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j ye
2025-01-08
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. People are also reading... 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From the earth, for the earth: Why plant-based eating is here to stay 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. Here are the people Trump has picked for key positions so far President-elect Donald Trump 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, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State 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, Secretary of Defense 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. Pam Bondi, Attorney General 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. Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security 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. Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior 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., Secretary of Health and Human Services 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, Treasury Secretary 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. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor Secretary 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, Housing and Urban Development 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, Secretary of Transportation 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. Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy 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. Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education 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, Secretary of Agriculture 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. Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce 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, Secretary of Veterans Affairs 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, White House press secretary 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. Tulsi Gabbard, National Intelligence Director 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. John Ratcliffe, Central Intelligence Agency Director 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.” Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator 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.” Brendan Carr, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission 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. Elise Stefanik, Ambassador to the United Nations 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. Matt Whitaker, Ambassador to NATO 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. Mike Huckabee, Ambassador to Israel 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. Steven Witkoff, Special Envoy to the Middle East 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. Keith Kellogg, Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia 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) Mike Waltz, National Security Adviser 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, Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy 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. Tom Homan, ‘Border Czar’ 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, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services administrator 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 and Vivek Ramaswamy to advise White House on government efficiency 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, Office of Management and Budget 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. Additional selections to the incoming White House 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.j ye
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It looked like a recipe for disaster. So, when his country's swimmers were being accused of doping earlier this year, one Chinese official cooked up something fast. He blamed it on contaminated noodles. In fact, he argued, it could have been a culinary conspiracy concocted by criminals, whose actions led to the cooking wine used to prepare the noodles being laced with a banned heart drug that found its way into an athlete's system. This theory was spelled out to international anti-doping officials during a meeting and, after weeks of wrangling, finally made it into the thousands of pages of data handed over to the lawyer who investigated the case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for that same drug. The attorney, appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, refused to consider that scenario as he sifted through the evidence. In spelling out his reasoning, lawyer Eric Cottier paid heed to the half-baked nature of the theory. “The Investigator considers this scenario, which he has described in the conditional tense, to be possible, no less, no more,” Cottier wrote. Even without the contaminated-noodles theory, Cottier found problems with the way WADA and the Chinese handled the case but ultimately determined WADA had acted reasonably in not appealing China's conclusion that its athletes had been inadvertently contaminated. Critics of the way the China case was handled can't help but wonder if a wider exploration of the noodle theory, details of which were discovered by The Associated Press via notes and emails from after the meeting where it was delivered, might have lent a different flavor to Cottier's conclusions. “There are more story twists to the ways the Chinese explain the TMZ case than a James Bond movie,” said Rob Koehler, the director general of the advocacy group Global Athlete. "And all of it is complete fiction.” Something in the kitchen was contaminated In April, reporting from the New York Times and the German broadcaster ARD revealed that the 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine, also known as TMZ. China's anti-doping agency determined the athletes had been contaminated, and so, did not sanction them. WADA accepted that explanation , did not press the case further, and China was never made to deliver a public notice about the “no-fault findings,” as is often seen in similar cases. The stock explanation for the contamination was that traces of TMZ were found in the kitchen of a hotel where the swimmers were staying. In his 58-page report , Cottier relayed some suspicions about the feasibility of that chain of events — noting that WADA's chief scientist “saw no other solution than to accept it, even if he continued to have doubts about the reality of contamination as described by the Chinese authorities.” But without evidence to support pursuing the case, and with the chance of winning an appeal at almost nil, Cottier determined WADA's “decision not to appeal appears indisputably reasonable.” But how did the drugs get into the kitchen? A mystery remained: How did those traces of TMZ get into the kitchen? Shortly after the doping positives were revealed, the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations held a meeting on April 30 where it heard from the leader of China's agency, Li Zhiquan. Li's presentation was mostly filled with the same talking points that have been delivered throughout the saga — that the positive tests resulted from contamination from the kitchen. But he expanded on one way the kitchen might have become contaminated, harkening to another case in China involving a low-level TMZ positive. A pharmaceutical factory, he explained, had used industrial alcohol in the distillation process for producing TMZ. The industrial alcohol laced with the drug “then entered the market through illegal channels,” he said. The alcohol "was re-used by the perpetrators to process and produce cooking wine, which is an important seasoning used locally to make beef noodles,” Li said. “The contaminated beef noodles were consumed by that athlete, resulting in an extremely low concentration of TMZ in the positive sample. "The wrongdoers involved have been brought to justice.” New information sent to WADA ... eventually This new information raised eyebrows among the anti-doping leaders listening to Li's report. So much so that over the next month, several emails ensued to make sure the details about the noodles and wine made their way to WADA lawyers, who could then pass it onto Cottier. Eventually, Li did pass on the information to WADA general counsel Ross Wenzel and, just to be sure, one of the anti-doping leaders forwarded it, as well, according to the emails seen by the AP. All this came with Li's request that the noodles story be kept confidential. Turns out, it made it into Cottier's report, though he took the information with a grain of salt. “Indeed, giving it more attention would have required it to be documented, then scientifically verified and validated,” he wrote. Neither Wenzel nor officials at the Chinese anti-doping agency returned messages from AP asking about the noodles conspiracy and the other athlete who Li suggested had been contaminated by them. Meanwhile, 11 of the swimmers who originally tested positive competed at the Paris Games earlier this year in a meet held under the cloud of the Chinese doping case. Though WADA considers the case closed, Koehler and others point to situations like this as one of many reasons that an investigation by someone other than Cottier, who was hired by WADA, is still needed. “It gives the appearance that people are just making things up as they go along on this, and hoping the story just goes away," Koehler said. “Which clearly it has not.” ___ AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-gamesDhaka: After International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) priest Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was detained at Dhaka airport, protests erupted in Bangladesh. Hindus took to the streets against the protest. Protesters were attacked by unknown people. The attack reportedly took place in Dhaka. At least 20 demonstrators were injured. Three of them are reported to be in critical condition. In the video's surfaced online, the miscreants were armed with sticks. Visuals Of The Attack: Earlier in the day, Krishna Das Brahmachari was detained at the Dhaka Airport. He was taken to an unknown location. The detention came amid reports of an alleged crackdown on minorities following a massive Hindu rally in the capital. Krishna Das is widely recognised as a leading voice for the rights of Bangladeshi Hindus. The Hindu priest's arrest came amid a series of attacks on minorities in Bangladeshafer interim government took over the charge earlier this year. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari hit out at Yunus. "Renowned firebrand Hindu Leader; Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu has been abducted by the Detective Branch at Dhaka Airport in Bangladesh. He is leading the fight for the survival & dignity of the Hindu Minorities of Bangladesh," Adhikari said in his X post. "The Bangladeshi Sanatani Community fear that Md Yunus's 'Radical' Regime may stoop to any level, even eliminate 'perceived threats' to its authority. I urge @DrSJaishankar Ji to kindly take note of the matter and take urgent steps," he added. Suvendu Adhikari's Tweet: Earlier this year, Chief Adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, had said that the issue of attacks on minority Hindus in his country was "exaggerated" and questioned the manner in which India projected it. In an interview with PTI at his official residence in Dhaka, Yunus said the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh was more political than communal. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Asia, World and around the world.
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Rwanda's annual honey production reached 7,000 tonnes at the end of 2023/2024 fiscal year. The government targets 10,000 tonnes by 2029. ALSO READ: Beekeepers weigh in on how to boost honey production Allocating state forests to beekeeping projects is one of the strategies to boost honey production. Ibanda-Makera is a 169-hectare natural gallery forest in Kirehe District in Eastern Province, which has savanna trees, swamps, and large trees watered by the Makera stream. Sanza is a relict forest located in Ngororero District in Western Province. Until its restoration, the forest was among three natural ecosystems, that had been classified as “collapsed,” the two others being Ndoha forest and Mashyuza forest. ALSO READ: How charcoal production and hunting threatened Kibirizi-Muyira Natural Forest The rehabilitation of Sanza and Ibanda-Makera forests exemplifies how ecosystem restoration can uplift communities according to Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA). These forests were restored by REMA through the Building Resilience of Communities Living in Degraded Forests, Savannahs, and Wetlands project using an ecosystem-based adaptation approach. In addition to supporting beekeeping, the project addressed climate change challenges, particularly in the drought-prone Eastern Province. The restoration of Sanza and Ibanda-Makera forests has led to improved biodiversity, soil conservation, and water regulation. These ecosystem services not only support [the sources of] livelihoods like beekeeping but also play a crucial role in mitigating climate change impacts, REMA said in a statement. ALSO READ: Beekeepers weigh in on how to boost honey production Beekeepers with beehives in the Sanza and Ibanda-Makera forests were upbeat after these ecosystems were restored, with revitalized vegetation, and ideal conditions for bees to forage. The beekeepers said honey production has begun to increase, providing them with a more reliable source of income. “With more flowers and a better habitat for our bees, honey production has increased significantly, said Jean Baptiste Ngirinshuti, the president of Itezimbere Muvumvu Cooperative operating Sanza Forest. Ngirinshuti said the cooperative used to harvest 10-15kg per beehive and the yield has increased to 30kg per hive. “The forest benefits us by providing a place for our bees to gather nectar and pollen. When the forest was being cut down, our bees had nowhere to forage, and the yields were very small. But now, with the forest protected, our bees have a good yield and security, which we find very beneficial,” said Gorette Bahirumwe, a member of the cooperative. For Marina Babonampoze, who has 10 beehives in Ibanda-Makera forest, beekeeping is becoming more professional as incomes increase, attracting women like her in the activity. Beekeeping was traditionally considered a male activity, but the income it generates today has encouraged more women to participate more actively, Babonampoze said. The REMA project supported beekeepers with training in modern beekeeping methods and provided modern beehives, enabling them to increase production. The flourishing beekeeping activities highlight the direct link between healthy ecosystems and sustainable livelihoods. The government had targeted to reach more than 8,600 tonnes of annual honey production by June 2024, but challenges disrupted some of the efforts taken in that regard, according to officials. Solange Uwituze, the Deputy Director-General in charge of animal resources research and technology transfer at Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), said that achieving the previous target was challenging due to issues such as habitat loss caused by urbanization and monoculture, which limited the foraging options for bees. Uwituze said efforts to restore bee habitats were underway, with different projects targeting biodiversity conservation to create pollinator-friendly environments. She said that under the five-year Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation, which runs until 2029, the government aims to address the current challenges in order to meet the targeted 10,000 tonnes in honey production.", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel Nkurunziza" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/", "sameAs": ["https://www.facebook.com/TheNewTimesRwanda/","https://twitter.com/NewTimesRwanda","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuZbZj6DF9zWXpdZVceDZkg"], "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "/theme_newtimes/images/logo.png", "width": 270, "height": 57 } }, "copyrightHolder": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "The New Times", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/" } }Reuben, Reuben, Reuben
Article content TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) — Mexican immigration authorities have broken up two small migrant caravans headed to the U.S. border, activists said Saturday. Recommended Videos Some migrants were bused to cities in southern Mexico, and others were offered transit papers. The action comes a week after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to slap 25% tariffs on Mexican products unless the country does more to stem the flow of migrants to the U.S. border. On Wednesday, Trump wrote that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had agreed to stop unauthorized migration across the border into the United States. Sheinbaum wrote on her social media accounts the same day that “migrants and caravans are taken care of before they reach the border.” Migrant rights activist Luis Garcia Villagran said the breaking-up of the two caravans appeared to be part of “an agreement between the president of Mexico and the president of the United States.” The first of the caravans started out from the southern Mexico city of Tapachula, near the border with Guatemala, on Nov. 5, the day Trump was elected. At its height it had about 2,500 people. In almost four weeks of walking, it had gone about 270 miles (430 kilometers) to Tehuantepec in the state of Oaxaca. In Tehuantepec, Mexican immigration officials offered the tired migrants free bus rides to other cities in southern or central Mexico. “They took some of us to Acapulco, others to Morelia, and others from our group to Oaxaca city,” said Barbara Rodriguez, an opposition supporter who left her native Venezuela after that country’s contested presidential elections earlier this year. Rodriguez said by telephone she later caught a bus on her own to Mexico City. In a statement Saturday, the National Immigration Institute said the migrants voluntary accepted bus rides “to various areas where there is medical assistance and where their migratory status will be reviewed,” and said “upon accepting (the rides), they said they no longer wanted to face the risks along their way.” The second caravan of about 1,500 migrants set out on Nov. 20 and made it about 140 miles (225 kilometers) to the town of Tonala, in Chiapas state. There, authorities offered a sort of transit visa that allows travel across Mexico for 20 days. Sheinbaum has said she is confident that a tariff war with the United States can be averted. But her statement — the day after she held a phone call with Trump — did not make clear who had offered what. Apart from the much larger first caravans in 2018 and 2019 _ which were provided buses to ride part of the way north — no caravan has ever reached the U.S. border walking or hitchhiking in any cohesive way, though some individual members have made it. For years, migrant caravans have often been blocked, harassed or prevented from hitching rides by Mexican police and immigration agents. They have also frequently been rounded up or returned to areas near the Guatemalan border.WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Christopher Wray told bureau workers Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January, an announcement that came a week and a half after President-elect Donald Trump said he would nominate loyalist Kash Patel for the job. Wray said at a town hall meeting that he would be stepping down “after weeks of careful thought,” roughly three years short of the completion of a 10-year term during which he tried to keep the FBI out of politics even as the bureau found itself entangled in a string of explosive investigations, including two that led to separate indictments of Trump last year as well as inquiries into Biden and his son.On the 14th hole at the PNC Sunday, Bernhard Langer took advantage of the rules en route to a birdie. NBC The PNC Championship proved once again this weekend that it’s a one-of-a-kind event among nationally televised golf tournaments. Parents competing with their kids. Men playing with women. A 13-year-old in the field alongside an 89-year-old. Four sets of tees in play. Thirty-six holes. Birdie-fueled sprint to the finish. Good stuff all of it. The PNC’s format also is a differentiator: a two-player scramble, which is a rarity for network TV golf. In a scramble, each player hits a tee shot and then selects the better of the two shots to play next. Same goes for the third shot, with this pattern repeating until a ball has been holed. It’s an ultra-forgiving format, which explains how both Team Langer and Team Woods shot 28 under over two rounds, and no team shot worse than eight under; the Langers ultimately defeated the Woods’ on the first playoff hole. Scrambles are unique from traditional golf in one other important way: When players decide which shots they are going to play, they are permitted to place their balls within one club-length of the original spots. That allowance generally results in ideal lies in the fairway. Balls that find hazards, bunkers, rough, natural areas or the fringe may also be picked up and placed within a club-length but typically must stay within the “same condition” — i.e., in most scrambles, including at the PNC, tournament organizers do not permit players to move a ball from, say, a bunker to the fairway. Improving one’s lie in one of those areas, though? That’s another matter. There is nothing in the rules that prohibits such an action, meaning players are empowered to remove their ball from, say, a dastardly fried-egg lie and place it on a more manageable lie atop the sand — again, assuming the new spot is within a club-length of where the ball originally came to rest. Just such a situation played out on Sunday at the PNC after the Langers — Bernhard and his son, Jason — had played their tee shots on the par-5 14th, at which point they were tied for the lead at 24 under with the Woods’. After Jason heeled his drive into the water up the left, the Langers had no choice but to play Bernhard’s ball, which landed in what looked to be a bunker on the left side of the fairway but was, in fact, deemed a natural area, which meant the Langers were free to make contact with the sand with their practice swings. When father and son arrived at the ball, they noticed something: a small clump of sand within a club-length of their orb. Recognizing that the tiny tower could in effect act as a tee for one of their shots, they collectively decided that, strategically, it would make the most sense for their best ball-striker — Bernhard — to take advantage of the rules break and place his ball upon the mound. Jason hit first, from a more challenging lie. He caught a fairway wood fat and popped up his ball into the middle of the fairway but a long way out from the green. Then Bernhard stepped in. Knowing he had the luxury of essentially teeing up his ball and with only a small lip to carry, he made an aggressive club selection: driver. “What do you think of this play?” announcer Dan Hicks said in an incredulous tone on the NBC broadcast. “I’m loving every second of it, Dan,” said on-course reporter Jim “Bones” Mackay. “I think he thinks because he can place the ball so nicely, he can get a lot of club on the ball here and get the ball up on the green.” Bernhard didn’t quite reach the green, but he came close. His ball rocketed out and carried approximately 230 yards before settling into a bunker fronting the green, an effort Tiger Woods later called “one of the best shots I’ve ever seen.” From there, he and Jason got up and down for a birdie 4. It wasn’t long before a screen-grab of Bernhard’s perched lie began making the rounds on social media , with no shortage of ill-informed observers taking digs at the two-time Masters champion’s integrity. Thing was, Bernhard had done no wrong. He and his son had merely taken advantage of the same rules that were available to the rest of the field. I know it’s scramble rules but we need to have conversation about Langer literally teeing up his ball in the bunker so he could hit driver! The zoom in camera did him no favors pic.twitter.com/ftV38bGhDE On Monday morning, Bernhard acknowledged in a phone interview with GOLF.com that he’d gotten “very fortunate” with his lie, but even if he’d had a less favorable lie, he said, he thinks the result of his second shot would have been similar. In that hypothetical scenario, Bernhard said, he likely would have hit a fairway wood instead of a driver and come up just short of the greenside bunker, which still would left him and Jason an excellent chance at getting up and down. Bernhard added that there also happened to be a footprint in the vicinity of his ball, which, if he had placed his ball on the imprint’s edge, also would have given him a similarly elevated lie. After the round, the PGA Tour Champions chief rules official on-site, Joe Terry, consulted with the Langers and confirmed that Bernhard was “in complete compliance with the rules for a scramble,” a Tour spokesperson told GOLF.com by email. “Joe is 100 percent confident that no infraction occurred.” Bernhard and Jason followed their birdie at 14 with two more on 15 and 16, a par at 17 and a clutch 4 on the par-5 closer to secure a playoff with Tiger and Charlie. Both teams replayed the 18th in the playoff, which concluded with Bernhard and Jason staring down an 18-foot eagle try for the win. Jason putt first. “I thought he made it,” Bernhard would say later. “When his ball was six feet from the hole, it was supposed to break a little left and it didn’t. It just stayed there. I was almost in shock that he didn’t make it because he hit such a pure putt. I was the beneficiary of seeing what his ball did. I played less break, and mine was able to bounce in there.” That’s the thing with golf: When you catch a break, you’d be wise to take it. GOLF senior writer Josh Sens contributed to this report. Latest In News Golf.com Editor As GOLF.com’s executive editor, Bastable is responsible for the editorial direction and voice of one of the game’s most respected and highly trafficked news and service sites. He wears many hats — editing, writing, ideating, developing, daydreaming of one day breaking 80 — and feels privileged to work with such an insanely talented and hardworking group of writers, editors and producers. Before grabbing the reins at GOLF.com, he was the features editor at GOLF Magazine. A graduate of the University of Richmond and the Columbia School of Journalism, he lives in New Jersey with his wife and foursome of kids.
Former Brazilian President Bolsonaro indicted over alleged coup attemptNearly 1,700 Vineyard Employees Participate in the Largest Survey Ever Taken of Vineyard Workforce SANTA ROSA, Calif., Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The largest and most comprehensive survey ever taken of vineyard employees provides interesting insight into their career plans, job satisfaction, wages and more. The Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos, whose mission is to support local vineyard employees and their families, collaborated with Beacon Economics to develop a comprehensive set of more than 60 questions for vineyard employees in Sonoma County. Among the findings, most vineyard employees expressed high job satisfaction driven by a positive work environment, higher-than-average wages and unique opportunities for career growth. Add the fact that a significant portion of vineyard employees benefit from employer-provided housing (40%), and it is easy to understand why most respondents (81.88%) would recommend a job in agriculture as a career path to others. Given Sonoma County Winegrowers' commitment to sustainable farming and its "Farm of the Future" initiative, local vineyard employees are also eager to continue their education and gain essential new skills as the region's reputation as a living lab for innovation, technology, automation and mechanization continues to grow. "We did this survey to better understand our vineyard workforce, their current roles, and their aspirations for the future. Vineyard employees in Sonoma County have a very savvy understanding of the future of agriculture in the region. Our partnerships and collaborations are resulting in improved efficiencies and new technologies which they witness in the vineyards on a regular basis, and they intend to be an important part of that future," said Karissa Kruse, Executive Director of the Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos and President and CEO of the Sonoma County Winegrowers. She added, "That's why more than 90% of the respondents want to gain new competencies, learn new skills and continue receiving job training. It is also why we are excited for our Foundation to continue to be a global leader in workforce development for our ag workforce." Sonoma County's vineyard workforce is young, predominantly male and overwhelmingly Mexican. Nearly half are married and many (50%) work alongside their family members working for the same employer. More than 25% of their partners also work in agriculture and 90% of the respondents have children. Nearly half of the respondents (49%) have received employer-provided job training and 11% have participated in external training which is more than double the statewide average. There is strong interest in learning new skills and competencies like tractor driving, equipment operation, and sustainable farming which presents an excellent opportunity for employers to provide targeted training programs in the future. "It is interesting that the great majority of the vineyard workforce in Sonoma County have nearly fifteen years of experience in agriculture with nearly nine of those years working in Sonoma County and about seven of those years with their current employer, giving the winegrowing community a very talented and experienced group of employees," said Duff Bevill, Chair of the Fundación. He added, "We are blessed to have such a proficient workforce who enjoy working and living in Sonoma County." Most employees live locally—over 80% reside within Sonoma County, with a substantial share based in Santa Rosa. As previously stated, approximately 40% of the survey respondents receive housing in Sonoma County that is free, subsidized or provided by their employer. This is well above the U.S. Department of Labor's estimate of only 9% of California farmworkers benefiting from employer-provided housing. In addition, three-fourths of full-time vineyard employees are enrolled in employer-provided healthcare plans. "There is a unique relationship between Sonoma County vineyard employees and their employer that has been founded on trust which is reflected in the survey findings," said Kruse. She added, "It is very common to visit various farms and meet a number of employees who have worked for the same employer for ten, twenty or even thirty years. In fact, more than half of the respondents have a family member working with them for the same employer." Grape vineyard employment as a percentage of total employment in Sonoma County has increased from around 2.5% in the 1990s to more than 3% in the 2020s which indicates the continued presence of the wine industry's influence on the region. Sonoma County's vineyard employees are better paid than many of their counterparts in California. Not including H-2A visa holders, the majority of Sonoma County's vineyard employees earn between $18 and $20 an hour which is well above California's minimum wage. More than 70% of the respondents receive an average of $19 an hour. More than 14% receive $22 per hour, 8% receive $24 per hour and 2% of the respondents receive a salary. Sonoma County vineyard employees typically earn more than $13,000 per quarter which is 1.4 times more than Californians with similar education levels. More than 94% of the respondents reported that their winegrowing job was their only job. In addition, 83% of the respondents own a smart phone; nearly half of the respondents have Wi-Fi at their home; and driving personal cars is the most common means of commuting. This all adds up to Sonoma's vineyard workforce having high job satisfaction "We are very proud to have worked with the Fundación on this comprehensive survey. Sonoma County's vineyard workforce has been integral to the wine community's success, and they are poised to continue to grow and evolve with the industry," said Christopher Thornberg, PhD and Founding Partner of Beacon Economics. He added, "The results of this survey should be viewed as a roadmap for all ag employers to establish and maintain a supportive environment which will enable their employees to grow and thrive." The survey was conducted in the summer of 2024 and 1,668 responses were received from vineyard employees from small, medium, and large operations. The responses were digitized, and Beacon Economics analyzed both aggregated and individual data to prepare this report. The survey aimed to gather insights on worker demographics, job characteristics, wages and income, housing and transportation, and interest in further education and job training. Wherever possible, the survey questions were aligned with those used by the US Department of Labor's National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS). To review, download the links below: Executive Summary: https://indd.adobe.com/view/48acc03b-f25e-44ae-a70f-dd754cef689b Full Report: https://indd.adobe.com/view/ffd16e89-b339-470f-b364-459c9b58216a About the Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de Los Viñedos: Originally called the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation (SCGGF), Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de Los Viñedos was first established in 2002 as a 501(c)(3) organization to help fund educational workshops in Spanish for agricultural employees. Relaunched in January of 2016, the Fundación is focused on improving the lives of Sonoma County's agricultural employees and their families, while ensuring Sonoma County remains a place where agricultural workers will continue to live, work, and thrive. Our mission is simple - support local vineyard employees and their families. Since its relaunch in 2016, the Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de Los Viñedos has continuously proven it has a unique model of outreach and support, recognizing and relying on the trusted relationship that farmers have with their employees. The Fundación has five strategic priorities: leadership; empowerment