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Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Thomas Fugate: A novice who replaced an army veteran to lead US terror prevention centre
Thomas Fugate, the 22-year-old college graduate, with no previous government leadership or security experience, has been picked up by US President Donald Trump to head the Centre for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, as first reported by ProPublica. Thomas Fugate has been appointed to a leadership role in the Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships, known as CP3, which works to combat terrorism, school shootings and other hate-driven violence. This includes an $18 million grant program intended to help communities battle violent extremism, reports The Independent. Here are key things you need to know about Thomas Fugate: -Thomas Fugate, a former gardener and grocery store worker who graduated from college last year, was hired by DHS in February, The Daily Mail reported, citing his LinkedIn profile. -The University of Texas at San Antonio graduate landed a position on Donald Trump's campaign in 2024 and then he was subsequently hired by DHS. -A former Heritage Foundation intern and self-described "Trumplican", Fugate's LinkedIn profile does not show experience in counterterrorism or any related security-related fields. He also does not have an impressive internship history. -On Thomas Fugate's professional page are stints running a gardening and landscaping business as well as experience working as a grocery store associate. In 2020, he was working as a self-employed 'Landscape Business Owner.' Live Events ALSO READ: Meet Thomas Fugate: 22-year-old ex-gardener and grocery store assistant to lead $18 million terror prevention team -Prior to his work as a gardener—while studying for a degree in politics and law—Fugate worked at an H-E-B supermarket in Austin, Texas, as a 'Cross Functional Team Member', according to The Daily Beast. -According to his LinkedIn, he would 'perform various activities around every department of the store, fulfilling key duties contributing to store operations.' He has served as an 'advance team member' on President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, according to his LinkedIn page. -Fugate was reportedly hired as a 'special assistant' in an immigration office at the DHS in February, according to ProPublica. He then took over CP3 after its previous director quit. -"Tom Fugate has performed well in his current role as a Confidential Assistant in our Immigration & Border Security suboffice," a DHS official told Daily Mail, adding this is a credit to his work ethic and success on the job. ALSO READ: Amid Trump-Musk spat, Tesla CEO's immigration status under scanner. Can President deport him? -The recent appointment of a University of San Antonio graduate has raised concerns among counterterrorism experts and insiders. 'It sounds like putting the intern in charge,' a counterterrorism researcher who has experience working with CP3 told ProPublica. 'We're entering very dangerous territory,' another longtime counterterrorism official said. -Fulgate took over from Army veteran Bill Braniff, who resigned in March after the Trump administration cut 20 percent of his staff, accoridng to The Independent. Braniff has more than 20 years' experience in national security. -Replacing Braniff with Fulgate is 'an insult,' a source told ProPublica. Braniff helped with the move 'toward evidence-based approaches to terrorism prevention' in a field still dealing with post-9/11 work that was predisposed to stigmatizing Muslims, the source added. 'They really started to shift the conversation and shift the public thinking. It was starting to get to the root of the problem,' they said. 'Now that's all gone."
The Hill
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
5 ways the ‘Big, Beautiful Bill' could impact Americans
Congressional Republicans are moving quickly to pass a mammoth tax and spending cuts package that could have a direct impact on millions of Americans, and drastic consequences for the economy. The 1,000-plus page bill recently passed by the House would extend tax cuts set to expire as part of President Trump's signature 2017 tax law, provisions aimed at nixing taxes on tips and overtime pay. It also includes a host of reforms to programs like Medicaid and food stamps that early estimates project could reduce spending in those areas by hundreds of billions of dollars in the next decade. As Senate Republicans look to make their own changes to the package, here's five pieces of the House bill that could make waves across American life. The centerpiece of the House measure is an extension and expansion of Trump's 2017 tax cut law. The most significant part of the tax provisions may actually be the least noticeable: the cementing of current personal income tax rates. Rather than providing a big tax cut, the bill instead prevents a major increase in taxes that would have occurred next year. But the House bill also includes several new tax cuts that could boost take-home pay for Americans across a wide range of income levels and demographics. On the lower end of the income spectrum, the bill would increase the child tax credit, eliminate taxes on most tips and overtime pay, and provide a credit to cover the cost of taxes on Social Security benefits. The bill also includes a significantly higher cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, which primarily benefits residents of high-income, high-tax cities and their suburbs. Much of the savings in the legislation comes from Medicaid. The bill would cut nearly $800 billion from the program through a combination of provisions including work requirements on 'able-bodied adults' through age 64 without dependents, a freeze