6-0; Sr.; 2.7 F – Morgan Maly; 6-1; Sr.; 15.3 Reach the writer at 402-473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com . On Twitter @LJSSportsWagner. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Older adults in the U.S. skip needed medical care at much higher rates compared to other developed countries, according recent survey conducted by The Commonwealth Fund . The study said 8% to 9% of older Americans skip necessary treatment compared to just 2% of seniors in countries like Sweden, the Netherlands, the U.K. and Germany. The survey said nearly all Americans aged 65 or older are covered by Medicare and have access to most basic health services. Yet they pay more for health care and are more likely to postpone or skip needed care because of the cost. RELATED STORY | Medicare enrollment is complicated, but saving money doesn't have to be Nearly a quarter of older adults in the U.S. spent at least $2,000 over the past year on out-of-pocket expenses, compared to less than 5% in France and the Netherlands who spent the same amount, the survey said. The survey results are similar for dental and mental health care, The Commonwealth Fund said. One in five older adults in the U.S., Australia and Canada reported skipping needed dental care, compared to 5% or less of older adults in the Netherlands and Germany. The survey said less than 5% of older adults in all countries reported skipping mental health services over the past year because of the cost. RELATED STORY | Medicare premiums will rise yet again in 2025. Here's what you need to knowUS President-elect Donald Trump has sided with key supporter and billionaire tech CEO Elon Musk in a public dispute over the use of the H-1B visa, saying he fully backs the program for foreign tech workers opposed by some of his supporters. or signup to continue reading Trump's remarks followed a series of social media posts from Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, who vowed to go to "war" to defend the visa program for foreign tech workers. Trump, who moved to limit the visas' use during his first presidency, told The New York Post on Saturday he was likewise in favour of the visa program. "I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I've been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It's a great program," he was quoted as saying. Musk, a naturalised US citizen born in South Africa, has held an H-1B visa, and his electric-car company Tesla obtained 724 of the visas this year. H-1B visas are typically for three-year periods, though holders can extend them or apply for green cards. The altercation was set off earlier this week by far-right activists who criticised Trump's selection of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian American venture capitalist, to be an adviser on artificial intelligence, saying he would have influence on the Trump administration's immigration policies. Musk's tweet was directed at Trump's supporters and immigration hard-liners who have increasingly pushed for the H-1B visa program to be scrapped amid a heated debate over immigration and the place of skilled immigrants and foreign workers brought into the country on work visas. On Friday, Steve Bannon, a longtime Trump confidante, critiqued "big tech oligarchs" for supporting the H-1B program and cast immigration as a threat to Western civilisation. In response, Musk and many other tech billionaires drew a line between what they view as legal immigration and illegal immigration. Trump has promised to deport all immigrants who are in the US illegally, deploy tariffs to help create more jobs for American citizens and severely restrict immigration. The visa issue highlights how tech leaders like Musk -- who has taken an important role in the presidential transition, advising on key personnel and policy areas -- are now drawing scrutiny from his base. The US tech industry relies on the government's H-1B visa program to hire foreign skilled workers to help run its companies, a labour force that critics say undercuts wages for American citizens. Musk has spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars helping Trump get elected in November. 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Opinion: Gambling with bird flu is asking for trouble — and another pandemic
NoneBUFFALO — Richard Pyle and Zander Peterson scored a goal and assisted on another for the Brainerd Warriors in a 6-3 loss to the Buffalo Bison Saturday, Nov. 23. After falling 3-0, Brainerd scored all three of its goals in the second period. Cooper Katzenberger tallied the other with assists going to Pyle and Chad King. ADVERTISEMENT Brainerd’s Gaje Germundson and Dylan Wikoff also recorded assists. Six different players scored for Buffalo.AZEK ( NYSE:AZEK – Free Report ) had its target price raised by BMO Capital Markets from $49.00 to $51.00 in a report published on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a market perform rating on the stock. Several other research firms have also issued reports on AZEK. Loop Capital lowered AZEK from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $47.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Friday, October 4th. Truist Financial cut their price objective on AZEK from $57.00 to $52.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 8th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on shares of AZEK from $52.00 to $50.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on shares of AZEK from $52.00 to $48.