WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden said Sunday that the U.S. government believes missing American journalist Austin Tice, who disappeared 12 years ago near the Syrian capital, is alive and that Washington is committed to bringing him home after Bashar Assad’s ouster from power in Damascus . “We think we can get him back," Biden told reporters at the White House, while acknowledging that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. "Assad should be held accountable.” Recommended Videos Biden said officials must still identify exactly where Tice is after his disappearance in August 2012 at a checkpoint in a contested area west of Damascus. “We've remained committed to returning him to his family,” he said. Tice, who is from Houston and whose work had been published by The Washington Post, McClatchy newspapers and other outlets. A video released weeks after Tice went missing showed him blindfolded and held by armed men and saying, “Oh, Jesus.” He has not been heard from since. Syria has publicly denied that it was holding him. The United States has no new evidence that Tice is alive, but continues to operate under the assumption he is alive, according to a U.S. official. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. will continue to work to identify where he is and to try to bring him home. His mother, Debra, said at a news conference Friday in Washington that the family had information from a “significant source,” whom she did not identify, establishing that her son was alive. “He is being cared for and he is well — we do know that,” she said. The Tice family met this past week with officials at the State Department and the White House. “To everyone in Syria that hears this, please remind people that we’re waiting for Austin,” Debra Tice said in comments that hostage advocacy groups spread on social media Sunday. “We know that when he comes out, he’s going to be fairly dazed & he’s going to need lots of care & direction. Direct him to his family please!”Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee as she considers a number of potential options with her father-in-law, President-elect Donald Trump , set to return to the White House. Among those possibilities is replacing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , whom Trump tapped to be the next secretary of state. If Rubio is confirmed, his replacement — who would be chosen by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — would serve for two years until the next regularly scheduled election in 2026, at which point the seat would be up for election again. “It is something I would seriously consider,” Lara Trump told The Associated Press in an interview. “If I’m being completely transparent, I don’t know exactly what that would look like. And I certainly want to get all of the information possible if that is something that’s real for me. But yeah, I would 100% consider it.” Elected as RNC co-chair in March, Lara Trump was a key player in the Republicans retaking the White House and control of the Senate while maintaining a narrow House majority. What she does next could shape Republican politics, given her elevated political profile and her ties to the incoming president. The idea of placing a Trump family member in the Senate has been lauded in some Republican circles. Among the people pushing for her to replace Rubio is Maye Musk, mother of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk . “The Senate is an old man’s club. We desperately need a smart, young, outspoken woman who will reveal their secrets,” she posted on X. Lara Trump is 42. Elon Musk, who was with Lara Trump on election night at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, responded to his mother’s post: “Lara Trump is genuinely great.” Led by chairman Michael Whatley and Lara Trump, the RNC invested heavily in recruiting roughly 230,000 volunteers and an army of lawyers for what it called its “election integrity” effort, four years after Donald Trump lost his reelection bid to Democrat Joe Biden, citing false or unproven theories about voter fraud. Outside groups such as Turning Point Action and Musk’s America PAC took a greater responsibility for advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts. While Whatley will remain RNC chairman, Lara Trump said she felt she had accomplished her goals in the co-chair role. “With that big win, I kind of feel like my time is up,” she said. “What I intended to do has been done.” President-elect Donald Trump endorsed RNC Treasurer KC Crosbie to replace Lara Trump as co-chair of the committee on Monday. “As Treasurer, she helped the RNC smash every fundraising record in History, and fortified our Party’s financial foundation. KC has been with me from the very beginning, helping REAL Republicans get elected across the Country, and would be a tremendous Co-Chair of the RNC!” President-elect Trump wrote on Truth Social. Lara Trump praised Musk’s new endeavor, the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE , a nongovernmental task force headed by Musk and and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy . They’ve been tapped to fire federal workers , cut programs and slash federal regulations as part of Trump’s “Save America” agenda for his second term. “I really don’t think we’ve seen movement like this in our federal government since our country’s founding in many ways,” she said. “And I think if they are successful in what they plan to do, I think it is going to be transformative to America in a great way.” She said she expects a different presidency this time, beginning with the structure of the administration: While Trump’s daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner served as White House advisers in his last administration, Lara Trump said she doesn’t see any family member taking any position in the White House this time around with her father-in-law. “He really wants to get in there and do a good job for the four years, and that’s all he wants to serve,” she said. “Four years, and he’s out.” Lara Trump also says she expects the Republican Party to be more unified than it has ever been. When she became co-chair in May, the Trump campaign and the RNC merged, with staffers fired and positions restructured. She said the result could spell trouble for GOP lawmakers who do not agree with Trump’s agenda. “The whole party has totally shifted and totally changed,” she said. “I think people are feeling a little more bold in coming out with their political views.” This story has been corrected to clarify that Rubio’s Senate seat would be filled until 2026 when an election would be held for the seat. Linderman reported from Baltimore and Mendoza from Santa Cruz, California.NASA Finalizes Strategy for Sustaining Human Presence in Low Earth Orbit

