{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "dateCreated": "2024-11-27T00:56:25+02:00", "datePublished": "2024-11-27T00:56:25+02:00", "dateModified": "2024-11-27T00:56:24+02:00", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22137/news/featured/ncba-bank-marks-international-mens-day-with-focus-on-health-wealth-and-well-being", "headline": "NCBA Bank marks International Men’s Day with focus on health, wealth, and well-being", "description": "NCBA Bank Rwanda joined the global community in celebrating International Men's Day with a series of activities aimed at promoting men's health,...", "keywords": "", "inLanguage": "en", "mainEntityOfPage":{ "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/22137/news/featured/ncba-bank-marks-international-mens-day-with-focus-on-health-wealth-and-well-being" }, "thumbnailUrl": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/11/27/64902.jpg", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.newtimes.co.rw/thenewtimes/uploads/images/2024/11/27/64902.jpg" }, "articleBody": "NCBA Bank Rwanda joined the global community in celebrating International Men's Day with a series of activities aimed at promoting men's health, wealth, and well-being. The theme for this year's celebration which is globally marked on November 19, was Building a Legacy of Health, Wealth, and Well-being. One of the highlights of the celebration was participation in a car-free day sports and fitness session on November 24, that involved both male and female staff members. The event was proof to the bank's commitment to fostering a healthy and inclusive work environment. This event is a testament to our commitment to promoting the well-being of all our employees, including our male colleagues, said Nicholas Musyoka, acting CEO of NCBA Bank Rwanda. By encouraging a healthy lifestyle and work-life balance, we aim to empower our employees to reach their full potential. Ivan Ingabire, acting Head of Audit and chairperson of Men-Tors, an initiative within NCBA focused on male staff supporting and mentoring their counterparts emphasized the importance of mental health and emotional well-being for men said, We want to create a supportive environment where men feel comfortable discussing their challenges and seeking help when needed. By breaking down stereotypes and encouraging open dialogue, we can promote better mental health outcomes for men. NCBA Rwanda also offers a range of initiatives to support the well-being of its male employees, including the “Man Enough” program, which provides men with tools and resources to address mental health challenges, and 14-day paternity leave, which allows new fathers to bond with their children and support their partners. Shillah Atukunda, Credit Administration Officer at NCBA Rwanda, expressed her enthusiasm for the event. It's great to see the bank taking the initiative to celebrate International Men's Day. This event not only promotes men's health and well-being but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and teamwork among all employees. The day concluded with a barbecue, providing an opportunity for staff to relax, socialize, and celebrate their achievements. By organizing these activities and implementing supportive initiatives, NCBA Bank Rwanda has demonstrated its commitment to promoting the well-being of its male employees and creating a positive and supportive work environment. About NCBA Bank Rwanda NCBA Bank boasts a substantial regional footprint, operating across several key African markets. With a strong presence in countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Ivory Coast, the bank has established itself as a leading financial institution in the region. The Bank operates through a network of branches and digital channels, with the core activities being lending, deposit-taking, payment processing, foreign exchange trading, treasury management, risk management, and customer service. For queries please contact +250788149500 Email: contact@ncbagroup.com", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "The New Times" }, "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/" } }New York Mortgage Trust Declares Fourth Quarter 2024 Common Stock Dividend of $0.20 Per Share, and Preferred Stock DividendsWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on Tuesday signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weekslong delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs, an essential step for a smooth transition of power. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to face the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Teams of investigators have been standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers. FILE - Susie Wiles watches as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a caucus night party in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) "This agreement with the Department of Justice will ensure President Trump and his team are ready on Day 1 to begin enacting the America First Agenda that an overwhelming majority of our nation supported on Election Day," said Susie Wiles, Trump's designate to be White House chief of staff. The announcement came a week after the Trump transition team signed an agreement with the Biden White House to allow transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office Jan. 20. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House issued both public and private appeals for Trump's team to sign on. Security clearances are required to access classified information, including on ongoing operations and threats to the nation, and the Biden White House and outside experts emphasized to Trump's team the importance of having cleared personnel before Inauguration Day so they could be fully briefed and ready to run the government. President-elect Donald Trump arrives before the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 in Boca Chica, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP) Republican Senators also insisted on FBI background checks for Trump's nominees before they face confirmation votes, as has been standard practice for decades. Lawmakers were particularly interested in seeing the findings of reviews into Trump's designated nominee for defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, and for Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. "That's why it's so important that we have an FBI background check, a committee review of extensive questions and questionnaires, and a public hearing," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said Monday. John Thune, incoming Senate Republican leader, said the Trump team "understands there's going to have to be a thorough vetting of all these nominees." Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. A Republican congressman from Michigan who served from 1993 to 2011, Hoekstra was ambassador to the Netherlands during Trump's first term. “In my Second Term, Pete will help me once again put AMERICA FIRST,” Trump said in a statement announcing his choice. “He did an outstanding job as United States Ambassador to the Netherlands during our first four years, and I am confident that he will continue to represent our Country well in this new role.” Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. William McGinley, White House counsel McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Andrej Jakimovski converted an off-balance layup with 8 seconds left, and Colorado handed No. 2 UConn its second loss in two days at the Maui Invitational, beating the two-time defending national champion 73-72 on Tuesday. A day after a 99-97 overtime loss to Memphis that left Huskies coach Dan Hurley livid about the officiating, UConn (4-2) couldn't shake the unranked Buffaloes (5-1), who shot 62.5% in the second half. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Labor's bid to ram through almost 40 pieces of legislation on the last day of parliamentary sittings has been slammed as "hypocritical" and lacking transparency. or signup to continue reading The Albanese government has been chipping away at its agenda since Monday, but with only a few more hours to go in the last sitting week of the year, Labor will have to go warp speed to tick off its remaining items. Proposals like the social media ban for children under 16, clean energy incentives known as Future Made in Australia, and migration laws that would give the government powers to deport non-citizens are among the 36 bills that will be brought before the Senate on Thursday. Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie lashed Labor for its "absolutely shameful" attempt to rush through "undercooked" bills. She said the government had guillotined more legislation in three years - which means forcing votes - than the coalition had in its almost decade in power. "How is it safe for employees in my office, to go through 41 bills in a matter of about 12 hours," she demanded. "Bloody hypocritical. And what about the right to disconnect? "It is dangerous to shove bills down our throats. It is dangerous to shove bills down Australian throats without us probably going through and actually having a good look at it, and putting it under the microscope." One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts referenced French revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre, saying his guillotines would have needed sharpening due to the sheer number being used by Labor. But manager of government business in the senate Katy Gallagher rejected Labor was trying to circumvent scrutiny or accountability. "We just want to deal with them. Yes or no, that is the position that we are bringing," she said. "At the end of the year, it is not abnormal for the Senate to have to deal with a large number of bills." Discussions have continued giving rise to last-minute amendments and other negotiations have reached an impasse. Senator Gallagher has said the government will go to other members of the Senate to get its legislation across the line. That has become more difficult as the Senate suspended independent senator Lidia Thorpe on Wednesday night after she threw pieces of paper at Pauline Hanson over a racism row. This means Senator Thorpe has been barred from the chamber and will be unable to vote on any legislation. Members of the Senate have also raised concerns that the compressed timeline will not allow bills to be properly considered, with Nationals senator Matt Canavan arguing that each piece of legislation would only receive 15 minutes of debate assuming the chamber sat for its usual nine-hour day. "What other workplace gets to knock off in November and not back until February?" he wrote on X. A federal election must be held by May 17, but if the government opts for an earlier contest, politicians may not return to Parliament House before Australians go to the polls. Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement

( MENAFN - PR Newswire) BEIJING, Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from China Daily Enterprises in Wuhan city, Central China's Hubei province, are expanding toward global markets under the Belt and Road Initiative, cultivating a large number of professionals and boosting local economic and social development. Eight years ago, YOFC, a Wuhan-based enterprise specializing in the production and sale of fiber-optics and cables, set up Yangtze Optics Africa Cable, or YOA Cable, in Durban, South Africa. Velile Mngonyama, a local production manager of YOA Cable, recalled that to start production smoothly, he and seven other colleagues, as the first group of foreign technical personnel, went to Wuhan in August 2016. There they completed a full set of training, from fiber-optic technology and equipment maintenance to production management, within a month. "When joining YOA Cable, I started from scratch, and it was the Chinese engineers at YOFC who patiently taught me how to use equipment and manage the production," he said. Today, YOFC has established eight production bases in countries involved in the BRI, with more than 50 overseas offices, serving more than 100 countries and regions. In Manila, the capital of the Philippines, a steaming bowl of hot dry noodles has become a regular on the table of Rayan Nalua, senior technical manager of the Philippine subsidiary of Wuhan FiberHome International Technologies. When he first joined the company 10 years ago, Nalua was a local technical engineer in the network operations and maintenance team. "At that time, my Chinese leaders and colleagues were very tolerant and gave me many opportunities," he said. Expanding to major cities such as Manila, Cebu and Davao, FiberHome Philippines has become an industry leader with more than 15,000 employees and launched projects across the country. Ivo, a Bulgarian employee of Wuhan-based HGTECH, an industrial tech enterprise producing laser equipment, said: "China develops rapidly, and the company innovates quickly as well. I enjoy this competitive atmosphere and want to do better." In 2012, he came to study mechanical engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology and graduated with a master's degree in 2018. At the time, HGTECH was expanding into the European market and recruiting talents from home and abroad. At HGTECH, new self-developed products are emerging continuously. Initially unfamiliar with these products, Ivo took the initiative to search for information to understand the uses, performance, and advantages of the products, and how to provide solutions when issues arise. Soon after, Ivo secured his first order in Bulgaria, also HGTECH's first in the country. "Working in a high-level company requires continuous learning of new knowledge and mastering new skills," Ivo said. In Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, Demeke Lule of Humanwell Pharmaceutical Ethiopia, a subsidiary of Wuhan-based Humanwell Healthcare, talked about his achievements over the past few years. "The pharmaceutical industry is a high-tech industry, and I want to learn advanced pharmaceutical knowledge to produce high-quality drugs urgently needed by Africans," Lule said. From equipment names to specific uses, from machine buttons to operating procedures, under the guidance of Chinese masters, he learned step-by-step. In 2019, Lule became the quality department's instruments head and was appointed as the executive manager of the quality department in 2022, responsible for process management, equipment maintenance, and training new employees. Meanwhile, 36-year-old Kristian Kumpumaki, a Swedish language specialist at Transn, an internet-based language services provider in Wuhan, said he hopes to bridge the gap of cultural exchange and mutual learning, allowing the world to understand the real China. In 2008, filled with curiosity and a longing for Chinese culture, he came to China. "I knew some information about China from the internet and news, and I really wanted to see what the real China was like." He first took a semester of Chinese language classes at the University of International Business and Economics. After completing his studies, he moved to Shenzhen, Guangdong province, to work and continue studying Chinese. A Chinese friend once asked him to help translate a Swedish-language document, but he could not accurately translate it into Chinese. He turned to the internet, dictionaries and teachers, trying everything he could, but in the end, he only managed a rough translation. "That was my first experience with translation, far from achieving 'faithfulness, expressiveness, elegance', but it sparked my interest in translation," Kumpumaki said. He began to study translation, reading Chinese works and practicing Chinese expressions. Whenever someone asked him to help with translation, he did his best, considering it an opportunity for practice. Gradually, his translation skills improved significantly, and he could translate among Chinese, English and Swedish, even doing part-time translation work at some companies. While he did translation, Kumpumaki became more fascinated by Chinese culture and decided his career direction: to be the best possible translator. "Many foreigners do not understand the real China. I want to showcase and interpret Chinese wisdom that drives human civilization development, through my translation work, to the world." In early 2023, he joined Transn, becoming a full-time translator. Soon after, the company undertook a translation project of a well-known foreign automotive manufacturer, and Kumpumaki independently translated a part of it. "Translation in the automotive field involves many technical terms, which I was initially unfamiliar with. But my colleagues were very skilled; they taught me to understand the precise meaning of each word and how to translate more accurately," he said, adding that translating thousands of pages was very challenging, but with the help of his colleagues, he successfully completed the task. As the BRI continues to advance, the demand for multilingual translation and language services from various countries is increasing. Transn's overseas business is expanding in areas such as goods trade, service trade and e-commerce. SOURCE China Daily MENAFN17122024003732001241ID1109004982 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