on provider taxes, more frequent checks of people's eligibility, and reducing federal Medicaid payments to states that provide healthcare coverage for undocumented immigrants. The Congressional Budget Office estimated close to 10 million people would lose insurance coverage as a result. The Medicaid provision with arguably the most direct impact on beneficiary coverage would be the provision for anyone 'able bodied' between the ages of 19 and 64 to work, go to school or volunteer for 80 hours a month—and then prove it. The requirements are the most stringent Republicans have ever put forward. Most of the coverage losses would be from people who are eligible but aren't able to meet the reporting requirements. Under pressure from conservatives, GOP leaders amended an initial version of the bill to enact the changes by the end of 2026 at the latest, a timeframe that experts and advocates warn will lead to rushed implementation by states and even more people losing insurance. Outside of Medicaid, the legislation also would codify into law some technical and controversial changes President Trump proposed to make to the Affordable Care Act. Among other changes, the bill would end automatic reenrollment in ACA plans for people getting subsidies, end certain special enrollment periods, and shorten the overall open enrollment. According to CBO, the ACA changes would result in 3 million additional uninsured people. Senate Republicans have already indicated changes are possible regarding some of the proposed reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crafted in the House. The bill would require states to cover a share of SNAP benefits costs, which are currently completely funded by the federal government. The bill would lower the federal share of the cost of SNAP from 100 percent to 95 percent starting fiscal 2028. The bill also includes language that would increase states' shares of the costs in fiscal 2028 depending on their payment error rates – a move that proponents say would hold states accountable for billions of dollars in erroneous payments to participants annually. If the error rate is 6 percent or higher, states would be subject to a sliding scale that could see their share of allotments rise to a range of between 15 percent and 25 percent. Democrats have sharply criticized the proposal, which they argue could lead to states cutting benefits on their own. In fiscal 2023, data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that the national payment error rate was 11.68 percent. Most states on the list have payment error rates, which factors in a state's overpayments and underpayments, above 6 percent. Other proposals in the bill would beef up work requirements for the program, seek to block the federal government from being able to increase monthly benefits in the future, and increase states' share of costs to administer SNAP. The legislation guts massive subsidies for climate-friendly energy sources, including wind and solar power. Doing so is expected to have significant ramifications on not only the nation's greenhouse gas emissions but also energy prices. A recent analysis from BloombergNEF said that a repeal of the green tax credits would result in 17 percent less renewable construction. It said that the cut, combined with growing electricity demand, is 'a recipe for spiking power prices.' Ethan Zindler, policies and countries analyst with BloombergNEF, said that for analysis purposes, the changes made in the House bill are akin to a full repeal. 'The tax code at the moment helps to reduce the cost of electricity for consumers from renewables, which today account for the vast majority of what gets added to the grid,' he said. 'if you remove those supports, then developers will simply seek to charge more, and in a number of cases, utilities will be forced to pay more, and those costs will flow through to consumers.' Several analyses estimate that electric bills could rise noticeably as a result. A Rhodium Group estimate has found that keeping the tax credits in place could save consumers 2 to 4 percent on their electric bills in 2030 and 2 to 5 percent in 2035. Aurora Energy Research has found that removing the tax credits will increase electric bills by an average of 10 percent – or $142 per year – by 2040. While the House bill has a long way to go before it becomes law, it's already sending shockwaves through financial markets. Bond traders have sent U.S. interesting rates rising as the House advanced a bill that most budget scorekeepers project to add at least $4 trillion to the debt over the next decade. This could trickle through to the housing market and credit markets, adding another economic squeeze into the mix. 'Everybody I've talked to in the financial markets, they're staring at the bill, and they thought it was going to be much more in terms of fiscal restraint, and they're not necessarily seeing it,' Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said in an interview last week on Fox Business Network's 'Mornings with Maria.' 'Therefore, there's going to be a lot of issuance of Treasuries. And in order for them to buy these things, they want it at a lower price, and therefore, a higher yield,' he said. Some House fiscal hawks held their noses and voted for the measure despite their concerns, but several GOP senators have already pledged to vote against the bill given its bond market impact. 'I think we're having trouble selling our long bonds already,' warned Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who cited the rising interest rates. 'I want to get a deal done; I support the president's agenda. I support the border, I support the military, I support extending the Trump tax cuts — but we have to live in reality. But we got to live in reality here: We got a fiscal crisis,' Scott said.