Quick response saves Saskatchewan hockey player’s life after neck slashed - 650 CKOM News Talk SportsEmpowered Funds LLC boosted its position in shares of Chemung Financial Co. ( NASDAQ:CHMG – Free Report ) by 5.3% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 21,245 shares of the bank’s stock after buying an additional 1,072 shares during the quarter. Empowered Funds LLC’s holdings in Chemung Financial were worth $1,020,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of CHMG. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Chemung Financial by 3.1% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 188,331 shares of the bank’s stock worth $8,000,000 after buying an additional 5,649 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its holdings in Chemung Financial by 4.4% during the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 132,134 shares of the bank’s stock worth $6,342,000 after buying an additional 5,584 shares in the last quarter. Bright Futures Wealth Management LLC. acquired a new position in Chemung Financial during the 2nd quarter worth $200,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Chemung Financial by 8.2% in the 2nd quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 27,111 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $1,299,000 after purchasing an additional 2,054 shares during the period. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its stake in shares of Chemung Financial by 4.3% in the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 34,322 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $1,647,000 after purchasing an additional 1,400 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 47.50% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Separately, StockNews.com downgraded Chemung Financial from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Chemung Financial Price Performance CHMG opened at $51.40 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.87, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. Chemung Financial Co. has a 12 month low of $39.00 and a 12 month high of $52.59. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $48.42 and a 200 day simple moving average of $46.31. The stock has a market cap of $244.61 million, a P/E ratio of 11.37 and a beta of 0.15. Chemung Financial ( NASDAQ:CHMG – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 22nd. The bank reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.13 by $0.06. Chemung Financial had a net margin of 14.56% and a return on equity of 10.60%. The business had revenue of $38.28 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $24.00 million. On average, research analysts expect that Chemung Financial Co. will post 4.94 EPS for the current year. Chemung Financial Announces Dividend The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 2nd. Investors of record on Thursday, December 19th will be given a $0.31 dividend. This represents a $1.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.41%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 19th. Chemung Financial’s dividend payout ratio is currently 27.43%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Chemung Financial news, EVP Loren D. Cole sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.21, for a total transaction of $51,210.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 4,771 shares in the company, valued at approximately $244,322.91. This represents a 17.33 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link . Corporate insiders own 12.04% of the company’s stock. About Chemung Financial ( Free Report ) Chemung Financial Corporation operates as a bank holding company for Chemung Canal Trust Company that provides a range of banking, financing, fiduciary, and other financial services. The company provides demand, savings, and time deposits; non-interest and interest-bearing checking accounts; and insured money market accounts. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CHMG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Chemung Financial Co. ( NASDAQ:CHMG – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Chemung Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Chemung Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

MARK-TO-MARKET: Investors love December, and for good reasonArchaeologists Propose Stonehenge May Have Unified People in Ancient Britain

WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump's picks. The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It's a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time "with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump's “border czar.” In another sign of Vance's influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump's first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships," he said. "But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he's not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.'I just had to confront him'| Former investor on pickleball business owner at center of FBI investigationZacks Research Issues Negative Forecast for Nutrien Earnings

Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump's most contentious picksMedtronic (NYSE:MDT) Stock Price Down 0% – Should You Sell?DALLAS — Roope Hintz scored the first in a four-goal third-period for Dallas, including two from Thomas Harley, and the Stars beat the Calgary Flames 6-2 on Sunday night. Hintz tipped the puck just past Dustin Wolf’s right skate on a give-and-go with Esa Lindell at 5:13 of the period. Jason Robertson had a goal and an assist while Wyatt Johnston and Sam Steel also scored for Dallas, which began a season-long six-game homestand. Jake Oettinger made 29 saves to remain perfect in 10 games this season at American Airlines Center for his 14th overall win, second among NHL goaltenders. Calgary received goals from Jonathan Huberdeau, who scored one minute in, and Connor Zary. Wolf stopped 22 shots. The rookie has three consecutive regulation losses after earning points in six straight (5-0-1). Johnston’s first-period shorthanded goal came three seconds after a 4-on-4 stint ended. Robertson’s second-period goal came eight seconds after he left the penalty box and rushed the net, closely backchecked by Martin Pospisil. Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) blocks a shot during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Calgary Flames, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Dallas. Credit: AP/LM Otero It was defenseman Harley's first multigoal game this season. Dallas rookie Oskar Back had two assists. Takeaways Flames: They’re 0-5-3 in their last eight road games. They allowed their fourth shorthanded goal this season. Stars: Robertson ended an eight-game goalless streak. Ranking next to last in home power play at 11.1% going in, the Stars went 0 for 4 — two of them less than the full two minutes. Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (32) defends the goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Dallas. Credit: AP/LM Otero Key moment Flames defensemen Kevin Bahl and Jakob Pelletier had chances to prevent Lindell from passing back to Hintz at the crease, but the puck caromed off Bahl’s skate to Hintz. Key stat The Stars had lost six straight regular-season home games to the Flames dating to the 2019-20 season. Up next The Flames will visit the Nashville Predators on Tuesday before beginning a season-long five-game homestand. The Stars will host Nashville on Thursday.

VANCOUVER — Taylor Swift's three-night run at BC Place, closing out the pop star's global Eras Tour, generated daily economic impact for Vancouver that could rival the 2010 Olympics and smashed data streaming records, industry figures say. The CEO of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, Ian Tostenson, said the shows that ended Sunday had an effect that went far beyond other concert or sporting events in the city. Tostenson said Monday that his group estimates there was a $25 million boost for Metro Vancouver’s establishments for each of the three show days. In comparison, a sold-out, highly anticipated Vancouver Canucks playoff game brings an estimated $3 million a day in economic impact, Tostenson said. “In the context of comparing to anything else, it’s not even believable almost — it’s such a huge impact,” Tostenson said. “I was out a little bit on Friday and Saturday, and every place I went to was absolutely lined up and packed.” Tostenson said the concerts rivalled the Olympics in drawing fans from regions far beyond what a typical playoff hockey game would, and while it is difficult to compare the 2010 Winter Games to the Taylor Swift weekend, the events were in the same magnitude in daily impact on restaurants. “The financial impact of the Olympics was massive, (but) it was spread out over a couple weeks in different venues and stuff,” he said. “So, you didn't sort of feel this concentration that you saw with Taylor Swift.” Tostenson also said Swifties bumped up business across Metro Vancouver all weekend, with one major restaurant owner with multiple locations reporting full capacity not just at its downtown location but also in North Vancouver and Olympic Village. He credits the festive mood brought by fans that had an emotional effect on people in general, which in turn has a major impact on restaurants, an industry built largely on discretionary spending. People consume more when the mood is right, he said. “From a financial point of view, the Olympics probably had a bigger impact,” Tostenson said. “But ... I'm going to venture to estimate that this, on a daily basis compared to the Olympics, was stronger.” Telecommunications giant Rogers said data used during the last show was enough to stream Swift's entire music catalogue 9,450 times. It said in a statement that fans on the company's network set a Canadian record when they used more than 11 terabytes of mobile data in just a few hours at BC Place. The company's chief technology officer Mark Kennedy said Monday that is the equivalent of uploading 307,000 photos and 2,180 hours of video streaming. The previous record was set Nov. 21, when fans at Swift's concert in Toronto used 7.4 terabytes of data on the Rogers network. Music industry publication Pollstar also said Monday that Swift's 149-show worldwide tour brought in revenue of US$2.2 billion in its 20-month run. Vancouver Police thanked residents and visitors for a "safe and memorable weekend." Const. Tania Visintin said in a social media post that police spent months preparing for the shows. "We've had so much fun meeting people of all ages from all around the world, trading friendship bracelets and showing what a great city it can really be when we all look out for one another," she said. Thirteen Swift-themed lighting installations were set up at locations around the city to celebrate the singer's arrival. Suzanne Walters, a spokeswoman for Destination Vancouver, said most of the lit-up letters will be coming down over the next few days, but the “Swiftcouver” display downtown will stay until Dec. 13 — Swift’s birthday. Walters said the letters will be reused for holiday displays over the month of December and then be part of a pool of rentable supplies. Swift told the 60,000 fans in BC Place at Sunday's show that they were part of a tour seen by 10 million people, and that it was the most thrilling chapter of her life to date. She said the legacy of the tour will be "a space of joy and togetherness and love" that the fans have created. Swiftie Alaina Robertson echoed Swift's sentiments after the show, saying she shed lots of tears watching the "once in a lifetime" spectacle. Robertson — who travelled from Camas, Wash., for the show and wore a "Reputation" inspired outfit along with a temporary silver bedazzled snake tattoo — said she doesn't think any other concert will be able to compare. "It's going to be hard to beat," she said of the show. "She's changing the world of music. She's changing entertainment entirely, and to be at the tour with the crowd here, getting to do the friendship bracelets, getting to get dressed up — it's just love and joy and friendship, and it's been really magical to be a part of it." Fan accounts on social media platform X have posted photos showing a number of television and music stars at BC Place Sunday night, including actors Jenna Fischer, Aubrey Plaza and Jesse Tyler Ferguson as well as Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder. Taylor Nation, Swift's official management team, took to social media after Sunday's show to thank fans who "took part in experiencing the joy" of the Eras Tour. "We saw you spend hours designing your costumes, trading friendship bracelets, singing and dancing nonstop to the entire setlist, spreading love to everyone, and welcoming each city into our shared traditions," it said in a post to X. "While the tour has come to an end, your smiles, tears, and friendships will last a lifetime. Remember to hold on to the memories — they will hold on to you." — With files from Ashley Joannou, Brieanna Charlebois and The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024. Chuck Chiang, The Canadian Press

