It seems that the older we get the faster time moves. 2024 is just a blur on this journey called life. We start each year with things that we hope to accomplish and before we know it, it’s time to start a new list. Before starting the 2025 list of resolutions, we need to check the 2024 resolutions in case we need to have a carryover. Fly boxes were filled with streamers and dry flies. While streamers with red were the plan, only one red bucktail, the Old Guide Bucktail, was tied. The fly worked flawlessly and caught many trout in stocked and wild trout ponds. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.KYIV, Ukraine — Desertion is starving the Ukrainian army of desperately needed manpower and crippling its battle plans at a crucial time in its war with Russia, which could put Kyiv at a clear disadvantage in future ceasefire talks. Facing every imaginable shortage, tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops, tired and bereft, walked away from combat and front-line positions to slide into anonymity, according to soldiers, lawyers and Ukrainian officials. Entire units abandoned their posts, leaving defensive lines vulnerable and accelerating territorial losses, according to military commanders and soldiers. Some take medical leave and never return, haunted by the traumas of war and demoralized by bleak prospects for victory. Others clash with commanders and refuse to carry out orders, sometimes in the middle of firefights. “This problem is critical,” said Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Kyiv-based military analyst. “This is the third year of war, and this problem will only grow.” Although Moscow has also been dealing with desertions, Ukrainians going AWOL laid bare deeply rooted problems bedeviling their military and how Kyiv is managing the war, from the flawed mobilization drive to the overstretching and hollowing out of front-line units. It comes as the U.S. urges Ukraine to draft more troops and allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. The Associated Press spoke to two deserters, three lawyers and a dozen Ukrainian officials and military commanders. Officials and commanders spoke on condition of anonymity to divulge classified information, while one deserter did so because he feared prosecution. “It is clear that now, frankly speaking, we have already squeezed the maximum out of our people,” said an officer with the 72nd Brigade, who noted that desertion is one of the main reasons Ukraine lost the town of Vuhledar in October. More than 100,000 soldiers have been charged under Ukraine’s desertion laws since Russia invaded in February 2022, according to the country’s General Prosecutor’s Office. Nearly half have gone AWOL in the past year alone, after Kyiv launched an aggressive and controversial mobilization drive that government officials and military commanders concede largely failed. It’s a staggeringly high number by any measure, as there were an estimated 300,000 Ukrainian soldiers engaged in combat before the mobilization drive began. And the actual number of deserters may be much higher. One lawmaker with knowledge of military matters estimated it could be as high as 200,000. Many deserters don’t return after being granted medical leave. Bone-tired by the constancy of war, they are psychologically and emotionally scarred. They feel guilt about being unable to summon the will to fight, anger over how the war effort is being led and frustration that it seems unwinnable. “Being quiet about a huge problem only harms our country,” said Serhii Hnezdilov, one of few soldiers to speak publicly about his choice to desert. He was charged shortly after the AP interviewed him in September. Another deserter said he initially left his infantry unit with permission because he needed surgery. By the time his leave was up, he couldn’t bring himself to return. He still has nightmares about the comrades he saw get killed. “The best way to explain it is imagining you are sitting under incoming fire and from their (Russian) side, it’s 50 shells coming toward you, while from our side, it’s just one. Then you see how your friends are getting torn to pieces, and you realize that any second, it can happen to you,” he said. “Meanwhile guys (Ukrainian soldiers) 10 kilometers (6 miles) away order you on the radio: ‘Go on, brace yourselves. Everything will be fine,’” he said. Hnezdilov also left to seek medical help. Before undergoing surgery, he announced he was deserting. He said after five years of military service, he saw no hope of ever being demobilized, despite earlier promises by the country’s leadership. “If there’s no end term (to military service), it turns into a prison — it becomes psychologically hard to find reasons to defend this country,” Hnezdilov said. Desertion turned battle plans into sand that slips through military commanders’ fingertips. The AP learned of cases in which defensive lines were severely compromised because entire units defied orders and abandoned their positions. “Because of a lack of political will and poor management of troops, especially in the infantry, we certainly are not moving in a direction to properly defend the territories that we control now,” Hnezdilov said. Ukraine’s military recorded a deficit of 4,000 troops on the front in September owing largely to deaths, injuries and desertions, according to a lawmaker. Most deserters were among recent recruits. The head of one brigade’s legal service who is in charge of processing desertion cases and forwarding them to law enforcement said he’s had many of them. “The main thing is that they leave combat positions during hostilities and their comrades die because of it. We had several situations when units fled, small or large. They exposed their flanks, and the enemy came to these flanks and killed their brothers in arms, because those who stood on the positions did not know that there was no one else around,” the official said. That is how Vuhledar, a hilltop town that Ukraine defended for two years, was lost in a matter of weeks in October, said the 72nd Brigade officer, who was among the very last to withdraw. The 72nd was already stretched thin in the weeks before Vuhledar fell. Only one line battalion and two rifle battalions held the town near the end, and military leaders even began pulling units from them to support the flanks, the officer said. There should have been 120 men in each of the battalion’s companies, but some companies’ ranks dropped to only 10 because of deaths, injuries and desertions, he said. About 20% of the soldiers missing from those companies went AWOL. “The percentage has grown exponentially every month,” he said. Reinforcements were sent once Russia wised up to Ukraine’s weakened position and attacked. But then the reinforcements also left, the officer said. Because of this, when one of the 72nd Brigade battalions withdrew, its members were gunned down because they didn’t know no one was covering them, he said. Still, the officer harbors no ill will toward deserters. “At this stage, I do not condemn any of the soldiers from my battalion and others. ... Because everyone is just really tired,” he said. Prosecutors and the military would rather not press charges against AWOL soldiers and do so only if they fail to persuade them to return, according to three military officers and a spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Investigative Bureau. Some deserters return, only to leave again. Ukraine’s General Staff said soldiers are given psychological support, but it didn’t respond to emailed questions about the toll desertions are having on the battlefield. Once soldiers are charged, defending them is tricky, said two lawyers who take such cases. They focus on their clients’ psychological state when they left. “People cannot psychologically cope with the situation they are in, and they are not provided with psychological help,” attorney Tetyana Ivanova said. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
How 'The Great British Baking Show' returned to form
FORT MYERS, FL. — The Siena College men’s basketball team is set for its third straight Thanksgiving Week Tournament in the Sunshine State. The Saints continue play in the Fort Myers Tip-Off with a pair of Palms Division matinees Monday and Tuesday at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on the campus of Florida SouthWestern State College. [...]
Trump seeks to have Georgia election case dismissed, citing presidential immunityAP News Summary at 7:43 a.m. EST
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US President Joe Biden is dispatching more senior aides to the Middle East in the next few weeks to clinch a Gaza ceasefire deal that has eluded his administration for more than a year, a senior aide says. or signup to continue reading US Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer on Tuesday said there is increased energy towards such a deal after another one was reached between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah group. "We believe that there is a momentum in that process. That momentum increased when we and our partners achieved a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon," Finer said in an interview at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York. "There's new energy in this," he said. He did not specify which officials were going to the region or what progress they have made towards a deal that has been elusive for months. Israel, the Gaza militant group Hamas and a range of third parties have been involved in negotiations. Gunmen led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas killed around 1200 people and took over 250 hostages back to Gaza when they attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli tallies. More than 44,700 Palestinians have been killed in the 14-month-old retaliatory Israeli military campaign on Gaza. The latest flurry of diplomatic activity in the region comes in the final weeks of Biden's presidency, before he hands over power to President-elect Donald Trump in January. Biden's team is in touch with Trump's on regional issues, Finer said, which also include the collapse of Syria's government and efforts to secure the release of the American journalist Austin Tice, who has been missing since being abducted in the country more than a decade ago. 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. 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DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement AdvertisementAfter 25 years of negotiations, the European Union and the Southern Common Market, commonly known as Mercosur and comprising Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay, signed a free trade and cooperation agreement. If ratified, it will create a market of nearly 800 million citizens, reduce consumer prices, and boost investment. This landmark deal also signals that two like-minded continents can still champion rules-based trade liberalization amid rising protectionism, de-globalization, and geopolitical fragmentation. Q1: What has been agreed? A1: Negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur—two of the world’s largest trade blocs—began in 1999. In 2019, the European Commission reached a preliminary agreement with Mercosur countries. At its core, the deal reduced tariffs on manufactured goods in Mercosur countries while liberalizing agricultural trade in the European Union—a sector long protected by European policies. However, the agreement stalled for years due to opposition from France and other EU countries, who demanded environmental guarantees from Brazil and expressed concerns over the potential losses to European farmers. Simultaneously, the protectionist governments of Brazil and Argentina did not prioritize ratification. On December 6, 2024, a new agreement was signed in Montevideo. This landmark deal is the largest ever concluded by the EU and the only one Mercosur has with a major trading bloc—which means that European products will enter its market under much better conditions than U.S. or Japanese products. It eliminates tariffs on over 90 percent of bilateral trade, saving European exporters EUR 4 billion annually while granting South American products preferential access to European markets, particularly for agricultural goods where Mercosur holds a strong comparative advantage. Until now, trade relations between the two regions have underperformed relative to their potential, especially in merchandise trade (and less so in investment). The agreement is set to change this dynamic, opening Mercosur’s highly protected market to European industrial goods. For instance, previous tariffs on automobiles, textiles, and machinery ranged from 14 percent to 35 percent. The agreement also ensures the protection of 357 European geographical indicators, boosting exports of specialty agricultural products like wines and cheeses. Additionally, European companies will gain better access to Mercosur’s public procurement markets, high-value service sectors, and critical raw materials like lithium. In return, the European Union will reduce tariffs on agricultural products and other goods and contribute EUR 1.8 billion through the Global Gateway initiative to support Mercosur’s green and digital transition. Beyond the economic aspects, the deal includes commitments to high labor standards and reinforces adherence to the Paris Climate Agreement . Measures to prevent deforestation—a key demand of the European Union—are also part of the agreement. Overall, the deal seeks to increase trade and investment by creating a predictable economic environment, reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, and fostering growth and prosperity, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. Q2: Why was the agreement possible? A2: After 25 years of stalled negotiations, many doubted the prospects of an EU–Mercosur partnership. Resistance from European farmers, especially in France, Poland, and Ireland, played a major role. These groups feared fierce competition from more competitive Latin American agricultural producers. Proponents, including Spain, Portugal, Germany, and some Nordic countries, struggled to counter this opposition. However, three elements have made the agreement possible. First, the rise of protectionism, exemplified by Donald Trump's reelection, pushed the European Union and Mercosur to act. Both blocs, as advocates of an open, rules-based economic order, saw the agreement as a way to reaffirm their commitment to rules-based free trade. Second, both Brazil’s President Lula da Silva and Argentina’s President Javier Milei have strongly supported the agreement, while Uruguay has always been in favor of a small export-oriented economy. And third, there were important strategic considerations on the EU side, whose leaders were concerned about the rapid expansion of Chinese trade and investment in Latin America. Moreover, the new European Commission, which took office on December 1, wanted to start its mandate by delivering quick results. Q3: What are the next steps? A3: The ratification process poses significant challenges, particularly on the European side. In Mercosur, the agreement must be approved by the national parliaments, but even if some countries fail to ratify it, the deal will still apply to others that do. In the European Union, however, the process is more complex . After the agreement is translated into all EU member state languages, it will go to the European Council for ratification, where EU countries are represented by their trade ministers. A minimum of four states representing at least 35 percent of the EU population could block the agreement. France, Austria, and Poland have stated that they oppose the agreement, but they would need another large country to reject the agreement at the European Council. Italy could join them, but it is also possible that in the next months, the guarantees that the European Commission is offering European farmers would be enough to convince the more skeptical countries. If the agreement is not blocked, it then must be ratified by the European Parliament. This approval only applies to the ratification of those provisions that fall within the exclusive competence of the European Parliament, mainly those related to trade liberalization, and do not require ratification by national parliaments. The rest, those provisions involving aspects of jurisdiction and sovereignty, such as dispute settlement mechanisms or investment protection, must be unanimously approved by national parliaments to enter into force. The provisions of the agreement related to political dialogue and cooperation also require unanimous approval by national parliaments. Therefore, even if the European ratification process runs smoothly, the tariff reductions will take some months to be applied, and the rest of the elements could take more than a year. But in any case, the signing of this partnership agreement demonstrates the strong interest in trade liberalization among countries that favor maintaining an open economic order based on stable and predictable rules in the context of threats to cooperation and potential trade wars. Federico Steinberg is visiting fellow with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
The call for Treaty in this country stems as far back as European settlement. Now, the Victorian government has started negotiations in what will be the first time a state or federal government in Australia has sat down with Aboriginal people on equal footing to reachTreaty. But in the wake of the failed referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, the Victorian opposition has withdrawn support for the process, raising concerns Victoria’s Treaty process could be derailed after already coming so far. Today, Yorta-Yorta journalist and broadcaster Daniel James on what this moment means for Treaty, Truth and self-determination. : Stay in touch with us on and : Yorta-Yorta journalist and broadcaster, Daniel James.Rep. Jerry Nadler to step down as top Democrat on House Judiciary CommitteeSoak it in, Nebraska fans. The long wait is finally over. The Nebraska football team is going bowling for the first time since 2016, and those who saw it happen live on Saturday couldn’t wait any longer to start the celebration. Fans rushed the Memorial Stadium field for the second time this fall, and who could blame them? As Nebraska’s one-time pregame anthem, “Can You Feel It,” blasted from the stadium’s loudspeakers, the answer was undoubtedly yes — everyone could feel the energy and the joy present on the field. Fans jumped together, screaming into the November night sky as Nebraska staffers milled around and players received congratulations, applause and handshakes. That such a breakthrough moment would happen for the Nebraska football this fall was not always certain, especially after the Huskers dropped a fourth straight game to USC last week. Following that game, quarterback Dylan Raiola boldly proclaimed he felt the Huskers would win their next game — but why? “I’m a big vibes person, and when I came back in the locker room even though we lost, I just got the vibe that we were about to take off,” Raiola said. On Saturday night inside Memorial Stadium, the vibes were immaculate. Let’s drop into coverage: When Nebraska walked off the field at the 2016 Music City Bowl, no one would’ve predicted that it’d be eight years before the Huskers would themselves back in the postseason. Year after year and season after season followed — each with its own promise and potential, only to end in heartbreak. There was the defensively challenged 2017 team, and the 2018 team that started 0-6 but put things together late. The 2019 team showed flashes but stumbled late, especially in one-score games. The 2020 team actually got the option to go to a bowl game but turned it down. The 2021 team earned the unfortunate moniker of perhaps being the best three-win team ever. The 2022 team once again found itself on the wrong end of one-score games. The 2023 team had an elite defense but couldn't get the job done in four tries. In the end, it was the 2024 Huskers who got it done, true freshman quarterback and all. It was impossible to see the accomplishment of Saturday night and not think of the hundreds of Huskers whose playing careers came to an end not during a bowl game but during the regular season. Players like Ethan Piper, Garrett Nelson, Luke Reimer or Trent Hixson — Nebraskans who shed blood, sweat and tears for the program with little to show for it. “It’s for the guys that came before us and stuck through it all,” senior Isaac Gifford said of making a bowl game. Head coach Matt Rhule was paid the big bucks to deliver such a moment, but he’s still deserving of credit for getting the job done. An inability to get over the line in 2023, combined with a swing and a miss at a transfer portal quarterback, raised pressure on Rhule as other programs found their quick fix and instant success. Rhule, who earned a reputation as a program-builder from his time at Temple and Baylor, was always going to focus on long-term, not short-term success. “The future of Nebraska football is not hanging on one decision; it’s hanging on an accumulation of great recruiting, great development, great coaching and great teaching,” Rhule said in November 2022. The Nebraska administrators who stood alongside Rhule on that day — Chancellor Ronnie Green, President Ted Carter and Athletic Director Trev Alberts — all left their posts before seeing the process through. Rhule, however, hasn't wavered. Nebraska fans can have their gripes about clock management, playing time, offensive play calls or any of the other places where NU still has room for improvement — but who can deny that Rhule has made strides in each and all of those areas? “It’s relief in that I’ve gotten the benefit of doing this twice before,” Rhule said Saturday of snapping the bowl game streak. “I look at the weight room, I look at the training room, sports science, sports psychology, player development, recruiting and I look at all the things we’re doing and believe it’s all right and that it’s all going to pay off in a big way.” Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen is cooking up something special. Facing a Wisconsin defense that allowed just 16 points against No. 1 Oregon last week, Nebraska ran the ball effectively, threw the ball into tight windows and strung together drives with impressive consistency. It’s not just the 44-point output that stands out — the way Nebraska played on offense has simply looked different with Holgorsen calling the plays the last two weeks. “Credit to coach Holgorsen and what he’s brought to the offense,” Rhule said. “Maybe it’s playcalling, but I think the biggest thing he’s brought is a little bit of swagger to them.” Let’s give Holgorsen his flowers while remembering something as well: this is still the offense designed and built by Marcus Satterfield over the last two seasons. Holgorsen hasn’t reinvented the wheel since taking over, but what he has done is shake up the rhythm and timing of play calls within the offense and the personnel trusted to execute them. In order to run the ball, you have to commit to it, and Holgorsen has done an excellent job thus far of making sure Nebraska gets plenty out of its ground game. Playing the most snaps (52) of any Husker running back this season, sophomore Emmett Johnson also ran for the most yards (113) any player has all year. Nebraska also debuted a nifty two-back look where Dante Dowdell and Johnson lined up alongside Raiola in the backfield, a formation that gave the Wisconsin defense trouble to defend. Credit the blocking, up front and on the perimeter — where NU has looked much better in recent weeks — for springing the big running day. 20 of NU’s 38 rushing attempts went to the right side of its offensive line, with the Huskers averaging over 6 yards per carry on those plays. Holgorsen also dialed up the right mixture of passing plays for Raiola, who played his first interception-free game since late September. Nebraska got the ball out quickly with Raiola often firing to his first read for short gains, a setup senior Jahmal Banks said was “just like practice.” “The ball went where it was supposed to be,” Rhule said of Nebraska’s pass game, adding that the Huskers did well in pass protection. Also of interest in NU’s offensive personnel was senior wide receiver Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda getting on the field to record his first catch since the 2023 season opener. And at tight end, usual starter Thomas Fidone II spent much of the game on the sidelines after committing an early false start penalty. Fidone played just three snaps, ceding playing time to Nate Boerkircher (49 snaps played) and Luke Lindenmeyer (44 snaps). Many of the players who powered the Nebraska offense on Saturday are the same who the Huskers will hope to build around moving forward. Johnson in particular stands out as the running back of the future for Nebraska, having averaged 4.6 yards per carry a year ago and 5.4 yards per attempt this fall in addition to his skills as a pass-catching back. “We’re changing Nebraska football,” Johnson said after the game. Raiola, of course, has gone through his own learning curves and should come back stronger as a sophomore in 2025 as a result. His favorite target this fall, freshman wideout Jacory Barney Jr., also continues to impress as the season progresses. In addition to his work on special teams, Barney has 49 receptions, 10 rushing attempts, three touchdowns and over 500 yards to his name this season. “Jacory runs a route as hard if he’s the first progression as if he’s the fourth progression; he runs every play like it’s the last play of his life,” Rhule said. Nebraska’s depth of talent on offense runs much deeper than those players, with some who’ve not even seen the field this fall set to make their impact moving forward. Knowing that this Wednesday will not be their final practice of the season with bowl game practices to follow simply adds to the growth potential of NU’s young offense. “There’s a lot of guys that if they just stop at the end of the year, catch their breath and look up, they’ve really gotten better over the course of the year,” Rhule said. “Now we have a couple extra weeks of bowl practice to try and get them to another one.” A veteran-heavy Nebraska defense, excellent throughout the 2023 season, hasn’t necessarily been at the same level this fall. Remember, that unit essentially dragged the team to five wins; earning more than that is the reward for their hard work this time around. Wisconsin struggled to finish drives off but still chewed up more than 400 yards of offense as Nebraska allowed 20-plus points for the fifth week in a row. Still, NU’s early season success — particularly in the nonconference slate — has allowed the Huskers to put together a solid campaign at home. Nebraska allowed just 15.7 points per game inside Memorial Stadium this season, a number which rose to 28.8 points per game on the road. Nebraska’s Black Friday matchup against Iowa will pit the Huskers against a team that is down to its fourth-string quarterback. If there’s one thing Iowa knows how to do, it is win with defense, special teams and the ground game. Sophomore walk-on Jackson Stratton completed 10-of-14 passes for 76 yards in Iowa’s win over Maryland, with head coach Kirk Ferentz saying Stratton is likely to start against Nebraska as well. NU fans can now begin looking at bowl game projections with the knowledge that the Huskers will be a part of the postseason. CBS Sports’ projection, updated after Nebraska’s win over Wisconsin, has the Huskers set for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Texas Tech on Dec. 26 in Phoenix. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Tony O’Donoghue, Sports Broadcaster Film: Kneecap – it’s about a Belfast hip hop band. They’re partly a political statement and partly a comedy act. It was really funny, powerful and very enjoyable. Book: Michael Harding’s I Loved Him From The Day He Died: My Father, Forgiveness and A Final Pilgrimage. It’s about his relationship with his father. He lost his father when he was 22 and my dad passed away when I was 18. It’s funny the further away from it you get, sometimes the closer you feel. I devoured it. It’s bittersweet. There’s a spirituality to it, and an intensity. I felt quite emotional, relating it to my own memories of my dad. He’s a superb writer. Music: Fontaines D.C.’s new album Romance is fantastic. Watching them on Glastonbury – they’ve arrived. They’re about to be the biggest band in the world. They’re brilliant. Gig: U2 at The Sphere was a fusion of sound and vision. The sound was perfect. I’m very proud – my friend for a long time from Cork, Joe O’Herlihy, has been doing sound for U2 for over 40 years. Maybe that venue is the Sistine Chapel of the twenty-first century. You’d look up and around and overhead and you were enveloped by the landscape they created. It was a widescreen, almost cinematic experience and yet it was intimate as well. Remarkable. Culture highlight: The rise of an underground movement – the League of Ireland. Led by Damien Duff and Shelburne. Shamrock Rovers doing sensationally in Europe. Cork City coming back to the Premier Division. This underground phenomenon is going mainstream. Sold-out games, attendances up everywhere. The atmosphere at a League of Ireland ground these days is like a gig. Sonia O’Sullivan, Athlete TV: I spend a lot of time flying. It’s hard to watch Bad Sisters on a plane and not laugh out loud. It’s so funny and relatable. Film: A movie out a few years but I’ve only just seen on Netflix is The Unforgivable starring Sandra Bullock. It’s good, it’s a murder mystery. My husband gets very worried about me watching all these murder mysteries. He thinks I’m planning something. Book: Frank O’Mara’s Bend, Don’t Break: A Memoir of Endurance. Frank is a good friend. It’s a very good read, an easy read – a real-life story of a great Irish athlete who has had to use his endurance as an athlete to fight Parkinson’s Disease. Comedy: I saw Jarlath Regan – who I do a podcast with – at The Everyman in Cork. It was great. He was very funny. Culture: highlight I saw the Olympic torch in a hot air balloon at the Olympics opening ceremony on television. When I went to Paris, soon afterwards, I had to see it – it was so unusual. When the sun went down each day, it rose up into the sky, until after midnight. It was brilliant to see it. Cónal Creedon, Writer TV: Sharon Horgan’s Bad Sisters is a quantum leap forward in Irish comedy-drama. Brilliant cast – and Sharon Horgan is just a genius. Film: Terence White’s documentary The Final Chapter explores the last days of Kevin Gildea’s bookshop. I’ve been a fan of Terence’s work ever since he was a theatre director. He has a natural sense of theatricality honed and refined over decades – and it shines out from the screen. Book: I will have to say – my brother John’s book This Boy’s Heart. I haven’t managed to get my mitts on it yet – but I am looking forward to savouring every syllable. Music: John Spillane’s opera Fíoruisce: The Legend Of The Lough is a two-hour epic, of haunting themes and memorable arias with the finest collection of singers and musicians. His latest album stands up as a benchmark moment in Irish music to all that went before and all that’s coming down the track. Gig: Karen Underwood and John O’Brien – with the Crosshaven Choir under the baton of Eva McMullan at Templebreedy Church, Crosshaven. Liz FitzGibbon, Actress TV: The second season of Pachinko, which is based on a book, has just come out. It’s an epic drama about a Korean family spanning across decades. It’s gorgeous. Film: The Outrun is an adaptation of a book that’s set in the Orkney Islands with a stunning performance from Saoirse Ronan, who produced it with her husband, Jack Lowden. Music: Sampha’s track Satellite Business with Little Simz, the actor and singer-songwriter, is a song to look up. It’s excellent. Gig: Ezra Collective, a London afro-beat jazz crew, at the Olympia in Dublin last month. Their bandleader Femi Koleoso drums with Gorillaz. They’re class, pure joy. Culture highlight: The Galway Film Fleadh was lit this year. It was like a convention of craic. A film I co-created with a friend, All That’s Carried, premiered and we won best short. Liz FitzGibbon is starring in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre until 25 January. Click here. Kevin Barry, writer TV: La Maison is essentially Succession transplanted to the high-camp world of French couture. It’s utter fromage but very watchable. Film: Sean Baker’s Anora deserves the frothing acclaim it’s had. Very funny, propulsive, brilliantly played, with Uncut Gems energy and a star-making turn from Mikey Madison. Theatre: Mark Rylance’s chewing-the-scenery turn in Juno and the Paycock in the West End – he really kicked life into the old dog. Book: Kubrick: An Odyssey by Nathan Abrams and Robert P. Kolker. The tone here is a little dry but Stanley Kubrick was one of the most obsessive artists of the last century and he remains, for me, the subject of a deep (if sometimes queasy – not an easy man to love) fascination. Music: Jessica Pratt’s album Here In The Pitch: ’60s-inflected torch songs by the Los Angeles chanteuse, the perfect soundtrack for the David Lynch film in your mind. Chris Kent, Comedian TV: Something completely different to what I would normally watch – Colin from Accounts, an Australian comedy. Very funny, honest and offbeat. Not your typical sitcom. Film: Because I have “smallies”, cinema is usually for them. We saw The Wild Robot and I loved it. I was surprised by it – a great movie with really funny and strange animation. Music: I love Fontaines D.C.’s new album Romance. They’re on my bucket list to see. My kids even love some of their songs. Gig: I’ve seen Hozier live a few times. I love him. Brilliant band. I’m a big fan of all of his music. At our wedding, we had a Hozier song. He’s got so many good songs. Culture highlight: The song The Spark by Kabin Crew, which went insanely viral. It’s from GMC, a producer from Knocknaheeny where I’m from. It’s a banging tune. Chris Kent is on a nationwide tour in the New Year. Click here for details. Muireann O’Connell, TV Presenter TV: I loved the adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals, starring Aidan Turner. I put it on; himself was rolling his eyes. We watched six episodes in one sitting. I laughed and laughed. They didn’t take anything seriously. It was tongue-in-cheek, like a Carry On movie. So much fun. Film: Wicked Little Letters with Olivia Coleman and Jessie Buckley, which is based on a true story, is so funny. It’s a joy – their comic timing, watching them play off each other. It’s brilliant. Theatre: The President at the Gate Theatre with Olwen Fouéré, who left it all out there on stage, and Hugo Weaving – I didn’t like it but it stuck with me because of the madness of the performances and the conceit at the end. Book: All the Colours of the Dark by English author Chris Whitaker is about two childhood friends. Something happens when they’re 13 years old, an awful event that changes the course of their lives. Best friends that are put on opposing sides. Shakespearean drama that’s also a thriller. It’s amazing. Gig: Taylor Swift at the Aviva for the sheer spectacle. It was unbelievable. I sang for three hours. I was happy for a week afterwards. Karl Spain, Comedian TV: The Day of the Jackal series, which is a remake of the movie from the Seventies and the original Frederick Forsyth novel, is brilliant. Film: Housewife of the Year at Dublin’s IFI is a documentary by Ciarán Cassidy. My mother is on the poster. I supplied it. She won out of Munster in 1977. My mother was blonde and very glamorous. Everyone used to always comment on it: “Oh, your mother was gorgeous. She was beautiful. You’re very like your father.” Book: I’ve been a fan of Reeves and Mortimer forever. Bob Mortimer’s second novel The Hotel Avocado is gorgeous. It has these turns of phrases, little lines here and there, that are beautiful. Music: I really like Nick Cave’s album Wild God. I’ve always loved Nick Cave. I remember hearing The Mercy Seat on Dave Fanning’s radio show when it first came out and going, “What the hell is this?” It blew my mind. He takes so many different turns, but he hasn’t shook me off yet. Gig: The Waterboys at Electric Picnic. I was at the back of the tent for it. It was a sheer buzz. I felt 20 again. Rick O’Shea, Broadcaster TV: The DC Comics series The Penguin is part The Sopranos, part The Godfather. It has Colin Farrell in one of his most extraordinary performances. I haven’t finished it yet because I’m eking out every individual episode. Film: Wim Wenders’ film Perfect Day. It’s set in Japan. It’s about a man whose job is to clean public toilets. It’s a single day in his life. You follow him around as he does his job and gets on with people. It’s like a balm for the soul. A gentle, warm film that will slightly restore your faith in the human race. Theatre: The one-woman Picture of Dorian Gray with Sarah Snoop, who was in Succession, in London. She plays every character. It’s done through her playing each of those characters, through costumes, through video, through a giant screen behind her in which she’s playing five or six characters at the same time. It’s incredibly inventive. Music: Kneecap’s Fine Art is one of the best hip hop albums I’ve heard in I don’t know how long. Two-thirds of it is as gaeilge. Grian Chatten from D.C. Fontaines is on one track, Manchán Magan is on another track. It’s beautiful. Gig: Samara Joy, a jazz singer, at the National Concert Hall. She’s a young kid, only 26 years old. She’s one of the most extraordinary performers I’ve ever seen. She performed in front of a full house and she held everybody in the palm of her hand. Niamh O’Sullivan, Opera Singer Film: It may be a cliché but Wicked! I went to see it recently and thought I was going to hate it but I absolutely loved it. I’m a big musical theatre fan and it just had me from beginning to end. Theatre: Safe House by Enda Walsh and Anna Mullarkey. I went to see this a few weeks back in The Abbey and was blown away. Music: Emily D‘Angelo‘s new album, Freezing, with Deutsche Grammophon. Emily is a young Canadian mezzo soprano and this album is just gorgeous. Gig: I went to see the Kabin Crew perform at the Everyman in Cork over the summer and these teens are incredible! Such touching lyrics and passionate performances. Culture highlight: Honestly being part of Wagner’s Ring Cycle at Opernhaus Zürich. It felt like a monumental thing.There is heartbreak across Ireland this evening after the first photographs of a husband and wife killed in a hit-and-run in Blanchardstown were released. Named locally as Anthony Hogg, 40, and wife, Georgina Hogg-Moore, 39, the couple tragically lost their lives at around 5.45pm on St. Stephen's Day on Blanchardstown Road North, west Dublin . A vigil was held in honour of the couple at the scene of the incident on Friday evening. Georgina was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident while Anthony died as a result of his injuries in hospital. The couple, who are from the Blanchardstown area, have two children together. A suspect in the incident was arrested after he presented himself at Blanchardstown Garda Station later in the evening. Georgina Hogg-Moore's sister, Katie Moore, paid tribute to her on social media and hundreds of other people responded with their own messages of condolence. "Thanks for all the texts and calls. As you can imagine as a family we are absolutely broken-hearted, but if anyone knows anything please come forward I beg," Katie wrote. One woman who knew both sisters responded: "Oh my God Katie. I'm so so sorry. All my memories from school were of Georgina and her madness. So sorry." Another woman who knew the family said: "So sorry for your loss Katie. Georgina and Anto will be missed so very much by so many people. Sincerest condolences to you and your families. May they rest in eternal blessed peace. I know your Daddy is hugging them both up there. Sending yous so much loves and hugs. Such a shock. Such an awful shock." In a statement issued earlier on Friday, gardai confirmed a man in his 40s had been arrested in connection with the incident. "Investigating Gardaí arrested a man (aged in his 40s) in connection with this incident yesterday evening, Thursday 26th December 2024. He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in Dublin. "A technical examination of the scene has been completed by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators and the road has now reopened. Gardaí continue to appeal to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them." The spokesperson added: "Any road users or pedestrians who were in the vicinity of Blanchardstown Road North, between 5pm and 6pm on Thursday, 26th December 2024, and have camera footage (including dash-cam) are asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí. "Anyone with information is asked to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station at 01 666 7000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station." For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage . Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .
(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Thursday, Dec. 5 AUTO RACING 4:25 a.m. (Friday) ESPN2 — Formula 1: Practice, Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates CHAMPIONS HOCKEY LEAGUE 1 p.m. NHLN — Zurich at Berlin COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 6:30 p.m. FS1 — Purdue at Penn St. COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) 5 p.m. ESPN2 — Kentucky at North Carolina 6 p.m. ACCN — Auburn at Virginia 7 p.m. ESPN — Texas at Notre Dame ESPN2 — Mississippi at NC State SECN — Boston College at Arkansas 8 p.m. ACCN — Florida at Clemson 9 p.m. ESPN — Duke at South Carolina ESPN2 — Stanford at LSU ESPNU — Alabama at California SECN — SMU at Missouri COLLEGE HOCKEY (MEN’S) 7:30 p.m. BTN — Penn St. at Ohio St. GOLF 4 a.m. GOLF — DP World Tour: The Nedbank Golf Challenge, First Round, Gary Player Country Club, Sun City, South Africa 1:30 p.m. GOLF — PGA Tour: The Hero World Challenge, First Round, Albany Golf Club, Nassau, Bahamas 4 a.m. (Friday) GOLF — DP World Tour: The Nedbank Golf Challenge, Second Round, Gary Player Country Club, Sun City, South Africa HORSE RACING Noon FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races NBA BASKETBALL 7 p.m. NBATV — Denver at Cleveland 10 p.m. NBATV — Houston at Golden State NFL FOOTBALL 8:15 p.m. PRIME VIDEO — Green Bay at Detroit SOCCER (MEN’S) 3:15 p.m. USA — Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur at Bournemouth The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .
US offers $10 mn reward for wanted Chinese hacker
PHILADELPHIA and NEW YORK , Dec. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FS KKR Capital Corp. FSK today announced that it has completed its previously announced offering of an additional $100 million in aggregate principal amount of its 6.125% notes due 2030 (the "Notes"). The Notes will be a further issuance of, and form a single series with, the $600 million aggregate principal amount of 6.125% Notes due 2030 that FSK issued on November 20, 2024 , increasing the outstanding aggregate principal amount of the series to $700 million . BofA Securities, Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, KKR Capital Markets LLC, SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc., and Truist Securities, Inc. are acting as joint book-running managers for this offering. FSK intends to use the net proceeds of this offering for general corporate purposes, including potentially repaying outstanding indebtedness under credit facilities and certain notes. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Notes, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About FS KKR Capital Corp. FSK is a leading publicly traded business development company (BDC) focused on providing customized credit solutions to private middle market U.S. companies. FSK seeks to invest primarily in the senior secured debt and, to a lesser extent, the subordinated debt of private middle market companies. FSK is advised by FS/KKR Advisor, LLC. About FS/KKR Advisor, LLC FS/KKR Advisor, LLC (FS/KKR) is a partnership between FS Investments and KKR Credit that serves as the investment adviser to FSK and other business development companies. FS Investments is a global alternative asset manager dedicated to delivering superior performance and innovative investment and capital solutions. The firm manages over $83 billion in assets for a wide range of clients, including institutional investors, financial professionals and individual investors. FS Investments provides access to a broad suite of alternative asset classes and strategies through its best-in-class investment teams and partners. With its diversified platform and flexible capital solutions, the firm is a valued partner to general partners, asset owners and portfolio companies. FS Investments is grounded in its high-performance culture and guided by its commitment to building value for its clients, investing in its colleagues and giving back to its communities. The firm has more than 500 employees across offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia and is headquartered in Philadelphia . KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. Forward-Looking Statements and Important Disclosure Notice This announcement may contain certain forward-looking statements, including statements with regard to future events or future performance or operations of FSK. Words such as "believes," "expects," "projects," and "future" or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Certain factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include changes in the economy, risks associated with possible disruption in FSK's operations or the economy generally due to terrorism, geo-political risks, natural disasters or pandemics such as COVID-19, future changes in laws or regulations and conditions in FSK's operating area and the price at which shares of FSK's common stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Some of these factors are enumerated in the filings FSK makes with the SEC. FSK undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact Information: Investor Relations Contact Anna Kleinhenn Anna.Kleinhenn@fsinvestments.com FS Investments Media Team Melanie Hemmert Melanie.Hemmert@fsinvestments.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fsk-completes-public-offering-of-100-million-6-125-unsecured-notes-due-2030--302339667.html SOURCE FS Investments © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.North Country Angling: 2025 New Year’s resolutions and 2024 report card
Firearms expert reveals dark secrets about Luigi Mangione's 3D-printed 'ghost gun'FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Republican senators pushed back on Sunday against criticism from Democrats that Tulsi Gabbard, Donald Trump’s pick to lead U.S. intelligence services, is ‘’compromised’' by her comments supportive of Russia and secret meetings, as a congresswoman, with Syria’s president, a close ally of the Kremlin and Iran. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, a veteran of combat missions in Iraq, said she had concerns about Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's choice to be director of national intelligence. ''I think she's compromised," Duckworth said on CNN's ''State of the Union," citing Gabbard's 2017 trip to Syria, where she held talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad. Gabbard was a Democratic House member from Hawaii at the time. ''The U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America's foes. And so my worry is that she couldn't pass a background check,'' Duckworth said. Gabbard, who said last month she is joining the Republican party, has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades. She was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait and, according to the Hawaii National Guard, received a Combat Medical Badge in 2005 for ''participation in combat operations under enemy hostile fire in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III." Duckworth's comments drew immediate backlash from Republicans. ''For her to say ridiculous and outright dangerous words like that is wrong," Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma, said on CNN, challenging Duckworth to retract her words. ''That's the most dangerous thing she could say — is that a United States lieutenant colonel in the United States Army is compromised and is an asset of Russia.'' In recent days, other Democrats have accused Gabbard without evidence of being a ''Russian asset.'' Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, has claimed, without offering details, that Gabbard is in Russian President Vladimir ''Putin's pocket.'' Mullin and others say the criticism from Democrats is rooted in the fact that Gabbard left their party and has become a Trump ally. Democrats say they worry that Gabbard's selection as national intelligence chief endangers ties with allies and gives Russia a win. Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat just elected to the Senate, said he would not describe Gabbard as a Russian asset, but said she had ''very questionable judgment.'' ''The problem is if our foreign allies don't trust the head of our intelligence agencies, they'll stop sharing information with us,'' Schiff said on NBC's ''Meet the Press.'' Gabbard in 2022 endorsed one of Russia's justifications for invading Ukraine: the existence of dozens of U.S.-funded biolabs working on some of the world's nastiest pathogens. The labs are part of an international effort to control outbreaks and stop bioweapons, but Moscow claimed Ukraine was using them to create deadly bioweapons. Gabbard said she just voiced concerns about protecting the labs. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Missouri, said he thought it was ''totally ridiculous'' that Gabbard was being cast as a Russian asset for having different political views. ''It's insulting. It's a slur, quite frankly. There's no evidence that she's a asset of another country,'' he said on NBC. Sen. James Lankford, another Oklahoma Republican, acknowledged having ''lots of questions'' for Gabbard as the Senate considers her nomination to lead the intelligence services. Lankford said on NBC that he wants to ask Gabbard about her meeting with Assad and some of her past comments about Russia. ''We want to know what the purpose was and what the direction for that was. As a member of Congress, we want to get a chance to talk about past comments that she's made and get them into full context,'' Lankford said.
Just a handful of fights into his UFC career, Tom Aspinall has cemented himself as the heavyweight GOAT, according to renowned MMA coach Firas Zahabi. Firas Zahabi, longtime coach of UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre, believes Tom Aspinall has surpassed Stipe Miocic as the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time. Aspinall is expected to face Jon Jones in a heavyweight title unification bout next year. The UK superstar sat cage-side as Jones put on one of the most dominant performances of his career, finishing Miocic in Round 3 at UFC 309 . Aspinall, who weighed in as the UFC 309 backup, is the favorite to face Jones if the UFC can lure the lineal heavyweight champion back to the Octagon for another fight. After weeks of teasing retirement, Jones pivoted on that stance in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, although he didn’t call out Aspinall by name. Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 last year. Jones was originally set to face Miocic in the headliner before withdrawing due to injury. UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping and others have touted Aspinall as potentially the next big thing at heavyweight. While Aspinall’s accolades have already put him in high esteem, Zahabi took things a step further, crowning him as the all-time heavyweight king. READ MORE: ‘This is wrong!’... Bellator champs, including Patricio Pitbull, scorch PFL over inactivity Firas Zahabi declares Tom Aspinall as the current heavyweight GOAT In a recent breakdown on the Tristar Gym YouTube channel, coach Zahabi made a bold claim about Aspinall, even before facing Jones in the Octagon. “I think he could be the man who beats Jon Jones and finishes him,” Zahabi said of Aspinall. “I don’t think anybody can last more than two rounds with Aspinall. Nobody in the world. Now, pound-for-pound? That would be a different story. But the fact that he’s the biggest, strongest guy in the world at heavyweight, I don’t think anybody can beat him. “A lot of people say Stipe Miocic is the greatest heavyweight of all time, no he’s not!” Zahabi continued. “He was the greatest heavyweight of all time, then Francis Ngannou dethroned him, and Ngannou proved to be the greatest heavyweight of all time. Now in my mind, unofficially, of course, it’s Tom Aspinall, the greatest heavyweight of all time...very possible [Jones] gets his lights put out.” Jones’ lone defeat came by disqualification against Matt Hamill (illegal elbows) in 2009. The fight could potentially get switched to a no-contest after a recent change to MMA’s unified rules . The closest Jones has come to getting finished in his career was against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165. All of Aspinall’s eight UFC wins have concluded inside two rounds, including early victories over Andrei Arlovski and Alexander Volkov. READ MORE: ‘UFC career fact check’... Jake Paul takes shot at Darren Till with Tyron Woodley fight footage Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones fight negotiations are a hot topic heading into 2025 Aspinall remains confident the UFC will seal the deal and make the elusive Jones fight happen in 2025. But, Jones has continuously belittled Aspinall in recent weeks , hinting at a super fight with Alex Pereira as his desired return booking. Aspinall’s lone UFC defeat came against Blaydes by injury stoppage in 2022. Since then, he’s avenged the loss to Blaydes and finished Marcin Tybura and Pavlovich. Jones vs. Aspinall is at the top of many UFC fans’ fight wish lists as 2025 draws near. A win over Aspinall would add to Jones’ all-time GOAT case, while Aspinall has the opportunity to make history in dethroning Jones. At 31 years old, Aspinall has already done enough to make himself the heavyweight GOAT, per Zahabi. Time will tell if Aspinall is universally deserving of Zahabi’s eye-opening praise. READ MORE: Umar Nurmagomedov goes on social media tirade in response to Merab Dvalishvili’s pitch to Petr Yan following UFC MacauSoak it in, Nebraska fans. The long wait is finally over. The Nebraska football team is going bowling for the first time since 2016, and those who saw it happen live on Saturday couldn’t wait any longer to start the celebration. Fans rushed the Memorial Stadium field for the second time this fall, and who could blame them? As Nebraska’s one-time pregame anthem, “Can You Feel It,” blasted from the stadium’s loudspeakers, the answer was undoubtedly yes — everyone could feel the energy and the joy present on the field. Fans jumped together, screaming into the November night sky as Nebraska staffers milled around and players received congratulations, applause and handshakes. That such a breakthrough moment would happen for the Nebraska football this fall was not always certain, especially after the Huskers dropped a fourth straight game to USC last week. Following that game, quarterback Dylan Raiola boldly proclaimed he felt the Huskers would win their next game — but why? “I’m a big vibes person, and when I came back in the locker room even though we lost, I just got the vibe that we were about to take off,” Raiola said. On Saturday night inside Memorial Stadium, the vibes were immaculate. Let’s drop into coverage: When Nebraska walked off the field at the 2016 Music City Bowl, no one would’ve predicted that it’d be eight years before the Huskers would themselves back in the postseason. Year after year and season after season followed — each with its own promise and potential, only to end in heartbreak. There was the defensively challenged 2017 team, and the 2018 team that started 0-6 but put things together late. The 2019 team showed flashes but stumbled late, especially in one-score games. The 2020 team actually got the option to go to a bowl game but turned it down. The 2021 team earned the unfortunate moniker of perhaps being the best three-win team ever. The 2022 team once again found itself on the wrong end of one-score games. The 2023 team had an elite defense but couldn't get the job done in four tries. In the end, it was the 2024 Huskers who got it done, true freshman quarterback and all. It was impossible to see the accomplishment of Saturday night and not think of the hundreds of Huskers whose playing careers came to an end not during a bowl game but during the regular season. Players like Ethan Piper, Garrett Nelson, Luke Reimer or Trent Hixson — Nebraskans who shed blood, sweat and tears for the program with little to show for it. “It’s for the guys that came before us and stuck through it all,” senior Isaac Gifford said of making a bowl game. Head coach Matt Rhule was paid the big bucks to deliver such a moment, but he’s still deserving of credit for getting the job done. An inability to get over the line in 2023, combined with a swing and a miss at a transfer portal quarterback, raised pressure on Rhule as other programs found their quick fix and instant success. Rhule, who earned a reputation as a program-builder from his time at Temple and Baylor, was always going to focus on long-term, not short-term success. “The future of Nebraska football is not hanging on one decision; it’s hanging on an accumulation of great recruiting, great development, great coaching and great teaching,” Rhule said in November 2022. The Nebraska administrators who stood alongside Rhule on that day — Chancellor Ronnie Green, President Ted Carter and Athletic Director Trev Alberts — all left their posts before seeing the process through. Rhule, however, hasn't wavered. Nebraska fans can have their gripes about clock management, playing time, offensive play calls or any of the other places where NU still has room for improvement — but who can deny that Rhule has made strides in each and all of those areas? “It’s relief in that I’ve gotten the benefit of doing this twice before,” Rhule said Saturday of snapping the bowl game streak. “I look at the weight room, I look at the training room, sports science, sports psychology, player development, recruiting and I look at all the things we’re doing and believe it’s all right and that it’s all going to pay off in a big way.” Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen is cooking up something special. Facing a Wisconsin defense that allowed just 16 points against No. 1 Oregon last week, Nebraska ran the ball effectively, threw the ball into tight windows and strung together drives with impressive consistency. It’s not just the 44-point output that stands out — the way Nebraska played on offense has simply looked different with Holgorsen calling the plays the last two weeks. “Credit to coach Holgorsen and what he’s brought to the offense,” Rhule said. “Maybe it’s playcalling, but I think the biggest thing he’s brought is a little bit of swagger to them.” Let’s give Holgorsen his flowers while remembering something as well: this is still the offense designed and built by Marcus Satterfield over the last two seasons. Holgorsen hasn’t reinvented the wheel since taking over, but what he has done is shake up the rhythm and timing of play calls within the offense and the personnel trusted to execute them. In order to run the ball, you have to commit to it, and Holgorsen has done an excellent job thus far of making sure Nebraska gets plenty out of its ground game. Playing the most snaps (52) of any Husker running back this season, sophomore Emmett Johnson also ran for the most yards (113) any player has all year. Nebraska also debuted a nifty two-back look where Dante Dowdell and Johnson lined up alongside Raiola in the backfield, a formation that gave the Wisconsin defense trouble to defend. Credit the blocking, up front and on the perimeter — where NU has looked much better in recent weeks — for springing the big running day. 20 of NU’s 38 rushing attempts went to the right side of its offensive line, with the Huskers averaging over 6 yards per carry on those plays. Holgorsen also dialed up the right mixture of passing plays for Raiola, who played his first interception-free game since late September. Nebraska got the ball out quickly with Raiola often firing to his first read for short gains, a setup senior Jahmal Banks said was “just like practice.” “The ball went where it was supposed to be,” Rhule said of Nebraska’s pass game, adding that the Huskers did well in pass protection. Also of interest in NU’s offensive personnel was senior wide receiver Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda getting on the field to record his first catch since the 2023 season opener. And at tight end, usual starter Thomas Fidone II spent much of the game on the sidelines after committing an early false start penalty. Fidone played just three snaps, ceding playing time to Nate Boerkircher (49 snaps played) and Luke Lindenmeyer (44 snaps). Many of the players who powered the Nebraska offense on Saturday are the same who the Huskers will hope to build around moving forward. Johnson in particular stands out as the running back of the future for Nebraska, having averaged 4.6 yards per carry a year ago and 5.4 yards per attempt this fall in addition to his skills as a pass-catching back. “We’re changing Nebraska football,” Johnson said after the game. Raiola, of course, has gone through his own learning curves and should come back stronger as a sophomore in 2025 as a result. His favorite target this fall, freshman wideout Jacory Barney Jr., also continues to impress as the season progresses. In addition to his work on special teams, Barney has 49 receptions, 10 rushing attempts, three touchdowns and over 500 yards to his name this season. “Jacory runs a route as hard if he’s the first progression as if he’s the fourth progression; he runs every play like it’s the last play of his life,” Rhule said. Nebraska’s depth of talent on offense runs much deeper than those players, with some who’ve not even seen the field this fall set to make their impact moving forward. Knowing that this Wednesday will not be their final practice of the season with bowl game practices to