WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz withdrew Thursday as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general amid continued fallout over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation's chief federal law enforcement officer. The announcement caps a turbulent eight-day period in which Trump sought to capitalize on his decisive election win to force Senate Republicans to accept provocative selections like Gaetz, who had been investigated by the Justice Department before being tapped last week to lead it. The decision could heighten scrutiny on other controversial Trump nominees, including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth , who faces sexual assault allegations that he denies. “While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition,” Gaetz, a Florida Republican who one day earlier met with senators in an effort to win their support, said in a statement. “There is no time to waste on a needlessly protracted Washington scuffle, thus I’ll be withdrawing my name from consideration to serve as Attorney General. Trump’s DOJ must be in place and ready on Day 1," he added. Trump, in a social media post, said: “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” He did not immediately announce a new selection. Last week, he named personal lawyers Todd Blanche, Emil Bove and D. John Sauer to senior roles in the department. Another possible contender, Matt Whitaker, was announced Wednesday as the U.S. ambassador to NATO. The withdrawal, just a week after the pick was announced, averts what was shaping up to be a pitched confirmation fight that would have tested how far Senate Republicans were willing to go to support Trump’s Cabinet picks. The selection of the fierce Trump ally over well-regarded veteran lawyers whose names had circulated as possible contenders stirred concern for the Justice Department's independence at a time when Trump has openly threatened to seek retribution against political adversaries. It underscored the premium Trump places on personal loyalty and reflected the president-elect's desire to have a disruptor lead a Justice Department that for years investigated and ultimately indicted him. In the Senate, deeply skeptical lawmakers sought more information about Justice Department and congressional investigations into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls, which Gaetz has denied. Meanwhile, Justice Department lawyers were taken aback by the pick of a partisan lawmaker with limited legal experience who has echoed Trump's claims of a weaponized criminal justice system. As Gaetz sought to lock down Senate support, concern over the sex trafficking allegations showed no signs of abating. In recent days, an attorney for two women said his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. One of the women testified she saw Gaetz having sex with a 17-year-old at a party in Florida in 2017, according to the attorney, Joel Leppard. Leppard has said that his client testified she didn’t think Gaetz knew the girl was underage, stopped their relationship when he found out and did not resume it until after she turned 18. The age of consent in Florida is 18. "They’re grateful for the opportunity to move forward with their lives,” Leppard said Thursday of his clients. “They’re hoping that this brings final closure for all the parties involved.” Gaetz has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. The Justice Department’s investigation ended last year with no charges against him. Gaetz’s political future is uncertain. He had abruptly resigned his congressional seat upon being selected as attorney general, a move seen as a way to shut down the ethics investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. He did win reelection in November for the new Congress, which convenes Jan. 3, 2025, but he said in his resignation letter last week to House Speaker Mike Johnson that he did not intend to take the oath of office. He transmitted a similar letter to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the state launched a special election process to fill the vacancy. Republicans on the House Ethics Committee declined this week to release the panel's findings, over objections from Democrats in a split vote. But the committee did agree to finish its work and is scheduled to meet again Dec. 5 to discuss the matter. As word of Gaetz's decision spread across the Capitol, Republican senators seemed divided. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, called it a “positive move." Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” Others said they had hoped Gaetz could have overhauled the department. Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a close ally of Trump, said he was “disappointed. I like Matt and I think he would have changed the way DOJ is run.” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said he hoped that Trump will pick someone “equally as tenacious and equally as committed to rooting out and eliminating bias and politicization at the DOJ.” Gaetz is not the only Trump pick facing congressional scrutiny over past allegations. A detailed investigative police report made public Wednesday shows that a woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth, the former Fox News host now tapped to lead the Pentagon, after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared,” Hegseth told reporters Thursday at the Capitol, where he was meeting with senators to build support for his nomination. Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price, Lisa Mascaro, Mary Clare Jalonick and Adriana Gomez Licon contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.iwildcasino erfahrungen 。

MongoDB, Inc. ( NASDAQ:MDB – Get Free Report ) gapped up before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $281.76, but opened at $306.22. MongoDB shares last traded at $319.26, with a volume of 661,635 shares traded. Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research firms have weighed in on MDB. Wedbush raised MongoDB to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. Piper Sandler boosted their price objective on MongoDB from $300.00 to $335.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 30th. Barclays lifted their target price on MongoDB from $290.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, November 15th. DA Davidson lifted their target price on MongoDB from $330.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 11th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their target price on MongoDB from $300.00 to $350.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, August 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, nineteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, MongoDB currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $336.54. Get Our Latest Report on MDB MongoDB Trading Up 5.4 % MongoDB ( NASDAQ:MDB – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 29th. The company reported $0.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.49 by $0.21. The business had revenue of $478.11 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $465.03 million. MongoDB had a negative return on equity of 15.06% and a negative net margin of 12.08%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 12.