Rutgers extends 15-year losing streak to AP-ranked foes after Illinois house call in final secondsSYM COURT UPDATE: The Symbotic Inc. Class Action Deadline is February 3 –Investors with Losses are Urged to Contact BFA Law (NASDAQ:SYM)

Harvey Fineberg Announces Plan to Step DownOrbitMI CEO Ali Riaz has been named among the Top 10 Technology Leaders of 2024 in Lloyd’s List Intelligence’s prestigious annual rankings of the 100 most influential people in shipping, underscoring the NYC-based maritime software company’s leading role in digital transformation of the industry. Riaz, who retained his sixth ranking from last year, represents the only pure software-as-a-service (SaaS) firm on the keenly watched list of leading players “driving real digital change across the maritime industries” that is this year dominated by equipment manufacturers. Responding to the accolade, Riaz says: “It is a great honour to be featured again on the list. This is recognition of a collective effort by OrbitMI’s talented team, together with our partners, in developing innovative solutions that are driving sustainability through operational efficiencies. “OrbitMI’s vessel performance platform delivers measurable results, including significant reductions in fuel consumption and emissions. With a commitment to evolving alongside green regulations, the platform continues to meet the dynamic needs of the maritime industry.” OrbitMI, spun out of Stena Bulk in 2019, is dedicated to breaking down software siloes that limit efficiency. Its platform integrates multiple APIs into a single user interface, creating intelligent connected workflows. This approach unlocks hidden data value and delivers actionable insights, empowering more efficient voyage decision-making. The company’s guiding principle of “transformation without disruption” highlights its SaaS solution’s ability to integrate with existing digital systems without requiring additional hardware or software installations. This approach prioritizes innovation that is empathetic and tailored to the needs of the end-user. OrbitMI CEO Ali Riaz. Photo: OrbitMI Riaz earlier spearheaded the company’s collaboration with French class society Bureau Veritas’ Marine & Offshore division, with the pair focusing on development of new solutions – for example, geared towards FuelEU Maritime compliance – based on an holistic approach to solve operational challenges and accelerate decarbonization of the industry. The focus of the technology leadership list has shifted from digital transformation two years ago through hybrid technologies in 2023 to this year’s emphasis on hardware-based innovations. Consequently, some previously listed software players have dropped out of the top rankings amid increasing competition and consolidation in the market for digital solutions. Reflecting on this trend, OrbitMI’s Chief Operating Officer Youn Lee says: “The evolving priorities in maritime technology—like cleaner fuels, automation, and greener infrastructure—are driving greater competition. OrbitMI’s repeated inclusion on this list reflects our resilience and leadership in a dynamic market. Our flexible and scalable SaaS model, coupled with a strong focus on partnerships and sustainability, ensures we stay ahead by enabling faster adoption of innovative digital solutions.” Source: OrbitMI

By JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.Shohei Ohtani's eventual return to the mound isn't going to come at the start of the 2025 season. Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Monday it was "very unlikely" that Ohtani would be able to pitch by then, though added he expects him to be ready to go as a hitter. The superstar slugger had arthroscopic surgery for a torn labrum in his left shoulder in November. This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis. 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