The Star
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Do Italians themselves actually follow the Mediterranean diet?
Don't be surprised if you notice that meals in Mediterranean countries don't exactly look like the recommended Mediterranean diet nowadays. — TNS My husband and I travelled to Italy in 2019. Everything was wonderful, even the 'house' wine in restaurants. We were surprised, however, that much of the food we were served did not exactly match what we expected in this Mediterranean country. In particular was the abundance of meat products, especially cold cuts, in the meals provided by our hosts. Since we were with a group of Americans, I wrote it off as a gesture of hospitality from our Italian friends. A few weeks ago, however, I received a letter from my Russian friend who has lived in Italy for several years. 'Yesterday, we had lunch with our Italian and Canadian friends in town,' she wrote. 'We had pasta con fagioli (pasta with beans), fried pork sausages and pistachio tiramisu (an Italian pastry dessert made with layers of mascarpone cheese, whipped egg yolks and sugar). 'People have good quality cold cuts, cheeses, olive oil and wine,' she continued. 'We cannot help but notice that in Italy, pasta is in the menu everywhere and always on the table for lunch in Italian homes. Salads are very rare. 'Mediterranean diet is a well-promoted healthy food concept that sells well, but somehow does not correspond to reality, at least here in Italy,' she concluded. Very interesting. Traditionally, the diet habits of people in Italy and other Mediterranean countries included plenty of pasta, bread, olive oil and vegetables, with moderate portions of meat, fish, dairy foods and eggs. Dessert was usually fresh fruit. Research from the 1980s found this way of eating to be especially healthful, especially for the heart, when compared to the usual American diet of the time. Thus, the adoption of the Mediterranean diet as a way to lower cholesterol. What about now? A 2021 study in the journal Nutrients reported that 'food habits in Italy have changed considerably' in the past 20 years and 'adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet is, at present, rather modest'. These researchers found that today's Italians eat too few vegetables, fruit and legumes, and too much meat, cheese and sugar. They are doing well with their intake of fish, poultry and olive oil, however. Italians could improve the quality of their diets by adjusting the balance of how they eat these foods, say these scientists. What about those of us in the United States? Studies have found that trending one's diet to the traditional Mediterranean way of eating may help improve pregnancy outcomes and lower one's risk for depression, obesity and heart disease. I especially like that this pattern can be adjusted to our individual likes and dislikes. Most importantly, those who enjoy this traditional way of eating often do so with others. And we know that sharing meals is a valuable source of social and emotional support. May that part of the Mediterranean diet never change. – By Barbara Intermill/Tribune News Service Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian nutritionist in the US.
Irish Independent
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Shane Lowry seeks first solo title since 2022 at Truist Championship in Philadelphia
Live | Shane Lowry admits he's been inspired by Rory McIlroy's persistence as he seeks his first solo win for more than two-and-a-half years in the $20 million Truist Championship in Philadelphia. The Offaly man (38) made five birdies in an impressive three-under 67 at a windy Philadelphia Cricket Club to share the lead with his 2023 Ryder Cup foursomes partner Sepp Straka on 14-under-par. They lead by three strokes from Justin Thomas and Keith Mitchell with former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama only four behind and Rory McIlroy lurking in a five-man chasing group a shot further back. Ultan Corcoran guides you through the final round action. Truist Championship leaderboard: Shane Lowry -15 (thru 1) Sepp Straka -14 (thru 1) Patrick Cantlay -12 (thru 7) Justin Thomas -11 (thru 2) Keith Mitchell -11 (thru 2) 3 minutes ago Another brilliant tee shot from Shane Lowry who opts for the driver and keeps it to the left but its safe and gets a nice lie on the fairway. 6 minutes ago Lowry into the solo lead as he birdies the first! A dream start for the Clara man as he drains a whopping 12 foot putt from the back end of the green. He moves to 15 under overall. Straka overcooks his by a couple of feet and cleans up for par. 9 minutes ago A pretty nice approach shot from Lowry on the par-4 first - he question if his ball stayed on the green - it most certainly did! Straka wills his ball to "come down" and he makes the green too. Both balls only separated by a couple of feet at best. 12 minutes ago Caltlay is on fire in this final round: Patrick Cantlay is playing at his very best as he birdies another on the sixth. His approach takes him to about three feet from the pin and converts. Four birdies in total through his first six and just three off the lead. 15 minutes ago Shane Lowry commences his final round: Straka tees off first and drives it straight down the fairway. Shane Lowry is next and gets a solid cheer on the way to the box. The Offaly man draws it nicely down the fairway too. Good start and 233 yards from the pin. 26 minutes ago Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy is one under thru 3 in his final round of the Truist Championship. The County Down man picked up a birdie on the par-4 first before consecutive pars on the second and third holes. He is currently in a tie for 7th-place on 9 under. As previously mentioned, Lowry tees off alongside joint leader Sepp Straka in just under two minutes. 28 minutes ago Shane Lowry is taking some inspiration from his pal Rory McIlroy as he goes in search of a first solo win in two-and-a-half years at Philadelphia: Shane Lowry takes inspiration from Rory McIlroy as he leads on final day in Philadelphia Shane Lowry admits he's been inspired by Rory McIlroy's persistence as he seeks his first solo win for more than two-and-a-half years in the $20 million Truist Championship in Philadelphia. 31 minutes ago Hello and welcome to another live blog as Shane Lowry goes in search of glory at the Truist Championship! My name is Ultan Corcorcoran and I will be keeping you up to date with the action. The Offaly native is currently in a tie for first place on 14-under and is due to tee off at 7pm (Irish time) so we will update you on his progress shortly. Sky Sports Golf on Twitter / X Ireland's Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka of Austria stand three shots above the pack after three rounds of the Truist Championship, with Rory McIlroy six off the lead 🚨 Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) May 11, 2025 External contentWhen displaying external content, data is transferred to third parties. Live Blog Software
India.com
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- India.com
India to get this powerful anti-tank missile system and 5,000 units of..., MoD inks Rs 2,500 crore contract with...
India to get this powerful anti-tank missile system and 5,000 units of…, MoD inks Rs 2,500 crore contract with… In a significant development, the Ministry of Defence has signed a contract for the acquisition of the Nag Missile System (NAMIS) tracked version. The contract also includes 5,000 light vehicles which will be used in different units of the Armed Forces. The contract is worth Rs 2,500 crore. As per the official statement by the Defence Ministry, the contract was signed with Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited for the procurement of the Nag Missile System (NAMIS). 'Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited for the procurement of Nag Missile System (NAMIS) Tracked version of anti-tank weapon platform and Force Motors Ltd & Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd for around 5,000 Light Vehicles for the Armed Forces at a total cost of around Rs 2,500 crore,' the ministry's statement read. The Ministry of Defence awarded contracts totaling Rs 1801.34 crore for the procurement of the 'Made in India' NAMIS(Tr) weapon system. The contracts, signed on March 27th in New Delhi with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh present, involve the purchase of equipment designed and manufactured within India. State-Of-The-Art Anti-Tank System The state-of-the-art anti-tank system is specifically developed for the Indian Army and to enhance its Mechanised Infantry's strength. It will enhance the Army's operational readiness, improving its ability to effectively conduct various military operations. Most Sophisticated Anti-Tank Weapon System It is noteworthy that NAMIS (Tr) is one of the most advanced anti-tank weapon system which is loaded with fire-and-forget anti-tank missile and sighting system for advanced lethality. 5,000 Light Vehicles The Ministry of Defence announced plans to majorly upgrade mechanised warfare capabilities with a new weapon system. The contracts were awarded to Force Motors Ltd and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd for the supply of 5,000 light vehicles. These modern vehicles are designed as per contemporary vehicle technology with enhanced engine power to cater to a payload of 800 kg. They will provide mobility to the Armed Forces in all types of terrain and operational conditions. These vehicles will enhance the Armed Forces' mobility across diverse terrains and operational environments. These vehicles are specifically designed as per contemporary vehicle technology. the light weight vehicles will also have enhanced engine power to cater to a payload of 800 kg. The light vehicles will enhance the Armed Forces' mobility across diverse terrains and operational environments.
