1 2 Varanasi: A deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery procedure, lasting almost 8 hours, was performed by a team of doctors at the Sir Sunderlal Hospital, Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), Banaras Hindu University, recently, marking a new era in advanced neurological care at the institution. This was the first such procedure in the Purvanchal region, said a statement issued by the institute on Sunday. It is a surgical operation in which neurosurgeon implants a medical device called neurostimulator to send electrical signals to specific areas of the brain. This technology has proven highly effective in treating a range of neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease, essential tremor and dystonia. IMS director Prof Shankhwar said DBS was an established US FDA-approved safe neurosurgical procedure for patients with advanced disease in whom medical treatment had failed to provide adequate symptom control and good quality of life, or in whom medical therapy induced severe side effects such as dyskinesias. "We are delighted to announce that the procedure was done under Ayushman Bharat Yojana and all expenditure was taken care of," said Shankhwar, adding that BHU remained committed to providing cutting-edge neurological care and improving quality of life of patients with neurological disorders. "This successful DBS surgery is a testament to the institution's dedication to innovation and patient care," he said. The surgery was performed by the doctors of the departments of neurology and neurosurgery under the guidance of IMS director Shankhwar and medical superintendent Prof K K Gupta. Prof Deepika Joshi and Dr Anand Kumar from department of neurology, Dr Nityanand Pandey from department of neurosurgery, Dr Naren Naik, consultant neurosurgeon from Global Hospitals Mumbai, and Prof R K Dubey from anaesthesia, along with the Medtronics India team, were involved in the procedure. Other faculty from neurology department who were part of the team included Prof V N Mishra, Prof R N Chaurasia, Prof Abhishek Pathak (HoD), Dr Varun Kumar Singh and senior residents Dr Janki Makani and Dr Arpan Mitra.
Patreon is one of the most popular public content creator funding platforms in the market. The company helped pioneer the content creator subscription services industry and remains a dominant force in the market. Today, Patreon has +8M active users, +279K content creators, and a growing number of strategic partnerships. All of these factors continue to drive demand for Patreon stocks. However, the company is privately held, meaning that pre-IPO shares are the best option for those seeking an ownership stake in the firm. Patreon's success, market positioning, and strong backing are all additional reasons why you should learn how to buy Patreon pre-IPO shares. Here's what you need to know. What is Patreon? Patreon is a public content creator funding application that enables creators to enhance their monetization efforts via subscription services and more. The company entered the market in 2013. It was founded by a developer named Sam Yam, and a musician named Jack Conte to provide creatives with additional revenue streams. Patreon’s launch was celebrated, and within the first 18 months, the platform secured 125,000 content creators. The platform had many unique characteristics that helped it create such a following. For one, it was free to start, meaning that content creators could focus their efforts on their art and offerings. Several features make Patreon a smart maneuver for creators. They can access a variety of tools designed specifically to help them build organic communities. For example, they can offer access to exclusive content and create and distribute digital assets, tickets, collaborations, contests, and even personalized messages. Creators can sell both digital and real-world merchandise while building up a subscription-based income from their community. For their effort, Patreon charges an 8-12% commission on their income and various payment processing fees. This simplistic and straightforward business model continues to bring success as the creator economy is now intertwined with Patreon on a new level. Today, Patreon remains a go-to option for content creators seeking to offset the demonetization or other methods used by big tech to reduce their revenue or censor their messages. This positioning adds to the overall perceived value that Patreon brings to the market and ensures that it will continue to see demand in the coming years. Historical Funding Rounds Summary of Patreon Funding: Funding Rounds Breakdown: Key Investors: Patreon has support from many prominent investors including Tiger Global Management, Woodline Partners, Wellington, Lone Pine Capital, New Enterprise Associates, DFJ Growth, New Enterprise Associates, Wellington, Glade Brook Capital, Thrive Capital, DFJ Growth, Index Ventures, Lone Pine Capital Glade Brook Capital, Index Ventures, Freestyle, Serj Tankian, Hannibal Burress, Initialized Capital, CRV, and more. Funding Data Sourced from Tracxn Why Invest in Patreon? There are multiple reasons why you might want to consider investing in Patreon Pre-IPO shares. For one, the company has a straightforward business model that continues to show profitability and potential. According to company documentation, Patreon’s economy is on the rise. Specifically, monthly payouts are up by 2.2% in 2024, pushing the total made by creators to +$8B. Patreon content creators now average around 60% more revenue compared to 2019. Another factor to consider is that Patreon remains In touch with the content creator community. For example, the management dropped adult-themed content support in 2017, broadening the appeal of the platform. At the time it reduced revenue but the losses were quickly recovered due to new clientele. There are several acquisitions that Patreon has made which enhanced its capabilities, and customer confidence. In 2015, the firm acquired the subscription platform Subbable and a year later, Memberful was acquired. These acquisitions provided the platform with additional features and technology. As a market leader and first mover, Patreon provides investors with a unique opportunity. The company hasn't posted any plans to host an IPO yet. However, if the company does signal intentions to go public, demand for its stock would increase significantly. How to Buy Patreon Pre-IPO Shares Patreon remains a privately held company, meaning that you will need to utilize a specialized approach to get access to shares. There are many analysts that believe the company may never hold public funding rounds and may instead decide to only host private funding. If so, here's what you need to consider. 1. Pre-IPO Secondary Marketplace Secondary markets are purpose-built exchanges that connect pre-IPO shareholders with potential investors. These marketplaces can offer these assets because they work closely with employees, early-stage investors, and venture capitalists, which are crucial to the company's pre-IPO growth. Investing in pre-IPO shares for Patreon could open the door for additional ROIs if the company's valuation is less than when its IPO launches. It's common for company valuations to increase following an IPO. As such, it makes sense to add pre-IPO shares to your portfolio before the firm announces plans to go public. Secondary marketplaces have many requirements. Here are some concerns you should be made aware of: Eligibility: Notably, this approach requires you to be an accredited investor, meaning you will have to show at least $1M in liquid assets to qualify. Liquidity : Pre-IPO shares can't be traded like regular shares. They often include some lockup restrictions that prevent you from trading them before the IPO. Some firms have permanent “no sell” clauses that prevent any transfer of the shares following your investment. Linqto is a reputable investment platform that connects accredited investors with pre-IPO shareholders in a secure manner. The network streamlines pre-IPO investing via an easy-to-navigate interface that provides access to all relevant data at a glance. Accredited investors seeking pre-IPO shares in Patreon should consider Linqto. Visit Linqto → 2. Private Equity Firms Private equity firms gain access to pre-IPO shares during investment rounds. They then offer these shares to high-net-worth accredited investors with a commission. Notably, private equity firms are known to have extra stipulations, including blocking the sale of shares for years in some cases. 3. Employee Equity Sales Many consider employee equity sales as the best way to acquire pre-IPO shares in Patreon. This method of acquiring pre-IPO shares requires you to connect with former employees. It's common for companies to issue shares as part of an incentive package. Notably, this profit-sharing method has become more popular, leading to more pre-IPO share opportunities for investors. Private Transactions : there are a lot of hoops you will need to jump through to complete a private pre-IPO transaction, including creating specific legal agreements, conducting valuations, and setting in place any limitations on the transfer of the asset. Brokerage : Brokers will take a lot of the confusion out of the pre-IPO process. These professionals can guide you through each step, ensuring full compliance and avoiding common errors untrained professionals make. There are several risks that you should consider before jumping into the pre-IPO shares investment arena. Here are the top concerns: Liquidity Risk If you are looking for an asset that you can sell right away, pre-IPO shares are not the best option. These investments can include sales and transfer clauses that prevent the transfer of the asset until certain criteria, such as the IPO's completion. It's even common for pre-IPO shares to require you to wait years before gaining the ability to sell your assets. Regulatory Risk The blockchain market has seen considerable scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers. While the technology is far better understood than in its early days, there are still many lawmakers who see it as a threat to the traditional financial system. As such, you need to always consider how new regulations could affect the value of your pre-IPO shares. Market Risk Purchasing pre-IPO shares in Patreon means that you stand behind the project and its team. The company has secured a reputation for excellence and has previously expressed a desire to go public. However, no concrete data has been provided yet. As such, it's vital to understand that the blockchain market is an active space that experiences strong fluctuations that could result in a different share value between now and any future IPO launch. Valuation of Patreon and Future IPO Patreon's valuation is $4B as of Apr 07, 2021. The company has achieved Unicorn status due to its pioneering efforts in the content creator markets. Patreon is seen by many as an essential tool to deal with increased censorship and demonetization from the tech giants including Meta, Youtube, Google, and more. Patreon continues to expand its community and features. The company has shown a willingness to adapt to the fast-changing market, enabling its users to take advantage of the latest and greatest options, including NFTs (non-fungible tokens) and more. All of these factors demonstrate why so many competitors have failed in their efforts to remove Patreaon from among the top options. It's likely that Patreon could decide to go public in the coming years. It already has strong backing from the investor community and the public. This decision could result in one of the largest and most anticipated IPOs to date. For now, the only option is pre-IPO shares. Conclusion Holding Patreon Pre-IPO shares opens the door for lots of upside potential. The company has proven to be reliable, secure, transparent, and capable of working with regulators when needed. All of these factors have cemented Patreon in the content creator community as a valuable resource to be protected. There are still several risks involved when investing in pre-IPO shares that you need to consider. There’s no guarantee that the value of your pre-IPO shares will increase or that the company will decide to go public. As such, you need to conduct in-depth research into Patreon's financials and business model prior to making any final decisions. You should consult a financial expert to ensure that Patreon Pre-IPO shares fall within your risk appetite. For those who complete their research and find the asset to be a smart maneuver, there’s lots of upside potential. Learn about Other Pre-IPO Opportunities Now Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Pre-IPO shares are typically available only to accredited investors and carry significant risk. Always perform thorough due diligence and consult a financial advisor or legal expert before making investment decisions.
B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG acquired a new position in Brown & Brown, Inc. ( NYSE:BRO – Free Report ) during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm acquired 6,234 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $646,000. Several other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund raised its holdings in Brown & Brown by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 20,339 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,819,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Trust Point Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Brown & Brown by 4.3% in the 3rd quarter. Trust Point Inc. now owns 2,519 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $261,000 after purchasing an additional 103 shares in the last quarter. Creative Planning raised its stake in shares of Brown & Brown by 0.4% in the third quarter. Creative Planning now owns 29,892 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $3,097,000 after purchasing an additional 112 shares during the last quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Brown & Brown by 0.5% during the third quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. now owns 22,929 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $2,375,000 after purchasing an additional 113 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Anchor Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Brown & Brown by 4.0% during the second quarter. Anchor Investment Management LLC now owns 3,286 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $294,000 after buying an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. 71.01% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts have weighed in on BRO shares. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on Brown & Brown from $113.00 to $118.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price objective on shares of Brown & Brown from $98.00 to $104.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Argus started coverage on shares of Brown & Brown in a report on Tuesday, September 24th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $120.00 target price on the stock. StockNews.com lowered shares of Brown & Brown from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 2nd. Finally, Barclays raised their price target on Brown & Brown from $108.00 to $119.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Brown & Brown has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $107.42. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, Chairman Hyatt J. Brown sold 134,640 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.51, for a total value of $14,071,226.40. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . 17.02% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Brown & Brown Price Performance Shares of NYSE:BRO opened at $112.05 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $32.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.53, a P/E/G ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 0.82. Brown & Brown, Inc. has a 1-year low of $69.13 and a 1-year high of $114.08. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $106.16 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $98.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52, a current ratio of 1.73 and a quick ratio of 1.73. Brown & Brown ( NYSE:BRO – Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Monday, October 28th. The financial services provider reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.88 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $1.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.16 billion. Brown & Brown had a net margin of 22.65% and a return on equity of 17.12%. Brown & Brown’s quarterly revenue was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.71 EPS. Research analysts expect that Brown & Brown, Inc. will post 3.74 EPS for the current fiscal year. Brown & Brown Increases Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, November 13th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 6th were issued a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, November 6th. This is a boost from Brown & Brown’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.13. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.54%. Brown & Brown’s payout ratio is currently 16.35%. About Brown & Brown ( Free Report ) Brown & Brown, Inc markets and sells insurance products and services in the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Retail, National Programs, Wholesale Brokerage, and Services. The Retail segment provides property and casualty, employee benefits insurance products, personal insurance products, specialties insurance products, risk management strategies, loss control survey and analysis, consultancy, and claims processing services. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BRO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Brown & Brown, Inc. ( NYSE:BRO – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Brown & Brown Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Brown & Brown and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .NoneWhile many people like to use riding mowers, if you don't own a huge piece of property, a push mower is likely a more practical way to keep your lawn maintained. Push mowers come in all shapes and sizes these days, and choosing which one is right for you can be a daunting task with all the different options made by different brands that are available. You might be wondering if electric lawn mowers are better than gas-powered mowers , or — if you do decide to go electric — whether or not you should go with a corded option or a battery-powered cordless mower, which are becoming increasingly more common as the technology advances. You might also be considering the size of the mower's deck — an important variable if you've got a larger yard — or how versatile a mower's cutting height and grass disposal may be. It's likely you are also concerned with the performance of any new lawn mower and which is the most powerful electric mower made by every major brand . Cost is another major factor when deciding on a new piece of outdoor equipment, especially because more affordable options can greatly vary in quality. To help you with your choice, here are six of the highest-rated push mowers under $500. More information on where these customer ratings come from and how these mowers were evaluated can be found at the end of this list. Owned by the same corporation as trusted tool brand Skil , Ego has been making a name for itself as a go-to brand for battery-powered equipment. In fact, Ego claims to be the top-rated cordless outdoor brand in the industry and that its Ego 21-inch Power+ push mower is the first lithium-ion mower to outperform gas-powered equivalents. Based on over 1,400 Amazon user ratings, the product has a 4.5 out of five overall customer score, as well as a formidable 4.6 out of five on EGO's own website based on over 7,800 customer ratings. It can run up to 45 minutes on a single charge with an Ego 56V 5 Ah ARC battery and has a quick and straightforward push-button start. Its wide 21-inch deck will cover plenty of ground in a single pass, and you can select one of three cutting functions: mulching, side discharge, and bagging — with its two-bushel grass bag easy to access. Other features include six height positions that can be adjusted one-handed, bright LED headlights, a weather-resistant body, and a folding mechanism for easy storage. The 21-inch Power+ is just one of several different battery-powered mowers sold by Ego, and which Ego electric mower is best for you may depend on your specific needs. However, they all have one drawback when compared to gas-powered mowers, in that you're entirely reliant on the battery. If you forget to charge it or don't have spares — or if your lawn is simply too big to cover with one fully-charged battery — you'll be out of luck. If the pros of going electric outweigh the cons for you, though, the Ego 21-inch Power+ is a solid choice. The Ego 21-inch Power+ mower , which has product code LM2112, is available from Amazon for $429. Several of the highest-rated push mowers available are 40V cordless options from Ryobi, including the Ryobi 40V 18-inch 2-in-1 Push Mower. Based on at least 1,130 Home Depot customer reviews, the product has a 4.2 out of five overall rating, with nearly three-quarters of customers recommending it. One of several great Ryobi tools that make yard work easier , the 18-inch 2-in-1 Push Mower is a compact, lightweight machine that's a breeze to push around and maneuver. Since it's battery-powered, start-up is literally as easy as a push of a button, with no messy gas engine to prime or maintain. With a Ryobi 40V 6 Ah battery , the mower can run up to a half hour, which is enough to cover a quarter-acre. One particularly useful feature is the ability to easily switch between either a mulching mode or a side-discharge option. You can also adjust the position of the blades between seven different heights ranging between 1.5 inches and 4 inches, allowing you to choose exactly how you'd like your lawn to look. Plus, the handles collapse to make the mower easier to store. The 40-volt batteries used to power the Ryobi mower can also be used with other Ryobi 40V cordless equipment. However, this can also be a huge downside if you don't own other Ryobi products — especially since its line of 40V tools is smaller and generally more expensive than its similar 18V and 12V systems. If you do invest in Ryobi's battery-powered mower, you may want to also consider buying some other Ryobi 40V electric yard tools , just to make the expensive batteries more worth your while. Home Depot sells the Ryobi 40V 18-inch 2-in-1 Push Mower for $219. If you're looking for a beefier gas-powered mower under $500, you can't go wrong with the Troy-Bilt TB230B XP, which is powered by a 163cc Briggs and Stratton engine that has a no prime, no choke start. Troy-Bilt is one of the most reliable push lawn mower brands on the market, and it's easy to see why with its TB230B XP — the steel 21-inch deck is durably built, and its 11-inch rear wheels will offer enough traction to handle uneven terrain. The mower's variable-speed front-wheel drive will also make turns faster and give you plenty of maneuverability. The TB230B XP has a dual-lever, six-position height adjustment and comes equipped with a TriAction cutting system that uses a rake bumper, specialized blade, and symmetrical deck, while an included mulch kit can help keep your lawn healthy, among other benefits. If you'd rather get rid of your clippings, the mower also has a 1.9-bushel rear bag for easy collection and disposal, while a deck wash adaptor can be connected to your garden hose to make cleaning grass from under your mower a cinch. The side discharge chute also has an integrated clip that attaches to the handle when you don't need it. The Troy-Bilt TB230B XP has a 4.1 out of five overall user score, based on nearly 650 Home Depot reviews, with over two-thirds of customers recommending the product. However, some customers have mentioned that the self-propelled mechanism that typically makes the mower easier to push can struggle with thicker grass, which is something to keep in mind. The Troy-Bilt TB230B XP is available from Home Depot for $439. The mower even comes fully assembled, so you can get straight to work. Greenworks is a popular brand for electric mowers — it even makes one of the best automated robot lawn mowers on the market. If you prefer to trim your grass yourself and leave indoor vacuuming to the robots , the Greenworks 40V 16-inch Cordless Lawn Mower is a great option. It has a positive 4.2 out of 5 overall customer score, based on over 10,500 Amazon reviews. Powered by the same proprietary 40V battery that can be used for over 75 other comparable Greenworks tools, the electric mower can run up to 40 minutes on a single charge and cover up to 1⁄3 of an acre. You can fully recharge the battery in two hours to cover any additional ground you need to. Like most modern electric mowers, it has a simple push button start. The mower has five different height positions ranging from 1.25 inches to 3-3⁄8 inches, giving you some versatility when it comes to grass height. Plus, it can either be used with a bag or mulch the grass instead. It should be noted that a 16-inch deck is on the smaller side for a push mower, which means you may have to go up and down your lawn in more rows than you otherwise would need to with something like a 20-inch mower. If you've got a smaller lawn or don't mind adding a few extra steps to your FitBit though, the Greenworks 40V 16-inch Cordless Lawn Mower is one of the highest-rated push mowers you can find for under $500. The Greenworks 40V 16-inch Cordless Lawn Mower retails for $299 on Amazon, though it's currently discounted for $249.99. Even better, that price includes a 4.0 Ah 40V battery and charger. Yardmax makes a powerful gas-powered leaf blower , as well as other robust landscaping equipment, including a range of gas-powered push mowers. Based on over 711 reviews, the Yardmax 21-inch 170 cc 2-in-1 Mower has a 4.1 out of five overall user rating on Home Depot's website, with over three-fourths of customers recommending it. It's a lightweight and compact push mower that's great to use in tighter spaces, but has enough oomph to it for serious cutting. It can easily be adjusted between seven different cutting heights between 1.25 and 3.75 inches using a single lever, and can both mulch or discharge trimmings to the side. Its wide, 21-inch deck incorporates a volute spiral design for increased airflow and mulching capabilities. This 16-gauge steel deck is also built in one piece to reduce vibration, making it easier to control along with its 7-inch front and 11-inch rear ball-bearing wheels and adjustable, three-position handle. Plus, the mower can easily be folded for storage and minimal assembly is required when you unbox it for the first time. With a 170cc gas engine, you'll also get one of the strongest push mowers in its class. Though — if you prioritize power over everything else — this model might not be the best choice, as Yardmax also offers 201cc push mowers that come in both rear-wheel drive and front-wheel drive . However, the 170cc model is cheaper than these options, and has just as high — if not better — customer ratings, which should also be taken into consideration. The Yardmax 21-inch 170 cc 2-in-1 Mower has product code YG1550 and is available from Home Depot for $260. If you really want to save money on a push mower, you can always opt for a manual reel mower, like the ones your great-grandparents may have used before gas-powered mowers became popular. Manual reel mowers are still around though, and they can be especially useful for small yards or parts of your lawn that have very steep inclines, where a heavier push mower might be too cumbersome to maneuver. Plus, manual reel mowers are a lot quieter and a lot cheaper than gas or electric push mowers, and that's not even including the money you'll save on energy costs. Maintenance for manual mowers can be a lot easier, too, especially when compared to gas-powered alternatives. The American Lawn Mower 14-inch Manual Reel Mower is one of the highest-rated push mowers on Amazon, with over 14,000 customers giving it an average score of 4.3 out of five. It weighs just 19 pounds and uses a tempered alloy steel three-spider, single-blade reel that's easy-rolling and has a cutting height between 1⁄2 and 1-1/2 inches. American Lawn Mower says its deluxe hand-reel mower is ideal for "most turf grasses — especially for cool-season grasses such as bluegrass, fescue and rye," providing a precise, scissor-like cut with rear grass deflection. Despite its great reviews and quality construction, this isn't the best choice if you're looking to minimize manual labor when it comes to yard work — especially if you've got a really big lawn. However, you'll never have to worry about running out of gas, battery life, or straying too far from a power outlet with a good, old-fashioned manual push mower. Amazon sells the American Lawn Mower 14-inch Manual Reel Mower (product code 1204-14) for $89.99, though it's currently available for $79.50. Customer ratings are a great way to determine if a product is reliable and works as advertised before you decide whether or not to purchase it. The push mowers under $500 included on this list have high user ratings on either Amazon or Home Depot, which both have large amounts of customers weighing in on each product. The bigger the base of customers reviewing a product, the more reliable the user rating is, as any fake reviews or outlier scores made in bad faith (whether positively or negatively) won't have much of an impact. Some of the recommended push mowers on this list all have customer ratings of at least 4.1 on Home Depot's website — with at least 450 ratings weighing in on each product and at least two-thirds of customers recommending each — while others have at least a 4.2 out of five-star average customer score on Amazon, with at least 1,400 user ratings — if not many thousands more — factored into that score. Additionally, an effort was made to include various brands and power types of push mowers for this list for a broader range of options to choose from. So, while several of the highest-rated push mowers available from Home Depot are battery-powered and made by Ryobi, not all were included to leave room for other high-rated mowers from other brands as well as those that use other power sources, such as gasoline. Because this list is focusing on more affordable mowers under $500, some high-rated options were completely left off this list. For example, Home Depot sells some top-rated mowers that are made by Makita, but this brand is absent from this list because the mowers they make priced under $500 generally have poorer overall reviews.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Audi Crooks scored the winning shot as time expired and a season-high 33 points as No. 8 Iowa State survived with an 80-78 win over Drake on Sunday afternoon. Addy Brown added 13 points and eight rebounds, Emily Ryan scored 11 points with 12 assists and Kenzie Hare had 10 points as the Cyclones (5-1) avoided a second consecutive loss. The Bulldogs (2-3) were led by guard Katie Dinnebier, who scored 39 points on 13-of-16 shooting and went 8 of 10 from 3-point range. Dinnebier went 5 of 6 from the charity stripe. Anna Miller added 18 points in Drake's attempt to dethrone Iowa State, and Abbie Aalsma scored 11 off the bench. Drake: The Bulldogs, who were picked to finish first in the Missouri Valley Conference in the preseason, tied a season high with 19 turnovers. Iowa State scored 24 points from those turnovers. Iowa State: The Cyclones found a way to bounce back after losing to Northern Iowa on Wednesday night. A 10-0 run in the first quarter was the difference in a close Cyclone win. The Cyclones were outrebounded 42-31 by the Bulldogs, marking the first time Iowa State was outrebounded this season. Iowa State heads to Florida to play No. 1 South Carolina on Thursday in the Women's Fort Myers Tip-Off, the same day Drake plays Wyoming in the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up . AP women’s college basketball: and
Ink & Passion: Modern Women Writers Who Changed Japan
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Then-President Donald Trump looks to Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as she speaks during a Jan. 11, 2018, prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as his former domestic policy chief. She is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. Rollins, 52, previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Rollins’ pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to strip ultraprocessed foods from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. ___ Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Funk and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. 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 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.” Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Trump taps Rollins as agriculture chief, completing proposed slate of Cabinet secretaries
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Team News: Tottenham Hotspur vs. Roma injury, suspension list, predicted XIsLANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Ekeler was concussed in the final minute of the Washington Commanders’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Coach Dan Quinn said he and general manager Adam Peters got to visit with Ekeler before he went to the hospital. A team spokesperson said the decision to transport Ekeler was made out of an abundance of caution. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.