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 13th. Finally, Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of AZEK from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $49.24. Read Our Latest Stock Report on AZEK AZEK Stock Performance Institutional Investors Weigh In On AZEK A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its position in shares of AZEK by 3.2% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 13,482,323 shares of the company’s stock valued at $677,082,000 after acquiring an additional 413,297 shares during the period. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co grew its stake in shares of AZEK by 180.4% in the first quarter. CANADA LIFE ASSURANCE Co now owns 36,912 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,856,000 after purchasing an additional 23,746 shares during the last quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. increased its holdings in AZEK by 15.9% during the 2nd quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. now owns 734,446 shares of the company’s stock valued at $30,942,000 after purchasing an additional 100,719 shares during the period. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its position in AZEK by 66.8% during the 1st quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 1,466,145 shares of the company’s stock valued at $73,631,000 after purchasing an additional 587,107 shares during the last quarter. Finally, WCM Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in AZEK by 2.2% in the 3rd quarter. WCM Investment Management LLC now owns 539,494 shares of the company’s stock worth $25,232,000 after buying an additional 11,770 shares during the period. 97.44% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About AZEK ( Get Free Report ) The AZEK Company Inc engages in the design, manufacturing, and selling of building products for residential, commercial, and industrial markets in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments: Residential and Commercial. The Residential segment designs and manufactures engineered outdoor living products, such as decking, railing, trim and molding, siding and cladding, pergolas and cabanas, and accessories under the TimberTech, AZEK Exteriors, VERSATEX, ULTRALOX, StruXure, and INTEX brands. Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than AZEK What is a Death Cross in Stocks? Vertiv’s Cool Tech Makes Its Stock Red-Hot The Basics of Support and Resistance MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/18 – 11/22 What is a Dividend King? 2 Finance Stocks With Competitive Advantages You Can’t Ignore Receive News & Ratings for AZEK Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AZEK and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner , father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former White House senior adviser to Trump who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to Kushner's own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, sought. Christie blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trump’s transition team in 2016, and called Charles Kushner’s offenses “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney.” Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. 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. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. 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.” 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. 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. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” 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. 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. 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. 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. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” 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. 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. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — Maverick McNealy finally became a winner on the final tournament of his fifth year on the PGA Tour, hitting 6-iron to 5 feet for birdie on the 18th hole at Sea Island for a 2-under 68 and a one-shot victory in the RSM Classic. He picked the right time to end nine holes without a birdie, even as so many others were making them to create a four-way tie for the lead. The victory came in his 134th start as a pro, and it sends him to Maui to start the year at The Sentry and to the Masters in April for the first time. Daniel Berger missed a 20-foot birdie attempt on the 18th that preceded McNealy’s winner. He tied for second with Nico Echavarria and Florida State sophomore Luke Clanton, both of whom missed par putts from inside 8 feet on the final hole that created the four-way tie. Berger got a small consolation prize, moving inside the top 125 to keep a full PGA Tour card for 2025 when the fields will be smaller and only the top 100 will keep cards. Henrik Norlander, who was No. 126 in the FedEx Cup last year, had a 63-68 weekend and joined Berger as the two players who moved into the top 125. For Joel Dahmen, it was a matter of staying there. He was at No. 124 coming into the final tournament, had to make a 5-foot par putt just to make the cut on the number and then delivered a tee-to-green clinic — along with holing a 113-yard sand wedge for eagle early in his round — for a closing 64. It was enough to stay at No. 124 with nine points to spare. “Two of the biggest pressure moments of my career I showed up, and I can take