
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 24, 2024-- Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin AbdulAziz Al Saud, the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA) and Invest Saudi are organizing the 28th annual World Investment Conference (WIC) from November 25 to 27, in Riyadh. This prestigious event will gather global leaders in investment, government, and international organizations to address the theme, ‘Harnessing Digital Transformation and Sustainable Growth: Scaling Investment Opportunities’. His Excellency Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia, commented: “Under the wise leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques; King Salaman bin AbdulAziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman bin AbdulAziz Al Saud, the Kingdom, driven by its ambitious “Vision 2030”, has become a premier world investment destination and is experiencing unprecedented growth in overall investment amounts and diversity.” “This year’s World Investment Conference in Riyadh will be a platform for sharing our nation’s strategic vision with our partners, and an invaluable opportunity to highlight our status as a trusted partner for sustainable economic growth. We look forward to welcoming investment leaders from around the world to forge partnerships that will benefit both the Kingdom and global economies.” Al-Falih added. Saudi Arabia has become a prime destination for international investors, issuing over 28,900 foreign investment licenses, thanks to reforms under Vision 2030. These reforms, including allowing 100% foreign ownership in specific sectors and streamlining business and visa procedures for rapid approvals, have significantly boosted investor confidence. This investor friendly climate, especially in sectors like renewable energy, logistics and AI, reflects the Kingdom’s dedication to creating an attractive and efficient business environment, and helps to build a resilient economy for Saudi Arabia that stands at the forefront of global innovation and development. Ismail Ersahin, Executive Director and CEO of WAIPA said: “WAIPA is excited to bring the 28th WIC to Riyadh, a city that perfectly embodies the future of investment. The conference will provide a crucial platform for Investment Promotion Agencies and investors to discuss emerging opportunities in a rapidly evolving global landscape. We deeply appreciate Saudi Arabia’s vision and leadership, which will ensure that this edition of WIC is an impactful gathering for all participants.” Key highlights of WIC 2024 will include a range of conference tracks, such as high-level government dialogues, insightful sessions on technology, sustainability, and economic cooperation, as well as practical masterclasses for investment professionals. A dedicated entrepreneurship track will emphasize the transformative role of startups and innovators, while exclusive matchmaking sessions will facilitate strategic partnerships between investors, SMEs, and potential collaborators. Participants will also have the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of Investment Promotion Agencies through the Awards Track, honoring innovation and excellence in investment facilitation. This year’s WIC promises to be a pivotal forum aligned with global investment drivers: the disruptive influence of technology and artificial intelligence (AI), global supply chain resilience, energy transition towards sustainability, and the transformative role of entrepreneurs and startups in reshaping investment landscapes traditionally led by multinational corporations. Leaders and stakeholders will discuss and explore how these factors are redefining economies and driving forward-looking investment models worldwide. With its focus on scaling investment opportunities, WIC 2024 is designed to empower attendees with the tools, knowledge, and connections necessary to drive meaningful economic impact. About WIC: https://waipa.org/wic-info/ *Source: AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241124564843/en/ CONTACT: For media inquiries: WIC28media@apcoworldwide.com KEYWORD: MIDDLE EAST SAUDI ARABIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FINANCE BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ASSET MANAGEMENT SOURCE: World Investment Conference Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/24/2024 10:06 AM/DISC: 11/24/2024 10:06 AM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241124564843/enItaly says it is making every effort to bring home a journalist who has been under arrest in Iran for more than a week, as politicians of all stripes expressed their concern. or signup to continue reading Cecilia Sala, 29, who works for the newspaper Il Foglio and the podcast company Chora Media, was detained in Tehran on December 19 but her arrest was only made public on Friday. The Italian foreign ministry said it was in contact with Iran to clarify Sala's legal situation and the conditions of her detention. "Italy is working tirelessly to free her, pursuing every option," Defence Minister Guido Crosetto - a key figure in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government - wrote on the social media platform X, calling the arrest "unacceptable". Chora Media said Sala had left Rome for Iran on December 12 with a valid journalist visa and had conducted several interviews and produced three episodes of her Stories podcast. She had been due to fly back to Rome on December 20. It added that Sala was being held in solitary confinement in Tehran's Evin prison and no reason had been given for her arrest. There was no immediate confirmation of the arrest by Iranian officials. It was not clear whether it might be linked to tensions between Rome and Tehran after Iran last week summoned a senior Italian diplomat and the Swiss ambassador, who represents US interests in the country, over the arrest of two Iranian nationals. One of the men was arrested in Italy at Washington's request. Italy's ambassador to Iran visited Sala in prison on Friday and the journalist has also been in phone contact with her family, the Italian foreign ministry said. Italian sources with knowledge of the matter said she was "very tired" but "physically fine". Chora said news of Sala's arrest was not immediately made public as her family and Italian authorities had hoped that keeping it quiet could help secure her swift release. Elly Schlein, leader of the centre-left opposition Democratic Party, urged the government to act swiftly. "We immediately call on the government to take every useful initiative to shed light on this matter, to clarify the reasons for this detention and, above all, to bring Cecilia Sala back to Italy as soon as possible," she said. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. 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Stock market today: Wall Street slips to a rare back-to-back loss
NEW YORK — Federal prosecutors on Friday urged a judge to deny Sean “Diddy” Combs’ latest bid for release from jail, arguing his consistent rule-breaking shows he “cannot be trusted.” In Manhattan federal court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said Combs had demonstrated he could not abide by “any conditions” of release. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest news, sports, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 26, 2024-- PagerDuty, Inc. (NYSE:PD), a leader in digital operations management, today announced financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, ended October 31, 2024. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241126811639/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) “PagerDuty delivered a solid quarter with revenue and non-GAAP operating income results well above third quarter guidance ranges with annual recurring revenue increasing to $483 million, growing 10% year-over-year,” said Chairperson and CEO, Jennifer Tejada. “Consistent performance over the past four quarters has led to stabilization across all business segments, and along with improving leading indicators, positions the business on a strong upward trajectory.” Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights The section titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below contains a description of the non-GAAP financial measures and reconciliations between GAAP and non-GAAP financial information. Third Quarter and Recent Highlights Financial Outlook For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, PagerDuty currently expects: For the full fiscal year 2025, PagerDuty currently expects: These statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. Please refer to the section titled "Forward-Looking Statements" below for information on the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. PagerDuty has not reconciled forward-looking net loss per share attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stock holders to forward-looking non-GAAP net income per share attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders because certain items are out of PagerDuty's control or cannot be reasonably predicted. Accordingly, such reconciliation is not available without unreasonable effort. Conference Call Information PagerDuty will host a conference call and live webcast (Zoom meeting ID 975 4160 6140) for analysts and investors at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on November 26, 2024. For audio only, the dial-in number 1-312-626-6799 may be used. This news release with the financial results will be accessible from PagerDuty’s website at investor.pagerduty.com prior to the conference call. A live webcast of the conference call will be accessible from the PagerDuty investor relations website at investor.pagerduty.com . Supplemental Financial and Other Information Supplemental financial and other information can be accessed through PagerDuty’s investor relations website at investor.pagerduty.com . PagerDuty uses the investor relations section on its website as the means of complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, we recommend that investors monitor PagerDuty’s investor relations website in addition to following PagerDuty’s press releases, SEC filings, social media, including PagerDuty’s LinkedIn account ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/482819 ), X (formerly Twitter) account @pagerduty, the X account @jenntejada and Facebook page (facebook.com/pagerduty), and public conference calls and webcasts. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to, statements regarding our future financial performance and outlook, and market positioning. Words such as “expect,” “extend,” “anticipate,” “should,” “believe,” “hope,” “target,” “project,” “accelerate,” “goals,” “estimate,” “potential,” “predict,” “may,” “will,” “might,” “could,” “intend,” “shall,” and variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond our control. Our actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to, risks and other factors detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 18, 2024. Additional information will be made available in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2024 and other filings and reports that we may file from time to time with the SEC. In particular, the following risks and uncertainties, among others, could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: the effect of unfavorable conditions in our industry or the global economy, or reductions in information technology spending on our business and results of operations; our ability to achieve and maintain future profitability; our ability to attract new customers and retain and sell additional functionality and services to our existing customers; our ability to sustain and manage our growth; our dependence on revenue from a single product; our ability to compete effectively in an increasingly competitive market; and general global market, political, economic, and business conditions. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent our views as of the date of this press release. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our views to change. We undertake no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. About PagerDuty, Inc. PagerDuty, Inc. (NYSE:PD) is a global leader in digital operations management, enabling customers to achieve operational efficiency at scale with the PagerDuty Operations Cloud. The PagerDuty Operations Cloud combines AIOps, Automation, Customer Service Operations and Incident Management with a powerful generative AI assistant to create a flexible, resilient and scalable platform to increase innovation velocity, grow revenue, reduce cost, and mitigate the risk of operational failure. Half of the Fortune 500 and nearly 70% of the Fortune 100 rely on PagerDuty as essential infrastructure for the modern enterprise. To learn more and try PagerDuty for free, visit www.pagerduty.com . The PagerDuty Operations Cloud The PagerDuty Operations Cloud is the platform for mission-critical, time-critical operations work in the modern enterprise. Through the power of AI and automation, it detects and diagnoses disruptive events, mobilizes the right team members to respond, and streamlines infrastructure and workflows across your digital operations. The Operations Cloud is essential infrastructure for revolutionizing digital operations to compete and win as a modern digital business. Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release and the accompanying tables contain the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP research and development, non-GAAP sales and marketing, non-GAAP general and administrative, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders, non-GAAP net income per share attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders, free cash flow, and free cash flow margin. PagerDuty believes that non-GAAP financial measures, when taken collectively, may be helpful to investors because they provide consistency and comparability with past financial performance and can assist in comparisons with other companies, some of which use similar non-GAAP financial measures to supplement their GAAP results. The non-GAAP financial information is presented for supplemental informational purposes only, should not be considered a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP, and may be different from similarly-titled non-GAAP measures used by other companies. The principal limitation of these non-GAAP financial measures is that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recorded in PagerDuty’s financial statements. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgment by PagerDuty’s management about which expenses and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation is provided below for each historical non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable financial measure presented in accordance with GAAP. Specifically, PagerDuty excludes the following from its historical and prospective non-GAAP financial measures, as applicable: Stock-based compensation: PagerDuty utilizes stock-based compensation to attract and retain employees. It is principally aimed at aligning their interests with those of its stockholders and at long-term retention, rather than to address operational performance for any particular period. As a result, stock-based compensation expenses vary for reasons that are generally unrelated to financial and operational performance in any particular period. Employer taxes related to employee stock transactions: PagerDuty views the amount of employer taxes related to its employee stock transactions as an expense that is dependent on its stock price, employee exercise and other award disposition activity, and other factors that are beyond PagerDuty’s control. As a result, employer taxes related to employee stock transactions vary for reasons that are generally unrelated to financial and operational performance in any particular period. Amortization of acquired intangible assets: PagerDuty views amortization of acquired intangible assets as items arising from pre-acquisition activities determined at the time of an acquisition. While these intangible assets are evaluated for impairment regularly, amortization of the cost of purchased intangibles is an expense that is not typically affected by operations during any particular period. Acquisition-related expenses: PagerDuty views acquisition-related expenses, such as transaction costs, acquisition-related retention payments, and acquisition-related asset impairment, as events that are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a period. In particular, PagerDuty believes the consideration of measures that exclude such expenses can assist in the comparison of operational performance in different periods which may or may not include such expenses. Amortization of debt issuance costs: The imputed interest rates of the Company's convertible senior notes (the "2025 Notes" and the "2028 Notes" or, collectively, the "Notes") was approximately 1.91% for the 2025 Notes and 2.13% for the 2028 Notes. This is a result of the debt issuance costs, which reduce the carrying value of the convertible debt instruments. The debt issuance costs are amortized as interest expense. The expense for the amortization of the debt issuance costs is a non-cash item, and we believe the exclusion of this interest expense will provide for a more useful comparison of our operational performance in different periods. Restructuring costs: PagerDuty views restructuring costs, such as employee severance-related costs and real estate impairment costs, as events that are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a period. In particular, PagerDuty believes the consideration of measures that exclude such expenses can assist in the comparison of operational performance in different periods which may or may not include such expenses. Gains (or losses) on partial extinguishment of convertible senior notes: PagerDuty views gains (or losses) on partial extinguishment of debt as events that are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a period. PagerDuty believes that the consideration of measures that exclude such gain (or loss) impact can assist in the comparison of operational performance in different periods which may or may not include such gains (or losses). Adjustment attributable to redeemable non-controlling interest: PagerDuty adjusts the value of redeemable non-controlling interest of its joint venture PagerDuty K.K. according to the operating agreement. PagerDuty believes this adjustment is not reflective of operational performance during a period and exclusion of such adjustments can assist in comparison of operational performance in different periods. Income tax effects and adjustments: Based on PagerDuty's financial outlook for fiscal 2025, PagerDuty is utilizing a projected non-GAAP tax rate of 23% in order to provide better consistency across the interim reporting periods by eliminating the impact of non-recurring and period specific items, which can vary in size and frequency. PagerDuty's estimated tax rate on non-GAAP income is determined annually and may be adjusted during the year to take into account events or trends that PagerDuty believes materially impact the estimated annual rate including, but not limited to, significant changes resulting from tax legislation, material changes in the geographic mix of revenue and expenses and other significant events. Non-GAAP gross profit and non-GAAP gross margin We define non-GAAP gross profit as gross profit excluding the following expenses typically included in cost of revenue: stock-based compensation expense, employer taxes related to employee stock transactions, amortization of acquired intangible assets, and restructuring costs. We define non-GAAP gross margin as non-GAAP gross profit as a percentage of revenue. Non-GAAP operating expenses We define non-GAAP operating expenses as operating expenses excluding stock-based compensation expense, employer taxes related to employee stock transactions, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition-related expenses, which include transaction costs, acquisition-related retention payments, and asset impairment, and restructuring costs which are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a given period. Non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin We define non-GAAP operating income as loss from operations excluding stock-based compensation expense, employer taxes related to employee stock transactions, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition-related expenses, which include transaction costs, acquisition-related retention payments, and asset impairment, and restructuring costs which are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a given period. We define non-GAAP operating margin as non-GAAP operating income as a percentage of revenue. Non-GAAP net income attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders We define non-GAAP net income attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders as net loss attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders excluding stock-based compensation expense, employer taxes related to employee stock transactions, amortization of debt issuance costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition-related expenses, which include transaction costs, acquisition-related retention payments and asset impairment, restructuring costs, adjustment attributable to redeemable non-controlling interest, and income tax adjustments, which are not necessarily reflective of operational performance during a given period. Non-GAAP net income per share, basic and diluted We define non-GAAP net income per share, basic as non-GAAP net income attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders divided by weighted average shares outstanding at the end of the reporting period. We define non-GAAP net income per share, diluted as non-GAAP net income attributable to PagerDuty, Inc. common stockholders divided by weighted average diluted shares outstanding at the end of the reporting period. Free cash flow and free cash flow margin We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities, less cash used for purchases of property and equipment and capitalization of internal-use software costs. We define free cash flow margin as free cash flow as a percentage of revenue. In addition to the reasons stated above, we believe that free cash flow is useful to investors as a liquidity measure because it measures our ability to generate or use cash in excess of our capital investments in property and equipment in order to enhance the strength of our balance sheet and further invest in our business and potential strategic initiatives. A limitation of the utility of free cash flow as a measure of our liquidity is that it does not represent the total increase or decrease in our cash balance for the period. We use free cash flow in conjunction with traditional U.S. GAAP measures as part of our overall assessment of our liquidity, including the preparation of our annual operating budget and quarterly forecasts and to evaluate the effectiveness of our business strategies. There are a number of limitations related to the use of free cash flow as compared to net cash provided by operating activities, including that free cash flow includes capital expenditures, the benefits of which are realized in periods subsequent to those when expenditures are made. PagerDuty encourages investors to review the related GAAP financial measures and the reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, which it includes in press releases announcing quarterly financial results, including this press release, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate PagerDuty’s business. Please see the reconciliation tables at the end of this release for the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to their most-comparable GAAP financial measures. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241126811639/en/ CONTACT: Investor Relations Contact: Tony Righetti investor@pagerduty.comMedia Contact: Debbie O'Brien media@pagerduty.comSOURCE PagerDuty KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DATA MANAGEMENT SOURCE: PagerDuty, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/26/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 11/26/2024 04:05 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241126811639/enHow to Watch Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Games – Wednesday, November 27
Inventus Mining Corp. ( CVE:IVS – Get Free Report ) dropped 21.1% on Friday . The company traded as low as C$0.08 and last traded at C$0.08. Approximately 118,000 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 26% from the average daily volume of 93,681 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.10. Inventus Mining Stock Down 21.1 % The company has a quick ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 1.44 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 41.50. The company’s fifty day moving average price is C$0.06 and its 200-day moving average price is C$0.05. The stock has a market capitalization of C$12.60 million, a PE ratio of -7.00 and a beta of 0.83. Insider Activity at Inventus Mining In other news, Director Glen Alexander Milne acquired 577,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 19th. The shares were bought at an average cost of C$0.06 per share, with a total value of C$31,735.00. Insiders purchased a total of 1,952,000 shares of company stock valued at $99,235 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 31.70% of the company’s stock. About Inventus Mining Inventus Mining Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. The company explores for gold and base metals. It holds 100% interests in the Pardo Paleoplacer gold project covering an area of 3.8 square kilometers block of mineral leases and 180 square kilometers of mineral claims; and Sudbury 2.0 project totaling an area of 240 square kilometers of mineral claims located in Sudbury Mining Division, Ontario. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Inventus Mining Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Inventus Mining and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Virginia’s comprehensive approach to tackling the challenge of the deadly drug fentanyl has resulted in a 23% decline in fentanyl overdose deaths, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Tuesday. That’s a sharper drop than the national average of 14.5%, he said. But, he added, “it’s nowhere near good enough.” Virginia will continue to push a multipronged approach to the epidemic of fentanyl abuse and death, Youngkin said. “That starts with interdicting and arresting the drug trade itself. Our most recent operation, which ran for 47 days, saw us seize over 550 pounds of fentanyl — that’s enough to kill every Virginian eight times over. And we have to continue this,” he said. People are also reading... One form of help came with legislation this year sponsored by state Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, that makes it a crime punishable by up to five years in prison to possess or sell a device to make pills out of illegal drugs, except for manufacturers with permits. “It’s incredibly important for us to hold the distribution and the manufacturing of these of drugs laced with fentanyl accountable,” Youngkin said, adding: “I am not happy that we have not been able to pass a full charge of felony homicide for someone who, in fact, manufactures and distributes fentanyl that results in a death, and we will go back again” in the 2025 General Assembly session. State Sen. Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, has filed Senate Bill 746, under which selling hard drugs that turn out to be a fatal dose would be considered felony homicide — basically, accidentally causing death while engaged in a crime. The legislation has been a priority for Youngkin, who was visibly infuriated with a committee that rejected the idea in 2023. Youngkin highlighted the measure as a priority in his State of the Commonwealth speeches in 2023 and 2024. A statewide education push, led by first lady Suzanne Youngkin’s “It only takes one” campaign, highlights the point that one pill can kill a person — and that sometimes, one person’s attention and care, perhaps a parent, a teacher or coach, can keep another from resorting to a potentially deadly pill. “And then finally, we have had a massive push to equip people with both the skills and the supplies to revive someone who is suffering from an overdose, and the Naloxone supply has been comprehensive, but we need to continue to do this,” Youngkin said. He said he believes President-elect Donald Trump’s border security policies will be a big help going forward. From the Archives: 17th Street Market Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!Rivalry Closes Non-Brokered Private Placement Of Approximately $2.0 Million
Group files ethics complaint vs. Rep. Castro
ROME (AP) — Robert Lewandowski joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the only players in Champions League history with 100 or more goals. But Erling Haaland is on a faster pace than anyone by boosting his total to 46 goals at age 24 on Tuesday. Still, Haaland's brace wasn't enough for Manchester City in a 3-3 draw with Feyenoord that extended the Premier League champion's winless streak to six matches. Lewandowski’s early penalty kick started Barcelona off to a 3-0 win over previously unbeaten Brest to move into second place in the new single-league format. The Poland striker added goal No. 101 in second-half stoppage time. Ronaldo leads the all-time scoring list with 140 goals and Messi is next with 129. But neither Ronaldo nor Messi play in the Champions League anymore following moves to Saudi Arabia and the United States, respectively. “It’s a nice number,” Lewandowski said. “In the past I didn’t think I could score more than 100 goals in the Champions League. I’m in good company alongside Cristiano and Messi.” The 36-year-old Lewandowski required 125 matches to reach the century mark, two more than Messi (123) and 12 fewer than Ronaldo (137). Barcelona also got a second-half score from Dani Olmo. The top eight finishers in the standings advance directly to the round of 16 in March. Teams ranked ninth to 24th go into a knockout playoffs round in February, while the bottom 12 teams are eliminated. Haaland converted a first-half penalty to eclipse Messi as the youngest player to reach 45 goals then scored City's third after the break to raise his total to 46 goals in 44 games. Ilkay Gundogan had City's second. But then Feyenoord struck back with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko. Inter Milan beat Leipzig 1-0 with an own goal to move atop the standings with 13 points, one more than Barcelona and Liverpool, which faces Real Madrid on Wednesday. The Serie A champion is the only club that hasn't conceded a goal. Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 — the same score from the 2020 final between the two teams. PSG ended with 10 men and remained in the elimination zone. The French powerhouse has struggled in Europe after Kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid. Kim Min-jae’s first-half header was enough for Bayern, especially after Ousmane Dembelé was sent off in the 56th with his second yellow. Atalanta moved within two points of the lead with a 6-1 win at Young Boys. Charles De Ketelaere scored two and assisted on three other goals for Atalanta. Also, Arsenal kept red-hot striker Viktor Gyokeres quiet in a 5-1 win over Sporting Lisbon; and Germany star Florian Wirtz scored two goals and was involved in two more as Bayer Leverkusen boosted its chances of finishing in the top eight with a 5-0 rout of Salzburg. AC Milan followed up its win at Real Madrid with a 3-2 victory at last-place Slovan Bratislava in an early match. Christian Pulisic put the seven-time champion ahead midway through the first half by finishing off a counterattack. Then Rafael Leao restored the Rossoneri’s advantage after Tigran Barseghyan had equalized for Bratislava and Tammy Abraham quickly added another. Nino Marcelli scored with a long-range strike in the 88th for Bratislava, which ended with 10 men. Bratislava has lost all five of its matches. Argentina World Cup winner Julian Alvarez scored twice and Atletico Madrid routed Sparta Prague 6-0 in the other early game. Alvarez scored with a free kick 15 minutes in and Marcos Llorente added a long-range strike before the break. Alvarez finished off a counterattack early in the second half after being set up by substitute Antoine Griezmann, who then marked his 100th Champions League game by getting on the scoresheet himself. Angel Correa added a late brace for Atletico, which earned its biggest away win in Europe. Atletico beat Paris Saint-Germain in the previous round and extended its winning streak across all competitions to six matches. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerOpenAI's Sora Video Generation Tool Has Been Leaked OpenAI’s Sora Leak: The Implications of Technology, Ethics, and Advocacy A storm has been brewing in the AI landscape following the unauthorized leak of OpenAI’s groundbreaking Sora model, a text-to-video generator that has been making waves for its ability to create short, high-fidelity videos with remarkable temporal stability. At the heart of the controversy is a multifaceted conflict involving technological advancement, ethical concerns, and artistic advocacy. The leak was posted on Hugging Face and was allegedly carried out by individuals involved in the testing phase – using the username “PR-Puppets” – and raises pressing questions about the relationship between innovation, labor, and corporate accountability. The leaked model, released alongside an open letter addressed to the “Corporate AI Overlords”, can purportedly produce 10-second video clips at up to 1080p resolution. What is Sora? Sora represents a significant leap in generative AI capabilities, functioning as a diffusion model to transform text prompts into videos of up to one minute. Leveraging techniques from various models, Sora offers precise text-to-visual alignment and enhanced temporal coherence. OpenAI’s vision for Sora is ambitious, positioning it as a foundational step toward achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Despite these aspirations, the technology is not without its limitations; challenges in replicating complex physics and ensuring content safety remain areas for improvement. As described on the Hugging Face discussion platform, Sora is “a mesmerizing display of technical prowess.” The model’s ability to produce “visually coherent narratives” in video form has been praised as a landmark achievement in generative AI. The Leak and Its Alleged Motivations The open-letter on Hugging Face with the leaked Sora model The leak of Sora's model appears to stem from dissatisfaction among testers and contributors, particularly those in creative industries. Critics allege that OpenAI (currently valued at over $150 billion ) exploited their labor by relying on unpaid or undercompensated contributions to refine the model. These testers, including visual artists and filmmakers, provided valuable feedback and creative input, only to allegedly find themselves excluded from equitable recognition or compensation. The 85 Best Black Friday Deals So Far, According To Our Editors 60+ Early Black Friday Deals Worth Shopping Right Now “This wasn’t just about unpaid work—it was about respect,” noted one anonymous contributor quoted in the Hugging Face commentary. “OpenAI treated our input like raw material, not creative expertise. It’s not collaboration; it’s extraction.” This act of rebellion serves as a protest against the broader commodification of creative expertise in AI development. The leak was strategically framed to highlight OpenAI's alleged disregard for the economic value of artistic labor, echoing sentiments of discontent already prevalent in the AI ethics discourse. The group stated that, after three hours, “OpenAI shut down Sora's early access temporarily for all artists.” Ethical and Legal Complications The Sora controversy also reignites debates about copyright and intellectual property. OpenAI has previously faced scrutiny over its use of copyrighted material for training purposes, claiming fair use as a defense. Although OpenAI has stated that Sora’s training data includes licensed and public datasets, the company has been reticent about specifics, leaving room for skepticism. This opacity, combined with ongoing lawsuits from creators and publishers, underscores the tensions between technological advancement and intellectual property rights. Safety concerns regarding generative AI models like Sora have prompted OpenAI to implement safeguards, including detection classifiers and content policy enforcement mechanisms. However, such measures may not suffice to address the potential misuse of the leaked model. Hugging Face commenters pointed out that “a leak of this magnitude undermines OpenAI’s efforts to enforce ethical safeguards. It puts unchecked power in the hands of anyone with access.” Broader Implications for AI and Creative Industries The Sora leak is emblematic of a larger power struggle in the age of AI. On one hand, OpenAI positions itself as a pioneer at the intersection of innovation and utility, with Sora representing a tool for democratizing video creation. On the other hand, the leak has spotlighted systemic issues, such as the undervaluation of creative labor and the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI’s reliance on human creativity. A quote from the group known as "PR-Puppets" As another contributor on Hugging Face stated, “AI doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s built on the shoulders of creatives who often go uncredited. The Sora leak is a wake-up call: innovation without ethics is exploitation.” For creative professionals, the leak is a double-edged sword. While it brings to light the inequities of the current system, it also risks undermining trust in collaborations between artists and technology developers. Moving forward, the incident calls for a reimagining of how corporations engage with creative communities, emphasizing transparency, fair compensation, and respect for intellectual property. A Reckoning for AI The fallout from the Sora leak offers critical lessons for the future of generative AI. As technology continues to blur the boundaries between creativity and computation, the need for ethical frameworks becomes ever more pressing. OpenAI’s handling of the situation will likely set a precedent for how organizations navigate the complex interplay of innovation, ethics, and advocacy. Ultimately, the Sora controversy is a microcosm of the broader challenges facing the AI industry: how to balance the pursuit of progress with the imperative to honor and protect the human labor that underpins it. As one observer succinctly concluded on Hugging Face, “This is more than a leak; it’s a reckoning.”
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