Happy New Year 2025

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  • RFK Jr. sworn in as Health and Human Services secretary

    RFK Jr. sworn in as Health and Human Services secretary

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as the new secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), hours after being confirmed in the Republican-controlled Senate Thursday by a close vote of 52-48 that was almost entirely along party lines.

    Kennedy stood in the Oval Office alongside his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, and accompanied by his children, while he placed his hand on a Bible and swore the oath of office. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch swore in Kennedy.

    After the ceremony, Kennedy told attendees about his first visit to the Oval Office. 

    “My first time in this Oval Office was in … 1962. I came here, and I had a meeting with my uncle who was president then, where we talked about the environment. He was involved very deeply, as we all know, in restoring physical fitness in this country.

    MCCONNELL WARNS RFK JR. TO STEER CLEAR OF THE POLIO VACCINE

    “For 20 years, I got on my knees every morning and prayed that God would put me in a position where I could end the childhood chronic disease epidemic in this country,” Kennedy said.

    “On Aug. 23 of last year, God sent me President Trump. He’s kept every promise he’s made to me. He’s kept his word in every account and gone way beyond it. … I’m so grateful to you, Mr. President.” 

    Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arrives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the war effort against Russia Sept. 26. (AP/J. Scott Applewhite)

    Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was the only Republican to vote against Kennedy’s nomination. McConnell, the former longtime GOP Senate leader, had polio as a child and is a major proponent of vaccines.

    Kennedy, the well-known vaccine skeptic and environmental crusader who ran for the White House in 2024 before ending his bid and endorsing Trump, needed a simple majority to be confirmed by the Senate.

    SENATE DEMOCRATS RAIL AGAINST RFK JR. IN LATE-NIGHT SESSION AHEAD OF VOTE

    Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shakes hands with Donald Trump

    Former Republican presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, shake hands during a campaign rally at Desert Diamond Arena Aug. 23, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

    “I’m a survivor of childhood polio. In my lifetime, I’ve watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world. I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles,” McConnell said after the Kennedy vote.

    Kennedy, whose outspoken views on Big Pharma and the food industry have also sparked controversy, has said he aims to shift the focus of the agencies he would oversee toward promotion of a healthy lifestyle, including overhauling dietary guidelines, taking aim at ultra-processed foods and getting to the root causes of chronic diseases.

    The push is part of his “Make America Healthy Again” campaign.

    SENATE CONFIRMS ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. TO SERVE AS TRUMP’S HEALTH SECRETARY

    president trump with rfk jr and cheryl hines

    (L-R) President Donald Trump, actress Cheryl Hines and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of Health and Human Services, during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (Jason C. Andrew/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

    Trump regularly criticized Kennedy during his independent presidential bid, accusing him of being a “radical left liberal” and a “Democrat plant.”

    Kennedy fired back, claiming in a social media post that Trump’s jabs against him were “a barely coherent barrage of wild and inaccurate claims.”

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    However, Kennedy made major headlines again in August when he dropped his presidential bid and endorsed Trump. 

    Kennedy had long identified as a Democrat and repeatedly invoked his late father, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his late uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, who were both assassinated in the 1960s. Kennedy in recent years built relationships with far-right leaders due in part to his high-profile vaccine skepticism.

    Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

  • Goldman Sachs will no longer ban companies with all White boards from IPO services

    Goldman Sachs will no longer ban companies with all White boards from IPO services

    Anton Schutz of RMB Mendon Financial Services on Goldman Sachs kicking off earnings season with strong numbers and his outlook for Bank of America and regional banks. 

    Goldman Sachs has lifted its ban on companies with all White or all male boards from receiving initial public offerings services, marking it one of the biggest Wall Street firms to do an about-face on DEI. 

    The ban, first instituted in 2020, stipulated that the investment bank would not take a company public in the U.S. or Western Europe unless it had one non-White board member and one female board member.

    Goldman issued the ban as DEI swept much of Wall Street and corporate America during the nation-wide racial turmoil and riots sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officer Derek Chauvin.

    FCC LAUNCHES PROBE INTO NBC NEWS PARENT COMCAST ‘TO ROOT OUT INVIDIOUS FORMS OF DEI DISCRIMINATION’

    Goldman Sachs has dropped its ban on companies with all-White boards receiving IPO services.  (Thiago Prudencio/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

    “As a result of legal developments related to board diversity requirements, we ended our formal board diversity policy. We continue to believe that successful boards benefit from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and we will encourage them to take this approach.” Goldman Sachs spokesperson Tony Fratto said in a statement.

    The Wall Street titan will continue to source diverse candidates for its clients’ boards when requested, a spokesperson said. 

    Goldman’s move comes amid a changing legal landscape which has seen the courts and the Trump administration take an aggressive posture towards DEI measures. 

    A nearly identical 2022 Nasdaq rule that required companies listed on the exchange to either have one female director and one director who identified as an underrepresented minority/LGBTQ, or explain why the board didn’t meet these requirements, was struck down by a federal appeals court in 2022. 

    DISNEY DROPS CONTROVERSIAL ‘REIMAGINE TOMORROW’ PROGRAM AS COMPANY PARES BACK DEI INITIATIVES

    JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon

    Jamie Dimon defended his bank’s DEI practices at a Davos interview.  (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

    Goldman’s turn away from DEI comes as other Wall Street outfits have dug in their heels. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon told CNBC “bring them on” at a Jan. Davos interview when asked about anti-DEI investors targeting his bank. Dimon went on to say that he supports the approach his bank has taken on diversity issues, but will course correct when necessary.

    “We are going to continue to reach out to the Black community, Hispanic community, the LGBT community, the veterans community. We have a special program, a disabled second chance initiative. And wherever I go, red states, blue states, green states, mayors, governors, and they say they like what we do,” he said.

    President-elect Trump

    Trump has been rooting out DEI from the federal government.  ( Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images / Getty Images)

    JPMorgan has also set up a “war room” to analyze new Trump policies as the president issues a flurry of executive orders purging DEI from the federal government and private businesses and other regulations. 

    READ MORE FROM FOX BUSINESS

    “At JPMorgan, we have a war room set up to analyze and evaluate each and every one of these, so they’ve been up all night and are working on it,” Mary Erdoes, CEO of JPMorganChase’s Asset & Wealth Management line of business, said at the Davos World Economic Forum in January. 

  • Indian Coast Guard Day 2025 Wishes: Amit Shah, Mallikarjun Kharge and Other Leaders Extend Greetings to ICG Personnel, Salute Their Services on 49th Coast Guard Raising Day

    Indian Coast Guard Day 2025 Wishes: Amit Shah, Mallikarjun Kharge and Other Leaders Extend Greetings to ICG Personnel, Salute Their Services on 49th Coast Guard Raising Day

    On the occasion of the 49th Indian Coast Guard Raising Day, leaders from various political parties extended heartfelt greetings and paid tribute to the personnel for their dedicated service on February 1. Union Minister Amit Shah expressed pride in the Coast Guard’s courage, saluting those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect India’s maritime boundaries. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge praised the “Sentinels of the Seas” for their bravery in safeguarding the nation’s borders and marine ecology. Nitin Gadkari also conveyed his admiration, recognizing the Coast Guard’s constant readiness to protect the country. Madhya Pradesh CM Dr Mohan Yadav, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik also joined in honouring the personnel, highlighting their unyielding commitment to national security. National Women Inventors Month 2025 Date and History: Know Significance of Observance That Celebrates and Honours Female Inventors.

    Union Minister Amit Shah Salutes Indian Coast Guard’s Courage on Raising Day

    Mallikarjun Kharge Hails Coast Guard’s Dedication to Maritime Security

    Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Honors Brave Soldiers of the Indian Coast Guard

    Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav Pays Tribute to Coast Guard Personnel

    Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Extends Wishes to ICG on Foundation Day

    Naveen Patnaik Recognises Indian Coast Guard’s Role in National Security

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  • Trump Media shares surge after company expands into financial services

    Trump Media shares surge after company expands into financial services

    Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.

    Shares of Trump Media, the parent of social media app Truth Social, surged on Tuesday after announcing plans to expand into financial services.

    The company’s stock climbed as much as 17% in premarket trading on the news.

    Trump Media said in a press release that its board approved an investment of up to $250 million to be custodied by Charles Schwab.

    “We look forward to launching Truth.Fi, introducing TMTG’s investment vehicles, and unlocking synergies,” said TMTG CEO Devin Nunes. “Truth.Fi is a natural expansion of the Truth Social movement. We began by creating a free-speech social media platform, added an ultra-fast TV streaming service, and now we’re moving into investment products and decentralized finance.”

    Ticker Security Last Change Change %
    DJT TRUMP MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY GROUP CORP 30.04 +0.51 +1.71%

    “Developing American First investment vehicles is another step toward our goal of creating a robust ecosystem through which American patriots can protect themselves from the ever-present threat of cancellation, censorship, debanking, and privacy violations committed by Big Tech and woke corporations,” he added.

    The Sarasota, Florida-based company said it plans to allocate these funds into various investment options, including exchange-traded funds, separately managed accounts, Bitcoin, and other similar cryptocurrencies.

    Reuters contributed to this report.

  • Pongal 2025: 15,000 Buses To Run in State As Tamil Nadu Gears Up for Biggest Festival With Special Bus Services and Gift Hampers

    Pongal 2025: 15,000 Buses To Run in State As Tamil Nadu Gears Up for Biggest Festival With Special Bus Services and Gift Hampers

    Chennai, January 5: With Pongal, Tamil Nadu’s biggest festival, set to be celebrated on January 15, the State Transport Corporation will operate 15,000 special buses for travellers heading to their hometowns for the holidays. The service will be from January 10 to 13. To curb the exploitation of passengers by omnibus operators charging extra fares, the Tamil Nadu Transport Department has formed 30 inspection teams.

    These teams will begin statewide inspections this week. In cases of violations, they have been authorised to impose penalties, seize buses, and temporarily revoke permits as punitive measures. Out of the 15,000 special buses planned, 12,000 will run from Chennai to various destinations, supplementing the 2,092 buses that already operate daily. Passengers can board these buses from the termini at Kilambakkam, Koyambedu, and Madhavaram. Tamil Nadu Government Holiday List For Pongal 2025: State Govt Employees to Enjoy Extended Holiday, Check Dates and Other Details Here.

    As the festive season approaches, all trains departing from Chennai to southern districts are fully booked, and bus reservations are rapidly increasing. Officials report that over 75,000 reservations have already been made, with numbers expected to rise significantly starting January 6. Public holidays for Pongal have been declared from January 14 to 16, creating a six-day break, including the weekend on January 18 and 19.

    A meeting led by Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar on January 6 will finalise plans for the special bus operations, with a formal announcement expected afterwards. Pongal, one of Tamil Nadu’s most significant festivals, also sees the state government distributing gift hampers to ration cardholders. These hampers typically include dhotis, sarees, and essential items to help families celebrate without financial strain. Makar Sankranti 2025 Calendar: Know Dates of Pongal, Magh Bihu, Lohri, Khichdi Parv and More To Celebrate the Harvest Festival in India.

    This year’s gift hamper is expected to include Rs 1,000 in cash, one kilogram of rice, sugar, tamarind, and sugarcane, along with 21 essential festival items. To address inefficiencies in past distributions, the government is considering direct bank transfers for the cash component. If bank transfer challenges arise, funds will be distributed through ration shops as done traditionally.

    Special tokens will be issued to ration cardholders to avoid overcrowding during the distribution. Tamil Nadu government has allocated Rs 100 crore for the production of 1.77 crore dhotis and an equal number of sarees. These will be distributed to ration cardholders and beneficiaries under the Old Age Pension Scheme. The government has also decided to use cotton yarn for the 2024-25 production cycle and introduce polyester yarn for the 2025-26 cycle. This initiative benefits 63,000 powerlooms across the state. Compared to last year’s production of one crore dhotis and 1.24 crore sarees, this year will see an increase of 77 lakh dhotis and 53 lakh sarees.

    (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2025 01:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).