that going forward,” Dahmen said. Clanton was a shot away from joining Nick Dunlap as amateur winners on the PGA Tour this year. Clanton, who has taken over as the top-ranked amateur in the world, now has two runner-up finishes and four top 10s in the seven PGA Tour starts the last five months. He had the look of a winner, especially with McNealy stuck in neutral, when he poured in birdie putts on the 14th and 16th holes to tie for the lead. But he tugged his approach to the 18th into bunker, . “It’s going to be a tough one to definitely take, for sure, after bogeying the last,” Clanton said. “But I think it’s proven to me that out here I can win, so I’ll be training for that.” Echavarria, who won in Japan a month ago, had not made a bogey all day until going long on the 18th, chipping to 9 feet and catching the lip with his par putt. Michael Thorbjornsen was poised to move into the top 125 until he pulled his approach into the water on the par-5 15th hole and made bogey, closing with three pars for a 69. He tied for eighth and finished at No. 129. Thorbjornsen still has a full card next year from being No. 1 in PGA Tour University, but his status won’t be as high. McNealy, son of Sun Microsystems co-founder Scott McNealy, had been doing some of his best work outside the ropes, particularly effecting a change in FedEx Cup points distribution to make it more equitable. Missing was a victory, and this one came down to the wire. He went out in 33 and led by two going to the back nine, and then it became a grind. He holed a 15-foot par putt from the fringe on the 11th to stay in the lead, and saved par after going bunker-to-bunker on the 13th. But he dropped a shot with an errant drive on the 14th, and when Echavarria birdied the 15th ahead of him, McNealy was out of the lead for the first time all day. He answered at just the right time, a 6-iron that covered the flag and settled just over 5 feet away. The victory gets him into three $20 million events over the first two months of the year, along with his first trip to the Masters. ___ AP golf:Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Raises Position in Kimberly-Clark Co. (NYSE:KMB)
AZEK ( NYSE:AZEK – Free Report ) had its price target raised by Truist Financial from $52.00 to $57.00 in a report issued on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the stock. A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on AZEK from $46.00 to $50.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Loop Capital lowered shares of AZEK from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $47.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Friday, October 4th. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on shares of AZEK from $52.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of AZEK from $49.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Benchmark restated a “buy” rating and issued a $55.00 price objective on shares of AZEK in a report on Friday, August 9th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, AZEK has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $49.24. Get Our Latest Report on AZEK AZEK Stock Up 2.3 % Hedge Funds Weigh In On AZEK Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Equitable Trust Co. grew its holdings in shares of AZEK by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Equitable Trust Co. now owns 10,346 shares of the company’s stock worth $484,000 after purchasing an additional 226 shares in the last quarter. Tidal Investments LLC lifted its position in AZEK by 3.7% during the first quarter. Tidal Investments LLC now owns 7,060 shares of the company’s stock worth $355,000 after purchasing an additional 251 shares during the period. Creative Planning grew its stake in AZEK by 6.6% during the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 6,987 shares of the company’s stock worth $327,000 after buying an additional 430 shares in the last quarter. Covestor Ltd increased its holdings in AZEK by 18.8% in the 3rd quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 2,758 shares of the company’s stock valued at $129,000 after buying an additional 436 shares during the period. Finally, Blue Trust Inc. raised its position in shares of AZEK by 106.4% in the 3rd quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 931 shares of the company’s stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 480 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 97.44% of the company’s stock. About AZEK ( Get Free Report ) The AZEK Company Inc engages in the design, manufacturing, and selling of building products for residential, commercial, and industrial markets in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments: Residential and Commercial. The Residential segment designs and manufactures engineered outdoor living products, such as decking, railing, trim and molding, siding and cladding, pergolas and cabanas, and accessories under the TimberTech, AZEK Exteriors, VERSATEX, ULTRALOX, StruXure, and INTEX brands. Recommended Stories Five stocks we like better than AZEK Do Real Estate Investment Trusts Deserve a Place in Your Portfolio? Vertiv’s Cool Tech Makes Its Stock Red-Hot What Investors Need to Know About Upcoming IPOs MarketBeat Week in Review – 11/18 – 11/22 The How And Why of Investing in Oil Stocks 2 Finance Stocks With Competitive Advantages You Can’t Ignore Receive News & Ratings for AZEK Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AZEK and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .