Trump announces new acting US homeland security chief
November 2, 2019, 12:14 pm

Trump announces new acting US homeland security chief

Chad Wolf speaks during a meeting of the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. (AP)

US President Donald Trump announced Friday that a senior department official, Chad Wolf, would become the nation’s new acting homeland security chief, a role at the center of his crackdown on undocumented immigration.

Asked to confirm rumors that Wolf, a department undersecretary, would assume the role, Trump told reporters: “Well he’s right now acting and we’ll see what happens. We have great people in there.”

Trump announced the resignation of his current acting secretary, Kevin McAleenan, three weeks ago, marking the latest departure in a long list of top officials to leave his administration.

“As the president has said, Kevin McAleenan has done a tremendous job. He’ll be leaving after Veterans Day and after he departs, Chad Wolf will serve as acting secretary in the interim,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said.

McAleenan served in the role for six months, replacing Kirstjen Nielsen, who sat at the helm of the powerful agency for 18 months.

Homeland Security is the third-largest department in the US government, overseeing a number of agencies including the Coast Guard, Secret Service and FEMA, which handles disaster preparedness, coordination and support.

In addition, it is in charge of immigration-related agencies such as Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Wolf, who is the undersecretary for the department’s Office of Strategy, Policy and Plans, has “made significant progress to strengthen US border security, address the humanitarian crisis on the US Southwest Border, and improve the integrity of the US immigration system” a biography on the DHS website says.

He will be the fifth official under Trump to lead the department, which was created in 2002.

source:AFP

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.