NoneRosen Law Firm Announces Investigation of Breaches of Fiduciary Duties by the Directors and Officers of Southwest Airlines Co. - LUV

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MDWerks, Inc. (“MDWerks” or the “Company”) (OTCQB: MDWK) , a forward-thinking company leading the charge in the world of sustainable technology, today announced that the Company’s RF Specialties, LLC (“RFS”) subsidiary has been awarded a new contract from USNR, the world’s largest supplier of equipment and technologies for the wood processing industry, to serve as the global service provider for USNR’s tube based Mann-Russell radio frequency equipment customers. Under the contract, RFS will provide routine maintenance, as well as 24-hour emergency service, for equipment that utilizes Mann-Russell radio frequency solutions across USNR’s global installed base of wood manufacturing companies. Steven Laker, CEO of MDWerks, commented, “This significant new contract win for RF Specialties is testament to the team’s expertise and capabilities in radio frequency technology. We are honored that USNR has entrusted RFS to service their Mann-Russell radio frequency equipment, which is installed across a worldwide customer base. We look forward to providing superior service to USNR and its wood processing customers while building a long, mutually beneficial relationship.” About MDWerks, Inc. MDWerks, Inc. (“MDWerks”) (OTC: MDWK) is a forward-thinking company that is leading the charge in the world of sustainable technology. As a prominent provider of energy wave technologies, MDWerks is committed to developing innovative solutions that help businesses reduce their energy costs and drive business value. For more information, please visit https://mdwerksinc.com/ . MDWerks’ wholly owned subsidiary, Two Trees Beverage Company, is headquartered deep in the Appalachian Mountain country, creating fine spirits, aged sustainably. Two Trees’ fine spirits brands, including Two Trees ® and Tim Smith Spirits ® , have received multiple industry awards, including recent recognition at the 2022 Sip Awards, the 2022 Fifty Best Awards, and the 2023 Best of Asheville. For more information, please visit https://twotreesdistilling.com/ . MDWerks’ wholly owned subsidiary, RF Specialties, LLC (“RFS”) addresses companies’ most pressing challenges by implementing automated radio frequency technology systems in a sustainable way reducing energy costs and increasing speed to market when compared to traditional methods. For more information, please visit https://www.rfspecialtiesus.com/ . About USNR USNR is the world’s largest, most comprehensive supplier of equipment and technologies for the wood processing industry. USNR’s systems produce dimensional lumber, plywood and panels, finger-jointed components and engineered wood products. USNR supplies systems, service and support for plants around the globe including the United States, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Germany, the United Kingdom, Chile, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries. For more information, please visit https://www.usnr.com . Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements also may be included in other publicly available documents issued by MDWK and in oral statements made by our officers and representatives from time to time. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management’s current expectations or plans for our future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. They can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “seek,” “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “expect,” “strategy,” “future,” “likely,” “may,” “should,” “would,” “could,” “will” and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements relating to future sales, earnings, cash flows, results of operations, uses of cash and other measures of financial performance. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause MDWK’s actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others such as, but not limited to economic conditions, changes in the laws or regulations, demand for MDWK’s products and services, the effects of competition and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or represented in the forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking information provided in this release should be considered with these factors in mind. We caution investors not to rely unduly on any forward-looking statements and urge you to carefully consider the risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, which are available on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at sec.gov. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Company Contact: MDWerks, Inc. Steven Laker T: (252) 501-0019 stevel@mdwerksinc.com Investor Contact: The Equity Group Kalle Ahl, CFA T: (303) 953-9878 kahl@equityny.com

MIAMI (AP) — The top United Nations human rights watchdog on Tuesday ordered Venezuela to avoid destroying tally sheets and other electoral material as it investigates allegations that President Nicolás Maduro stole this summer's election . The U.N. Human Rights Council announced the opening of the probe in a letter to several Latin American jurists who in October petitioned the U.N. agency to take action in the face of what is said was widespread evidence of electoral fraud that violates the political rights of millions of Venezuelans. Maduro claimed he won the July contest by a large margin and is preparing to start a third, six-year term in January. But electoral authorities have so far refused to publish voting records to back such claims, as they have in the past, amid calls by the U.S., European Union and even leftist allies from Brazil, Colombia and Mexico to do so. Meanwhile, the opposition has published online what appear to be authentic tallies from 80% of polling machines showing that its candidate, Edmundo González , won by a more than 2-to-1 margin. The October petition, made on behalf of a regular Venezuelan citizen, alleges that Maduro officials committed multiple human rights violations by restricting the ability of millions of Venezuelans abroad, publishing false results and blocking any challenges in court. Paulo Abrao, a Brazilian attorney who was among those behind the complaint, said the decision comes as a crucial time, as the Maduro government is seeking to "normalize its nebulous electoral process” in the hopes the rest of the world will move on amid so many other pressing international crises. “We cannot allow that to happen,” said Abrao, the former head of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. “Now there is a formal case being processed in an international body with binding force. Venezuela has the obligation to comply with the decision.” Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

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WILMINGTON, Delaware, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Attorneys for Arm (O9Ty.F) , opens new tab , and Qualcomm (QCOM.O) , opens new tab grilled a former Apple (AAPL.O) , opens new tab executive on Tuesday about a key question for the future of the chip industry: Who owns the intellectual property built on top of Arm's computing architecture? At stake in a trial in U.S. federal court in Delaware this week is the fate of Qualcomm's push into the laptop business, where it is helping partners such as Microsoft (MSFT.O) , opens new tab try to regain ground that Windows computers lost to Apple after the iPhone maker introduced its own custom chips. Arm's flagship product is a computing architecture that competes against Intel's architecture and is ubiquitous in smartphones and increasingly used in laptops and data centers. Competing computing architectures are the reason that, until relatively recently, most smartphone apps did not work on most laptops. Massive companies like Apple design their own computing cores based on Arm's architecture, but Arm also offers its own off-the-shelf core designs that are used by smaller firms such as MediaTek (2454.TW) , opens new tab . Where Arm's ownership of the core designs based on its architecture begins and ends is at the heart of the dispute between Arm and Qualcomm. The companies disagree over whether Nuvia, a firm Qualcomm paid $1.4 billion for in 2021 , had the right to transfer its computing core designs to Qualcomm after the sale. In U.S. federal court in Delaware on Tuesday, attorneys for both sides pressed Gerard Williams, a former Apple engineer who founded Nuvia in 2019, over whether Nuvia's cores were ultimately derivatives of Arm's technology or whether Arm's technology played only a trivial role in Nuvia's work. Arm's attorney pressed Williams to acknowledge that the licensing contract at the heart of the dispute covered Arm technology and "derivatives" and "modifications" made from it. Williams repeatedly said he did not believe the contract meant that all of Nuvia's work was a derivative or modification of Arm's technology, but acknowledged that was what the words on the page appeared to say. Daralyn Durie, the Arm attorney, pointedly asked Williams to agree that "maybe you wouldn’t say that, but that’s what the contract says." “I wouldn’t say that," Williams responded, "but I’m not a legal expert.” Durie immediately said she was finished with her questioning. The exchange with Durie followed questioning by Qualcomm's attorney, who guided Williams to describe how little Arm technology was in Qualcomm chips that power phones, laptops and cars. Williams said his team of developers started with Arm architecture and was asked to estimate the amount of Arm's technology in Nuvia's final designs. "One percent or less," Williams responded. Analysts have told Reuters that Qualcomm pays Arm about $300 million per year, and evidence introduced at trial on Monday showed Arm executives believed they were missing out on $50 million per year in additional revenue because of Qualcomm's acquisition of Nuvia. A jury verdict could come as soon as this week in the trial, and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon also might take the witness stand. Sign up here. Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware, writing by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Lisa Shumaker Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Calvin and Hobbes is one of the most beloved comic strips of all time. If you grew up stealing the comics section of the newspaper from your parents to read the hilarious and insightful adventures of Calvin and his stuffed Tiger, make sure to take a look at Amazon's Black Friday deals for The Complete Calvin and Hobbes . The hardcover, three-volume box set is discounted to only $83.33, which is 63% off its $225 list price. Amazon had this offer a few weeks ago as an early Black Friday deal , but the collection sold out fast. If you missed out, now's your chance to get this lovely collection for its lowest price all year. Amazon is also offering a huge discount on the paperback edition of The Complete Calvin and Hobbes that drops the price all the way down to $65.33. This is the lowest price we've seen all year for the four-volume paperback set. We don't imagine either of these deals will stick around for long. The hardcover collection has sold out within hours at higher deal prices, including for $100 during Amazon's October Prime Day. Budget-friendly Calvin and Hobbes Black Friday Deals Amazon also has limited-time deals on more budget-friendly paperbacks collecting Calvin and Hobbes comic strips. You can get The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes for roughly 10 bucks--50% off its normal price--and The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes for only $7 (was $20). Here's a list of the best Calvin and Hobbes Black Friday deals beyond the complete collections. The Indispensable Calvin and Hobbes -- $10.36 ( $20 ) The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes -- $7.19 ( $20 ) with coupon Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons -- $6.53 ( $17 ) The Revenge of the Baby-Sat -- $8.33 ( $17 ) Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink' -- $6.26 ( $17 ) There's Treasure Everywhere -- $11.69 ( $20 ) The Days are Just Packed -- $10 ( $20 ) Homicidal Psycho Jungle Cat -- $10.24 ( $20 ) Calvin and Hobbes, at least according to Amazon, is recommended for kids ages 12 and up. Based on the titles of the books above, it makes sense. I read Calvin and Hobbes when I was much younger, and many adult fans probably did as well. It's not so much the content that is inappropriate for early readers, it's that much of what makes Calvin and Hobbes so great is its wit. The cleverness and social commentary can fly right past younger readers. I gained a greater appreciation for Calvin and Hobbes when I read it as an adult. If you'd rather have smaller paperback collections, check out the ongoing Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium series . Andrews McMeel Publishing began reprinting the series in this travel-friendly format last year. Each compendium comes with two volumes. The Calvin and Hobbes Portable Compendium Series Set 1 -- $19.35 ( $22 ) Set 2 -- $12.70 ( $22 ) Set 3 -- $19.79 ( $22 ) Set 4 -- $20.45 ( $22 ) | Releases March 4, 2025 Adults who love Calvin and Hobbes should consider picking up Bill Watterson's latest work, The Mysteries, as the hardcover is only $8 during Amazon's Black Friday sale. The Mysteries couldn't be more different from Calvin and Hobbes, but it's an interesting illustrated fable for adult readers. For more deals, check out GameSpot's Black Friday hub , which includes deals on books, video games, movies, Lego, and more.

United States Steel Corp . X shares plunged Tuesday following a report that President Joe Biden will block the company's proposed deal with Nippon Steel . The Details: People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Biden views the sale as a national security risk. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is expected to send the case back to Biden later this month. Read Next: SoFi Unlocks SpaceX Exposure For Retail Investors: Here’s How The CFIUS panel has been reviewing the proposed sale of US Steel for much of 2024. It must refer its decision to Biden by Dec. 22 or 23. US Steel and Nippon Steel are preparing to pursue litigation if Biden does block the merger, the sources say. "This transaction should be approved on its merits," US Steel spokeswoman Amanda Malkowski told Bloomberg. "It is inappropriate that politics continue to outweigh true national security interests — especially with the indispensable alliance between the U.S. and Japan as the important foundation," Nippon Steel said in a statement. "Nippon Steel still has confidence in the justice and fairness of America and its legal system, and — if necessary — will work with U.S. Steel to consider and take all available measures to reach a fair conclusion," the company added. The CFIUS, which extended the process in September, moved the deadline for referral to December. The sources told Bloomberg that another extension is unlikely, though that would push the decision to President-elect Donald Trump . Both Biden and Trump, along with the United Steelworkers union, have expressed opposition to the merger. The timing of an official announcement from Biden remains unclear. He will have 15 days from the date of the referral to announce a decision. X Price Action: According to data from Benzinga Pro , United States Steel shares ended Tuesday’s session down 9.68% at $35.26. Read More: New Conservative ETF Aims To Invest In S&P 500 Without DEI: ‘We’re Going To Deliver That Mandate’ Image: Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.