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retro online games Voters in parts of Scott, Clinton and Jackson counties will vote in a special election for their state senator on Jan. 28, 2025, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday. Former senator for District 35, Chris Cournoyer, was sworn in a week ago as the state's new lieutenant governor. Cournoyer resigned her senate seat at that time. Candidates wanting to run for the seat have until Jan. 14, 2025, to file their paperwork, Iowa Secretary of State spokesperson Ashley Hunt Esquivel wrote in an email. Candidates may be nominated by special convention of one of the political parties or collect signatures and file as a no-party candidate. For special elections, absentee voting begins "as soon as ballots are available, but not earlier than 20 days prior to the election," Hunt Esquivel wrote. Scott County Auditor Kerri Tompkins anticipates having early voting available in-person at the county administration building starting Jan. 16, she wrote in an email. Polls will be open on Jan. 28 for Election Day from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Voters can send in ballot requests now, but Tompkins warned mail-in ballots for the special election will have a tight turnaround. Mailed ballots may not be sent out until Jan. 17 or later, Tompkins wrote, and must arrive in the auditor's office by the time polls close on Jan. 28. "I encourage voters to take this into consideration as they make their voting plans," Tompkins wrote. Cournoyer, a Republican from LeClaire, was first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022. There's still two years left in the term representing the district, which includes Clinton, DeWitt, Camanche, Wheatland, Maquoketa, and Princeton. In Clinton County, where the bulk of the district is located, a new auditor will take office in the new year. Republican David Troester defeated Democrat Eric Van Lancker in the November election. Iowa Senate Democrats, in a statement, called the upcoming special election "a pivotal moment for Eastern Iowa to send a clear message: enough is enough." "This election allows voters to demand bold leadership and real solutions to move Iowa forward. It's about electing a Senator who will fully fund our schools, grow Iowa's middle class, and fight for a fair deal for every family — not just the wealthy few," the statement reads. "While we wait to see who the Democratic nominee will be, the Senate Majority Fund is wasting no time organizing in preparation for this election to move Iowa forward and tackle the challenges Iowa families face head-on." Americans may have elected Donald Trump in November, but that doesn't mean they have high confidence in his ability to choose well-qualified people for his cabinet according to a new AP-NORC poll. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. FILE - Former Rep. Doug Collins speaks before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at a campaign event at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Oct. 15, 2024, in Atlanta. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. 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. Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump's 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.” Guilfoyle was on stage with the family on election night. “I am so proud of Kimberly. She loves America and she always has wanted to serve the country as an Ambassador. She will be an amazing leader for America First,” Don Jr. posted. The ambassador positions must be approved by the U.S. Senate. Guilfoyle said in a social media post that she was “honored to accept President Trump’s nomination to serve as the next Ambassador to Greece and I look forward to earning the support of the U.S. Senate.” Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Trump says he’s picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Ron Johnson, Ambassador to Mexico Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration. His nomination comes as the president-elect has been threatening tariffs on Mexican imports and the mass deportation of migrants who have arrived to the U.S.-Mexico border. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency. Tom Barrack, Ambassador to Turkey Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at a federal trial in 2022. Trump called him a “well-respected and experienced voice of reason.” Andrew Ferguson, Federal Trade Commission Ferguson, who is already one of the FTC's five commissioners, will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Jacob Helberg, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment Dan Bishop, deputy director for budget at the Office of Budget and Management Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States Dan Newlin, Ambassador to Colombia Peter Lamelas, Ambassador to Argentina Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. 