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.63) EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that MongoDB, Inc. will post -2.39 EPS for the current fiscal year. Insider Transactions at MongoDB In related news, Director Dwight A. Merriman sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $290.79, for a total value of $872,370.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 1,135,006 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $330,048,394.74. This represents a 0.26 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website . Also, CRO Cedric Pech sold 302 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $256.25, for a total value of $77,387.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive now directly owns 33,440 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,569,000. This trade represents a 0.90 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last ninety days, insiders sold 25,600 shares of company stock valued at $7,034,249. 3.60% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Institutional Trading of MongoDB A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Jennison Associates LLC boosted its position in shares of MongoDB by 23.6% in the 3rd quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 3,102,024 shares of the company’s stock valued at $838,632,000 after purchasing an additional 592,038 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in MongoDB by 2.9% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,230,036 shares of the company’s stock valued at $331,776,000 after acquiring an additional 34,814 shares during the last quarter. Swedbank AB raised its stake in MongoDB by 156.3% during the 2nd quarter. Swedbank AB now owns 656,993 shares of the company’s stock valued at $164,222,000 after acquiring an additional 400,705 shares during the last quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP raised its stake in MongoDB by 1.5% during the 3rd quarter. Westfield Capital Management Co. LP now owns 496,248 shares of the company’s stock valued at $134,161,000 after acquiring an additional 7,526 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans raised its stake in MongoDB by 1,098.1% during the 2nd quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans now owns 424,402 shares of the company’s stock valued at $106,084,000 after acquiring an additional 388,979 shares during the last quarter. 89.29% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About MongoDB ( Get Free Report ) MongoDB, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides general purpose database platform worldwide. The company provides MongoDB Atlas, a hosted multi-cloud database-as-a-service solution; MongoDB Enterprise Advanced, a commercial database server for enterprise customers to run in the cloud, on-premises, or in a hybrid environment; and Community Server, a free-to-download version of its database, which includes the functionality that developers need to get started with MongoDB. See Also Receive News & Ratings for MongoDB Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MongoDB and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Georgetown coasts to fourth straight win with domination of Albany

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• The scariest thing about being 17 isn’t deciding where you’re going to college or what you want to do when you’re older; instead, it’s missing out on voting in the biggest election of your lifetime. I was born on Feb. 9, 2007. My 18th birthday will arrive 96 days after Election Day. I knew everything about each candidate; I read Project 2025, I read Kamala Harris’ policies, and I knew who I would vote for. Yet I still waited anxiously on Nov. 5 to learn the fate of the next four years that I had no say in. This is not me advocating for lowering the voting age, but rather stating why voting is a privilege we should not give up. I would have done anything to take the place of someone who felt their vote didn’t matter and vote instead of them. I would have gladly marched around with my “I Voted” sticker. Instead, I was forced to pray and hope my candidate won. My friends at school, including those who are 18, asked me who I supported. I chose not to answer because I’ve seen the backlash some give to teenagers: “You can’t vote, so why do you care?” The truth is, this election affects me too. President-elect Donald Trump promised to dismantle the Department of Education, which runs the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Harris pledged to assist first-time homeowners. Trump pledged to end inflation and fix the economy. Harris pledged to make college more affordable. Both candidates had policies that would affect me in the next four years. Yet I had to sit and watch without making my voice heard. Being 17 doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be involved or active in politics. I volunteered with a campaign and even phone-banked for one of the candidates. Whenever I was asked why I cared so much about an election I couldn’t vote in, I struggled to answer. The truth is, this election affected every single American. I was invited this summer to the prestigious weeklong Boys State Program held in June at St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn. I was an active participant and held roles all throughout the journey. I was first appointed city clerk by my city. I was then elected to the state Senate and, last, won a statewide election as secretary of state. This experience proved to me that my voice deserves uplifting. I encourage parents to educate their children on the elections even if the children can’t vote. I have always had an interest in politics, and my parents’ teaching me was a main driving force. Teach your child about both sides; don’t teach them what to think but rather what each side believes. I have family members who have different views, and that’s OK! Parents, do not worry about your child having different views; it means you raised them to be a free thinker. Politicians should encourage underage volunteers. Let children become involved in your campaigns. Let them go door-knocking and phone-banking, or even let them become members of your social team. Let children have a chance to be active in politics. Remember, they deserve to be heard, too. Encourage them to share their voice; let democracy live on into the next generation. As for political parties, encourage young people to preregister to vote, teach them about your policies, offer internships and support the upcoming politicians. Supporting our young people is an easy thing to do, but it also requires your commitment. I’m not asking you to hire a vice chair of the party who is 16. I’m asking you to encourage the young people to be active. Our future is at stake, too, and we have nobody to amplify that; you can. I am proud to be American, and our country’s future is bright. So, parents and teachers, encourage your students to go door-knocking or phone-banking for a candidate. Encourage your student to be an informed citizen, and — who knows? — they may just one day be our president. Wyatt Pohlen, a senior at Minneota High School, plans to attend the University of Minnesota to pursue a degree in political science.