and recognition; workforce development; resiliency; and resources. The two flagship programs are the Vineyard Employee Recognition Program and the Leadership Academy. In 2022, the first class of the Leadership Academy met to brainstorm names for the Foundation which would best represent them and the work they do. They selected Sonoma County Fundación de la Voz de Los Viñedos (The Voice of the Vineyards). The Fundación is managed by the Sonoma County Winegrowers with a 16-member board of directors comprised of agricultural leaders, vineyard and winery owners, and Sonoma County community leaders. About Beacon Economics: Founded in 2006, Beacon Economics, an LLC and certified Small Business Enterprise with the state of California, is an independent research and consulting firm dedicated to delivering accurate, insightful, and objectively based economic analysis. Employing unique proprietary models, vast databases, and sophisticated data processing, the company's specialized practice areas include sustainable growth and development, real estate market analysis, economic forecasting, industry analysis, economic policy analysis, and economic impact studies. Beacon Economics equips its clients with the data and analysis they need to understand the significance of on-the-ground realities and to make informed business and policy decisions. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-survey-finds-local-vineyard-employees-prioritizing-new-skills-technologies-and-establishing-roots-302322675.html SOURCE Sonoma County Winegrowers
Defeated In By-Election, Forest Minister Ramniwas Rawat Alleges Sabotage By BJP LeadersNo. 14 ASU, No. 17 Iowa State front-runners for possibly wild Big 12 finish
Music Sustainability Summit Announces Programming for 2025 EventOn the night of Sunday, December 15, Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government emerged stronger from the three-day debate on the 2025 state budget proposal. The prime minister dominated the parliamentary debate and was able to focus on his policy in support of citizens on middle and lower incomes. Also, the proposal was supported by more voters than those who belong to New Democracy. The following day, in Berlin, Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a vote of confidence, opening the way for federal elections on February 23. For Scholz, the defeat was expected and welcome, as early elections had been announced soon after the chancellor expelled the liberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) from his coalition. Both leaders were satisfied by very different outcomes in the vote of confidence in their governments, as each had different expectations and fears. For Mitsotakis, the vote’s outcome was a welcome development after the European Parliament result (where he himself had placed the bar high, for no apparent reason), and after the expulsion of Antonis Samaras from New Democracy. The former prime minister was absent for the vote, and the political space to the right of ND does not seem to be expanding at the government’s cost. ND is recovering in the polls – but not to the extent that it could hope for a one-party government if elections were held today. The prime minister has two and a half years at his disposal to apply the policy which he believes will strengthen his party. The general indifference towards the fate of Samaras (as recorded in a recent Pulse poll for Skai Television) strengthens the impression that the most fertile ground for ND to regain its electoral strength is the center – where most of the voters who have moved away from the government seem to belong. The person that Mitsotakis will nominate for president of the republic, and policy on issues such as high prices, justice, education and protection of the environment, will determine whether ND can hope for a clear win at the end of its four-year term. Till then, Mitsotakis has the privilege of leading a country that is stable and part of the discussion on the evolution of Europe, and which for the next two years will be a member of the UN Security Council. In Germany, the FDP’s persistence with monetary dogma, in conjunction with the constitutionally mandated “debt brake” (since the time of Angela Merkel), highlights the system’s inertia in the face of a rising tide of challenges. Without investment in infrastructure and education, without support for growth, without social programs in favor of the weak, Germany will face an ever stronger challenge from extremist political forces. Today the conservative CDU is ahead in the polls, followed by the extreme-right AfD, and then Scholz’s SPD. The AfD, which expresses Putin’s views, has lately gained the approval of Elon Musk. It will keep growing stronger as elections approach. In other words, while Germany stuck to outdated dogma, the “unorthodox” forces of the extreme-right and extreme-left have been gaining in power. Many SPD members were relieved by the jettisoning of the FDP, even though this brought down the government. But now, even the CDU is no longer subservient to the debt brake. After the election, this new pragmatism may benefit Germany and, in turn, the European Union. A stable Greece with a strong center, and a Germany determined to evolve to deal with the time’s challenges, may find themselves to be invaluable partners on their common course in Europe.
Israel launches new airstrikes on Lebanon as leaders draw closer to ceasefire with HezbollahDemocrats plan to elect new party leader just days after Trump's inauguration
Here Are the Best Black Friday Deals of 2024 That Are Still Live, Including Nintendo Switch, Meta Quest, PS5I ditched my best friend’s wedding to go to work – I cut up my maid of honour dress too, but SHE’S the bad guy here
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