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The National President of Moro’a (Asholio) Development Association in Kaduna state Northwest Nigeria, Dr. Joshua Laah, said his people have stemmed the tide of insecurity in the communities by living peacefully with other ethnic nationalities. Dr Laar stated this Saturday when the Asholio people marked their second edition of their cultural day and 2024 thanksgiving in Abuja. He also said Asholio people had witnessed peace for encouraging their citizens, especially, the young ones to imbibe moral values and regard people of other ethnic stock as friends instead of seeing them as enemies. “What we are doing as an association is to encourage mediation, is to encourage people to live together, to be patient. Whatever we have, come from God. You know, the issue of craving for wealth, especially, among the young ones. “But if we can imbibe moral values, culture and live peaceful with everybody, you discover that instead of looking at somebody as an enemy, you look at him as a friend. You discover that through that process, he will give you peace and that is one of the strategies we have adopted, especially, with the Fulanis living in our midst. “And through them we get those that are really bad because in every tribe, we have people that are bad. So we try as much as possible to ensure people volunteer information about bad people and when we get such people, we hand over to the security agencies for proper action”, Dr Laah said. He urged them to invest in human capital development and also commended the people of Asholio nation to be resilient. The Chairman of the Asholio Moro’a Development Association, Mr. Kaboshio Dauda, Abuja Branch, urged the people to come together, and appreciate the need to foster unity among one another. Mr. Dauda said, “we are not merely marking a cultural tradition—we are also recognizing the significance of what it means to be part of something greater than ourselves—a community united by shared values and a common purpose.” He also said that the event “holds a deeper meaning, as we celebrate not just the beauty of our culture but the strength and resilience of our people.” He noted that “As we reflect on the value of unity, we see that it is more than just a word—it is the foundation upon which we build everything else.” He reiterated that “Unity brings us together in times of joy and sorrow, in moments of triumph and in times of challenge. It is through our culture and our unity that we find our identity and strength.” The Chairman of the Occasion Mr. Thaddeus Ibrahim said the Asholio are great and resilient people across the globe. He noted that the indigenous people of Kaduna state “are diligent in everything” they “are do.” Other speakers also admonished the Asholio people and the entire indigenous people of Kaduna state to continue to be good ambassadors wherever they are no matter the challenges. This occasion was marked to celebrate the rich and diverse cultural values of the people which serve as a vital reminder of their unity, peace, and progress that it fosters.Firefighters battle the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) MALIBU – Musician Cher and actor Dick Van Dyke were among thousands of residents who have been forced to leave their homes as the Franklin Fire in Malibu Canyon grew to nearly 4,000 acres Wednesday. More than 12,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders and thousands more faced evacuation warnings after a fast-moving wildfire burned acres of the wealthy enclave near Los Angeles. Malibu is home to many celebrities, including Jay-Z, Beyonce, Barbra Streisand, Julia Roberts and Lady Gaga. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . In a Facebook post on Tuesday, 98-year-old Hollywood icon Dick Van Dyke said that he and his wife Arlene Silver had safely evacuated their Malibu home but their cat Bobo escaped as they fled. “Arlene and I have safely evacuated with our animals except for Bobo escaped as we were leaving,” Van Dyke wrote. “We’re praying he’ll be ok and that our community in Serra Retreat will survive these terrible fires.” Cher and her pets have also evacuated while her Malibu neighbor, Barbra Streisand, was able to remain in her home, according to the New York Times . At an 8 a.m. multi-agency briefing on Wednesday, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said the fire’s size was estimated at 3,983 acres, and it was 7 percent contained. A resident sifts through their fire-damage property after the Franklin Fire swept through, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Marrone said seven structures have been destroyed and nine structures have been damaged, although those numbers could change pending a more thorough assessment expected to be completed later Wednesday. He said 1,532 firefighting personnel were assigned to the firefighting effort. Cal Fire was assuming Unified Command of the Franklin Fire Wednesday, Marrone said. According to Cal Fire, the Unified Command includes Cal Fire Incident Management Team 4, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. A red flag warning of critical fire danger that has been in place in the Malibu area since Monday was scheduled to expire at 2 p.m. Wednesday, with forecasters saying Santa Ana winds have begun to diminish and will be replaced by an onshore flow that should help alleviate dry conditions conducive to fire spread. Two firefighters put out flames while battling the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, also at the Wednesday briefing, said more than 100 sheriff’s department personnel have been assigned to patrol the affected area, and there have been no crimes reported in that area since the fire began late Monday night. Information continues to be available on the sheriff’s department’s social media sites such as @lasdhq on X, and also on the County website , Luna said. Luna said evacuations were affecting 19,980 people and 7,560 structures in the fire area. Mandatory evacuation orders affecting about 12,600 people were in place in an area roughly south of Piuma Road, east of Corral Canyon, and west of Big Rock. Another 7,380 people were under evacuation warnings, in an area south of Mulholland Highway, north of Pacific Coast Highway, east of Trancas and west of Coastline. A firefighter hoses down hot spots around a fire-ravaged property after the Franklin Fire swept through Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia) Evacuation shelters were operating at a Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District facility at 2828 Fourth Street in Santa Monica, and at the Calabasas Community Center, 27040 Malibu Hills Road. Small animals can be taken to Agoura Animal Center, 29525 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, while larger animals can be sheltered at Pierce College, 6201 Winnetka Ave., Woodland Hills. The blaze began shortly before 11 p.m. Monday in a Malibu Canyon area where a high volume of dry brush contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze. It erupted in the midst of a rare “particularly dangerous situation red flag warning” issued by the National Weather Service in response to strong wind gusts and dramatically dry conditions. The cause of the fire was still under investigation. Malibu City Councilman Bruce Silverstein and his wife on Monday night evacuated from their home and checked into a hotel, where they watched the fire creep closer to their hillside home via Ring cameras around their house. “We see real flames,” Silverstein told the Los Angeles Times, as he watched the lawn and trees near his home burn. “We thought it was completely under control. For a while it looked like we were in the clear. Then we could see the fire burning in the distance, and then a bunch of embers came flying into the yard.” Pepperdine University reported power outages and activated a shelter-in-place protocol early Tuesday morning. That order was lifted Tuesday morning, although students and staff were urged to stay off the local roads. Final exams at the university were postponed and campus operations were suspended, with much of the campus still without power. All Malibu schools within the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District were closed Tuesday, and they will remain closed through Thursday due to the power outages, road closures and evacuation orders due to the fire. The district’s Santa Monica schools remained open. The Santa Monica College Malibu Campus was closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger signed a local declaration of emergency in response to the fire early Tuesday morning. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist with the firefight. “Fire officials and first responders are working relentlessly to protect lives and property from the Franklin Fire,” Newsom said in a statement. “California is grateful for this federal support, which bolsters these efforts. I urge all residents in affected areas to stay alert and follow evacuation orders.” (With CNS report) Want stories like this delivered straight to your inbox?Stay informed. Stay ahead. Subscribe to InqMORNING

Lithium Argentina Files Meeting Materials to Establish Corporate Domicile in SwitzerlandVANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lithium Americas (Argentina) Corp. (“ Lithium Argentina ” or the “ Company ”) ( TSX: LAAC ) ( NYSE: LAAC ) today announced that it has filed its notice of meeting, management information circular (the “ Circular ”), notice-and-access notification, form of proxy, voting instruction form and virtual meeting guide (collectively, the “ Meeting Materials ”) in connection with its previously announced special meeting of shareholders on January 17, 2025 (the “ Meeting ”) to approve a redomiciling of the Company in Switzerland under the new name, Lithium Argentina AG, and ancillary matters. The move, which requires shareholder, stock exchange and court approval, is expected to occur in early 2025. HIGHLIGHTS Lithium Argentina’s Meeting will be held virtually on Friday, January 17 at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific Time). Shareholders are encouraged to vote well in advance of the proxy voting deadline on Wednesday, January 15 at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific Time). Shareholders who have questions or need assistance in voting should contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group by telephone at 1-877-452-7184 (North American Toll Free) or 1-416- 304-0211 (Outside North America), or by email at assistance@laurelhill.com . DETAILS OF THE MEETING The Meeting is scheduled to be held virtually at https://meetnow.global/MDAUKRK on Friday, January 17 at 10:00 a.m. (Pacific Time). Shareholders as of the close of business on December 3, 2024 (the “ Record Date ”), are entitled to vote at the Meeting. Shareholders are encouraged to access the Meeting Materials and vote electronically. The specific details of matters to be put before the Meeting are set forth in the Circular. The Meeting Materials have been posted in full, and are available for review via the internet without charge, on the Company’s website at http://lithium-argentina.com/investor-relations/Special-Meeting , and under the Company’s SEDAR+ and EDGAR profile at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov , respectively. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“ Broadridge ”), on behalf of the Company, has mailed the notice-and-access notification and voting instruction form to U.S. non-registered shareholders in accordance with its applicable procedures. In light of the ongoing postal strike and given the high demand for courier services, Broadridge has couriered the notice-and-access notification and voting instruction form to certain Canadian non-registered shareholders in accordance with its applicable procedures. Registered U.S. and Canadian shareholders will be mailed and couriered, respectively, the notice-and-access notification and form of proxy by the Company’s transfer agent, Computershare Investor Services Inc. (“ Computershare ”). This news release is being made in accordance with the interim order of the Supreme Court of British Columbia dated December 4, 2024 and constitutes valid delivery of the Meeting Materials in lieu of prepaid ordinary mail delivery of Meeting Materials due to the ongoing postal strike in Canada. VOTING ASSISTANCE & QUESTIONS In the event that the ongoing postal strike in Canada continues, registered shareholders are encouraged to contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group, the Company’s proxy solicitation agent, by telephone at 1-877-452-7184 (North American Toll Free) or 416-304-0211 (Collect Outside North America), or by email at assistance@laurelhill.com to obtain and return their proxies in connection with the Meeting. Non-registered shareholders are encouraged to contact their brokers or intermediaries in order to obtain their control numbers and to make arrangements for the return of their voting instruction forms in connection with the Meeting. For details on how to vote at the Meeting, please see “ Voting Information ” in the Circular. To vote via the internet or by phone: Voting occurs in advance of the Meeting by voting a proxy, or at the Meeting by attending online. How a shareholder votes will vary depending on whether they are a registered shareholder or a non-registered shareholder (beneficial shareholder). In all cases, the proxy must be received at least 48 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) before the Meeting or the adjournment thereof at which the proxy is to be used. ABOUT LITHIUM ARGENTINA Lithium Argentina is an emerging producer of lithium carbonate for use primarily in lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles. The Company, in partnership with Ganfeng Lithium Co, Ltd., is operating the Caucharí-Olaroz lithium brine operation in Argentina and advancing development of additional lithium resources in the region. Lithium Argentina currently trades on the TSX and on the NYSE. For further information contact: Investor Relations Telephone: +1 778-653-8092 Email: Kelly.obrien@lithium-argentina.com Website: www.lithium-argentina.com FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively referred to herein as “forward-looking information”). These statements relate to future events or the Company’s future performance. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by the use of words such as “seek,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “project,” “predict,” “propose,” “potential,” “targeting,” “intend,” “could,” “might,” “should,” “believe” and similar expressions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information, including, without limitation, with respect to the following matters or the Company’s expectations relating to matters such as the intention to establish corporate domicile in Switzerland; the approval of the redomicile; the holding of a special meeting of shareholders; and the continued conduct of our business. Forward-looking information does not take into account the effect of transactions or other items announced or occurring after the statements are made. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon a number of expectations and assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to those related to: uncertainties with respect to obtaining all applicable shareholder, court and regulatory approvals or satisfying other requirements necessity or desirability of permitting or facilitating the completion of the transaction; the continued listing on the TSX and NYSE; being subject to satisfying all conditions prescribed by the exchanges; there being no guarantee that the redomiciling will procure the anticipated benefits nor that the expected impacts will materialize as expected; potential adverse tax consequences resulting from the transaction; discretion of the Company to implement the redomicile or not; risks associated with the Company being governed under a different corporate legal regime post continuation; change in the rights of shareholders as a result of the continuation; unforeseen events that could prevent, delay in or increase in cost of completing the continuation; uncertainties inherent to feasibility studies and mineral resource and reserve estimates; global financial markets, general economic conditions, competitive business environments, and other factors that may negatively impact the Company’s financial condition; the inability of the Company to secure sufficient additional financing to develop the Company’s mineral projects; and all the other risk factors identified herein and in the Company’s latest annual information form and in other continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR+ and EDGAR. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are cautioned that the actual results achieved will vary from the information provided herein and that such variations may be material. Consequently, there are no representations by the Company that actual results achieved will be the same in whole or in part as those set out in the forward-looking statements. This press release does not constitute a solicitation of any proxy nor the offering of any securities of the Company.

PACS Investors Have Opportunity to Lead PACS Group Inc. Securities Fraud Lawsuit

How major US stock indexes fared Wednesday, 11/27/2024

Attentive Named to the 2024 Deloitte Technology Fast 500TM for the Fourth Consecutive YearSwansea boss Luke Williams thought his side were second best for the majority of the contest despite earning a 2-1 win at Derby. The Swans stunned Pride Park into silence with less than two minutes on the clock when Zan Vipotnik sent a bullet past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom before Ronald slotted home his first of the season in the 14th minute. Cyrus Christie brought Tom Barkhuizen down inside the box and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing dispatched the resulting penalty to cut the deficit in half and, despite piling on the pressure, Derby succumbed to a second home defeat of the season. Williams told a press conference: “We started the game very well, we were good up until we scored the second goal then we lost the grip on the game and I thought Derby were the better team. “The next thing for us we have to be able to maintain that level throughout the game and we weren’t able to do that to be quite honest today. “They made it difficult, reacted very well after the second goal and didn’t go under, far from it.” Swansea leapfrogged their opponents into the top half of the table with their sixth win of the season and took three points back to south Wales following two last-minute defeats by Burnley and Leeds heading into the match. Williams added: “We’ve recently conceded late goals but they’re a very resilient group and we saw it out in the end. “We’ve dominated games a lot but probably failed to score when we’ve been that dominant and tonight we managed to score the goals when we were dominant. “We scored the goals at the right time today.” Derby had been unbeaten in their last three matches coming into this one but Paul Warne put defeat down to a poor start. He said: “We conceded two and didn’t get close enough, weren’t aggressive enough, not enough body contact and looked soft, that’s my fault. “Maybe I didn’t message it properly. Sometimes it doesn’t come down to shape and tactics but I thought that was what the difference was. “Credit Swansea for the win but after the 25 mins it looked like we would score. I really enjoyed it, that’s the truth. I had 70 minutes of a team giving everything, I don’t think we’ve had that many attempts in the Championship this season. “It’s a rude awakening, last year we would’ve won that 4-2.”

A Missoula City Council committee on Wednesday voted unanimously to approve a request from the Missoula Police Department to pay about $515,000 over the course of five years for 120 new Tasers and a bundle of add-on services, including an artificial intelligence software program that writes up to 80% of police reports. Missoula Police Chief Mike Colyer made the request to the city council's Public Safety, Health and Operations Committee. Colyer said the MPD has had a Taser program since 2001, when he was one of the initial instructors. Colyer gave two examples of how Tasers were used to avoid a potential use of firearms. A representative for Axon Enterprise Inc. demonstrates the company's TASER 7 on May 12, 2022, in Washington. In the first example, he recounted how he and another officer were once chasing a suspect on a stolen bike. "By the time we caught up to him, he had wiped out and he was getting a knife out of his coat," Colyer recounted. "We hollered at him to drop the knife." The suspect refused the orders, Colyer said. "We hit him with the Taser," Colyer said, noting that the man was immobilized by the electric jolt and subsequently detained without harm to anyone. "Often times I've wondered how that might have ended if we didn't have the Taser," Colyer told the city council members. "Our only other option was lethal force." In another case, Colyer said a student at a local school had charged a teacher with a pair of scissors. A school resource officer responded, and when he got there, the young man was holding a chair over his head. Colyer said the officer simply pointed the red laser dot at the student, which in police jargon is called "painting." "The young man looked down, saw the light on his chest, and put the chair down and it was over," Colyer said. "These are not just theories. There are dozens of examples of the value of the program." Colyer said the department has been offered to renew a contract with Axon Technologies for the Taser program. The five-year contract would cost about $103,000 per year. As part of the contract, the department would get 120 new T10 Taser devices. Colyer said they have double the range of the older models. Also, they work with a single probe instead of two probes. "The old models have to have two probes make connection, so if you miss one or you have a clothing disconnect, it's kind of useless," Colyer explained. "In the new one, you have two probes you can fire individually and the distance is twice as far. Time and distance are always our friend, and this new model provides that." Colyer said Axon Technologies has a "moonshot goal" of reducing officer-involved shootings in the U.S. by 50%. "They view the new T10 as a big part of that because of its advanced technology," he said. The contract will also give the officers an unlimited supply of training and duty cartridges. Because about 118 officers will have to train twice a year and deploy at least two in each training session, Colyer said that's a savings of about $35,000. The department will also be able to sell its older models to a company that repurposes them and sells them to private security firms. The department will also get access to four more virtual reality, three-dimensional training headsets. "That will allow us to do more reps for people," he said. The headsets will also be used for the Department's Citizen Academy, where members of the public can see what it's like to engage in a "use of force scenario." The contract from Axon also comes with software called Draft One. It's an AI (artificial intelligence) software that provides 80% of the initial report for an officer to work from. Colyer said that the software gathers data from body cameras and car cameras to write up the first part of a police report from an incident, thus saving staff time. "It creates basically the first draft of a report," Colyer said. "They estimate about 80% of the content is created for the officer. And then throughout the report it cues the officer to provide detail where needed." Colyer said the department is "testing and evaluating" the software right now. "I'm pretty cautious about AI and how that might look, but we will consider it," Colyer said. An article from MSNBC from late November about Draft One quoted several experts as being extremely skeptical about the software. It also quoted Axon's CEO as saying the software has built-in "safeguards" to prevent mistakes. Another tool offered by Axon is Fusus Real-Time Crime Software, which would allow the department to engage with private camera owners, such as banks, schools or private homeowners or renters. "Frankly we don't have the infrastructure to run that right now, or personnel or equipment, so it's not something that I'm considering right now," Colyer said. Colyer said it's cheaper for the department to take the bundle with all the add-ons from Axon rather than just buy the 120 new Tasers. The department will not have to pay the final year of its existing contract with Axon, which will save $70,000. City council member Stacie Anderson was supportive of the contract. "I know training is a huge component of what the police force does, and the more training you have and advantages you have the safer we all are," she said. "Both officers and the public. So definitely want to be mindful of this opportunity to provide more training." David Erickson is the business reporter for the Missoulian. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Business Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.The end of an Eras tour approaches, marking a bittersweet moment for Taylor Swift fans

Luke Williams feels Swansea ‘lost grip’ on game despite sealing victory at Derby

Krispy Kreme Cyber Attack Disrupted Online Ordering in the US

Russia's "Ghost Fleet" of oil tankers are facing a new round of sanctions from the European Union ( EU ) amid the ongoing war with Ukraine. The Sanctions EU envoys have approved a new package of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine with a focus on a vast shadow fleet of ships Moscow uses to evade restrictions on oil and fuel transport, the EU's Hungarian presidency announced Wednesday. The sanctions target around 50 ships described as aging and often decrepit that are reportedly operating illegally to evade restrictions. Hungary said the measures are intended to "constrain the activity" of vessels that "contribute or support actions or policies supporting Russia's actions against Ukraine." The sanctions package will also target additional officials and entities, including organizations, companies, banks and government agencies, particularly in countries aiding Russia in advancing its military technology by circumventing export restrictions. EU foreign ministers are set to formally approve the sanctions package on Monday. The specific details of the individuals and entities targeted will be disclosed when the measures are published in the EU's official legal journal. Past Sanctions Against Russia Since President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has implemented multiple rounds of sanctions against Russia, and more than 2,300 individuals and entities are now subject to restrictive measures. The sanctions have hit Russia's energy sector, banks, major businesses, markets and the world's largest diamond mining company. They also include asset freezes and travel bans on Putin, his inner circle and dozens of Russian lawmakers. Russia's "Ghost Fleet" In October, the Kyiv School of Economics Institute (KSE) think tank raised alarms over the ecological dangers of the "shadow fleet" that the Kremlin uses to circumvent a G7 ban on firms from insuring, financing and shipping Russian seaborne oil exports sold above $60 a barrel. The goal of the price cap was to choke revenues fueling Putin's war machine, but Moscow has responded by transporting oil through vessels whose ownership is reorganized to hide Russian links, often through shell companies. Despite this crackdown, Russia has expanded the capacity of oil transported by its shadow fleet of oil tankers by almost 70 per cent year on year, from 2.4 million barrels per day in June 2023 to 4.1 million in June 2024, the KSE said in its report. Benjamin Hilgenstock, a senior economist at KSE Institute and the report's co-author told Newsweek in October that "so far, we have been lucky because either an incident was narrowly avoided or, when it happened, the vessel was empty. But it's really a question of time until that luck runs out." This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.Heron Therapeutics Announces Corporate Headquarters Relocation to Cary, North Carolina

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South Korea's democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere?

Eastern Pacific Shipping extends eSAIL® installation with bound4blue on newbuildLuke Williams feels Swansea ‘lost grip’ on game despite sealing victory at Derby