NCAA volleyball tournament: How to watch Florida vs. Stanford (12/12/24) | FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Channel for Sweet 16 gameGeorgetown coasts to fourth straight win with domination of Albany

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- Kosmos Energy Ltd. (“Kosmos” or the “Company”) (NYSE: KOS) notes today’s announcement by Tullow Oil plc (“Tullow”) (LSE: TLW) regarding a potential transaction involving Tullow and Kosmos and confirms that it is in very preliminary discussions with Tullow regarding a possible all-share offer by Kosmos for Tullow. There can be no certainty that any offer will be made, nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made. Pursuant to Rule 2.5 of the Code, Kosmos reserves the right to vary the form and/or mix of the offer consideration and vary the transaction structure. A further announcement will be made as and when appropriate. As stated in today’s announcement by Tullow, in accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the Code, Kosmos is required, by not later than 5.00 p.m. on 9 January 2025 , to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for Tullow in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies. This deadline can be extended with the consent of the Takeover Panel in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code. ABOUT KOSMOS Kosmos is a full-cycle deepwater, independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused along the offshore Atlantic Margins. Our key assets include production offshore Ghana, Equatorial Guinea and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, as well as a world-class gas development offshore Mauritania and Senegal. We also pursue a proven basin exploration program in Equatorial Guinea, Ghana and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Kosmos is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange and is traded under the ticker symbol KOS. As an ethical and transparent company, Kosmos is committed to doing things the right way. The Company’s Business Principles articulate our commitment to transparency, ethics, human rights, safety and the environment. Read more about this commitment in our Corporate Responsibility Report. For additional information, visit www.kosmosenergy.com . NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION. THIS IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF A FIRM INTENTION TO MAKE AN OFFER UNDER RULE 2.7 OF THE CITY CODE ON TAKEOVERS AND MERGERS (THE "CODE") AND THERE CAN BE NO CERTAINTY THAT AN OFFER WILL BE MADE, NOR AS TO THE TERMS ON WHICH ANY OFFER MIGHT BE MADE. PUBLICATION ON A WEBSITE In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be made available on www.kosmosenergy.com no later than 12 noon (London time) on the business day following the date of this announcement. The content of the website referred to above is not incorporated into and does not form part of this announcement. The person responsible for arranging for the release of this announcement on behalf of Kosmos is Josh Marion. RULE 2.4 INFORMATION In accordance with Rule 2.4(c)(iii) of the Code, Kosmos confirms that it is not aware of any dealings in Tullow shares that would require a minimum level, or particular form, of consideration that it would be obliged to offer under Rule 6 or Rule 11 of the Code (as appropriate). However, it has not been practicable for Kosmos to make enquiries of all persons presumed to be acting in concert with it prior to this announcement in order to confirm whether any details are required to be disclosed under Rule 2.4(c)(iii). To the extent that any such details are identified following such enquiries, Kosmos will make an announcement disclosing such details as soon as practicable, and in any event by no later than the time it is required to make its Opening Position Disclosure under Rule 8.1 of the Code. RULE 2.9 INFORMATION In accordance with Rule 2.9 of the Code, Kosmos confirms that, as at close of business on 12 December 2024 (being the business day prior to the date of this announcement), its issued share capital consisted of 471,816,671 ordinary shares with a par value of $0.01 each in the capital of Kosmos which carry voting rights of one vote per share and admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange with International Securities Identification Number (“ISIN”) US5006881065. IMPORTANT NOTICES Evercore Partners International LLP ("Evercore"), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK, is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Kosmos and no one else in connection with the matters described in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Kosmos for providing the protections afforded to clients of Evercore nor for providing advice in connection with the matters referred to herein. Neither Evercore nor any of its subsidiaries, branches or affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability, or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Evercore in connection with this announcement, any statement contained herein, any offer or otherwise. Apart from the responsibilities and liabilities, if any, which may be imposed on Evercore by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and successor legislation, or the regulatory regime established thereunder, or under the regulatory regime of any jurisdiction where exclusion of liability under the relevant regulatory regime would be illegal, void or unenforceable, neither Evercore nor any of its affiliates accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for the contents of this announcement, and no representation, express or implied, is made by it, or purported to be made on its behalf, in relation to the contents of this announcement, including its accuracy, completeness or verification of any other statement made or purported to be made by it, or on its behalf, in connection with Kosmos or the matters described in this announcement. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Evercore and its affiliates accordingly disclaim all and any responsibility or liability whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise (save as referred to above) which they might otherwise have in respect of this announcement, or any statement contained herein. DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CODE Under Rule 8.3(a) of the Code, any person who is interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of an offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror (being any offeror other than an offeror in respect of which it has been announced that its offer is, or is likely to be, solely in cash) must make an Opening Position Disclosure following the commencement of the offer period and, if later, following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. An Opening Position Disclosure must contain details of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s). An Opening Position Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(a) applies must be made by not later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10 th business day following the commencement of the offer period and, if appropriate, by not later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the 10 th business day following the announcement in which any securities exchange offeror is first identified. Relevant persons who deal in the relevant securities of the offeree company or of a securities exchange offeror prior to the deadline for making an Opening Position Disclosure must instead make a Dealing Disclosure. Under Rule 8.3(b) of the Code, any person who is, or becomes, interested in 1 per cent. or more of any class of relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror must make a Dealing Disclosure if the person deals in any relevant securities of the offeree company or of any securities exchange offeror. A Dealing Disclosure must contain details of the dealing concerned and of the person's interests and short positions in, and rights to subscribe for, any relevant securities of each of (i) the offeree company and (ii) any securities exchange offeror(s), save to the extent that these details have previously been disclosed under Rule 8. A Dealing Disclosure by a person to whom Rule 8.3(b) applies must be made by not later than 3.30 pm (London time) on the business day following the date of the relevant dealing. If two or more persons act together pursuant to an agreement or understanding, whether formal or informal, to acquire or control an interest in relevant securities of an offeree company or a securities exchange offeror, they will be deemed to be a single person for the purpose of Rule 8.3. Opening Position Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company and by any offeror and Dealing Disclosures must also be made by the offeree company, by any offeror and by any persons acting in concert with any of them (see Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4 of the Code). Details of the offeree and offeror companies in respect of whose relevant securities Opening Position Disclosures and Dealing Disclosures must be made can be found in the Disclosure Table on the Takeover Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk , including details of the number of relevant securities in issue, when the offer period commenced and when any offeror was first identified. You should contact the Panel's Market Surveillance Unit on +44 (0)20 7638 0129 if you are in any doubt as to whether you are required to make an Opening Position Disclosure or a Dealing Disclosure. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212449846/en/ CONTACT: ENQUIRIESKosmos Jamie Buckland, Investor Relations, +44 (0) 203 954 2831 Thomas Golembeski, Media Relations, +1-214-445-9674Evercore (Financial Adviser to Kosmos) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7653 6000 David Waring Ed Banks Hugo Baker Julien Baril KEYWORD: TEXAS NEW YORK NORTH AMERICA UNITED STATES IRELAND UNITED KINGDOM EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: OIL/GAS ENERGY MARITIME TRANSPORT OTHER ENERGY SOURCE: Kosmos Energy Ltd. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 03:04 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 03:03 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212449846/en