follow simply adds to the growth potential of NU’s young offense. “There’s a lot of guys that if they just stop at the end of the year, catch their breath and look up, they’ve really gotten better over the course of the year,” Rhule said. “Now we have a couple extra weeks of bowl practice to try and get them to another one.” A veteran-heavy Nebraska defense, excellent throughout the 2023 season, hasn’t necessarily been at the same level this fall. Remember, that unit essentially dragged the team to five wins; earning more than that is the reward for their hard work this time around. Wisconsin struggled to finish drives off but still chewed up more than 400 yards of offense as Nebraska allowed 20-plus points for the fifth week in a row. Still, NU’s early season success — particularly in the nonconference slate — has allowed the Huskers to put together a solid campaign at home. Nebraska allowed just 15.7 points per game inside Memorial Stadium this season, a number which rose to 28.8 points per game on the road. Nebraska’s Black Friday matchup against Iowa will pit the Huskers against a team that is down to its fourth-string quarterback. If there’s one thing Iowa knows how to do, it is win with defense, special teams and the ground game. Sophomore walk-on Jackson Stratton completed 10-of-14 passes for 76 yards in Iowa’s win over Maryland, with head coach Kirk Ferentz saying Stratton is likely to start against Nebraska as well. NU fans can now begin looking at bowl game projections with the knowledge that the Huskers will be a part of the postseason. CBS Sports’ projection, updated after Nebraska’s win over Wisconsin, has the Huskers set for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Texas Tech on Dec. 26 in Phoenix. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Caterpillar Invites World's Most-Skilled Operators to Forge Their Legacies through Third Global Operator ChallengeYankees’ Aaron Judge wins 2nd AL MVP awardFord government defends tripling spending on ads after searing auditor general's reportBOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 10, 2024-- Skillsoft Corp. (NYSE: SKIL) (“Skillsoft” or the “Company”), a leading platform for transformative learning experiences, today announced its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 ended October 31, 2024. “Our fiscal third quarter financial results demonstrate our first step in executing our transformation strategy,” said Ron Hovsepian, Skillsoft’s Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer. “The operationalization of our strategy is showing the first signs of business and financial improvement for our shareholders and customers.” “I am pleased with our financial results for the quarter, which are highlighted by strong revenue execution, improved profitability, and positive free cash flow,” said Rich Walker, Skillsoft’s Chief Financial Officer. “Our third quarter performance, coupled with momentum from our transformation execution, gives us confidence to raise and tighten our FY25 revenue guidance range, while reaffirming our adjusted EBITDA outlook.” The following table reflects Skillsoft’s updated financial outlook for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2025, based on current market conditions, expectations, and assumptions: GAAP Revenue $520 million – $530 million Adjusted EBITDA $105 million – $110 million (1) Growth calculated relative to the comparable prior year period unless otherwise noted. (2) See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Key Performance Metrics” below for the definitions of our key operational and non-GAAP metrics and how they are calculated and more information regarding the fact that the Company is unable to reconcile forward-looking non-GAAP measures without unreasonable efforts. We have provided at the back of this release reconciliations of our historical non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP measures. Skillsoft will host a conference call and webcast today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its financial results. To access the call, dial (877) 413‐9278 from the United States and Canada or (215) 268‐9914 from international locations. The live event can be accessed from the Investor Relations section of Skillsoft’s website at . A replay will be available for six months. Skillsoft delivers transformative learning experiences that propel organizations and people to grow together. The Company partners with enterprise organizations and serves a global community of learners to prepare today’s employees for tomorrow’s economy. With Skillsoft, customers gain access to blended, multimodal learning experiences that do more than build skills, they grow a more capable, adaptive, and engaged workforce. Through a portfolio of high-quality content, an AI-enabled platform that is personalized and connected to customer needs, and a broad ecosystem of partners, Skillsoft drives continuous growth and performance for employees and their organizations by overcoming critical skills gaps, unlocking human potential, and transforming the workforce. Learn more at . The Company has organized its business into two segments (or Business Units): Talent Development Solutions (formerly referred to as Content & Platform) and Global Knowledge (formerly referred to as Instructor-Led Training). We track the non-GAAP financial measures and key performance metrics that we believe are key financial measures of our success. Non-GAAP measures and key performance metrics are frequently used by securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties in their evaluation of companies comparable to us, many of which present non-GAAP measures and key performance metrics when reporting their results. These measures can be useful in evaluating our performance against our peer companies because we believe the measures provide users with valuable insight into key components of U.S. GAAP financial disclosures. For example, a company with higher U.S. GAAP net income may not be as appealing to investors if its net income is more heavily comprised of gains on asset sales. Likewise, excluding the effects of interest income and expense moderates the impact of a company’s capital structure on its performance. However, non-GAAP measures and key performance metrics have limitations as analytical tools. Because not all companies use identical calculations, our presentation of non-GAAP financial measures and key performance metrics may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. They are not presentations made in accordance with U.S. GAAP, are not measures of financial condition or liquidity, and should not be considered as an alternative to profit or loss for the period determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP or operating cash flows determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP. As a result, these performance measures should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute analysis for, results of operations as determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We have provided at the back of this press release reconciliations of our historical non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP measures. We do not reconcile our forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to the corresponding U.S. GAAP measures, due to variability and difficulty in making accurate forecasts and projections and/or certain information not being ascertainable or accessible; and because not all of the information necessary for a quantitative reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measure is available to us without unreasonable efforts. For the same reasons, we are unable to address the probable significance of the unavailable information. We provide non-GAAP financial measures that we believe will be achieved, however we cannot accurately predict all of the components of the non-GAAP calculations and the U.S. GAAP measures may be materially different than the non-GAAP measures. We disclose the below non-GAAP financial measures and key performance metrics in this press release because we believe these non-GAAP financial measures and key performance metrics provide meaningful supplemental information. “ ” - For existing customers at the beginning of a given period, DRR represents subscription renewals, upgrades, churn, and downgrades in such period divided by the beginning total renewable base for such customers for such period. Renewals reflect customers who renew their subscription, inclusive of auto-renewals for multi-year contracts, while churn reflects customers who choose to not renew their subscription. Upgrades include orders from customers that purchase additional licenses or content (e.g., a new Leadership and Business module), while downgrades reflect customers electing to decrease the number of licenses or reduce the size of their content package. Upgrades and downgrades also reflect changes in pricing. We use our DRR to measure the long-term value of customer contracts as well as our ability to retain and expand the revenue generated from our existing customers. - Adjusted net income (loss) is defined as GAAP net income (loss) excluding non-cash items, discrete and event-specific costs that do not represent normal, recurring, cash operating expenses necessary for our business operations, and certain accounting income and/or expenses that management believes are necessary to enhance the comparability and are useful in assessing our operating performance, include the following (including the related tax effects): - Adjusted EBITDA is defined as adjusted net income (loss) excluding interest expense or income, benefit from or provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization expense. – Adjusted operating expenses are defined as GAAP costs of revenues, content and software development, selling and marketing, and general and administrative expenses, excluding depreciation expense, long-term incentive compensation expense, system migration costs, transformation costs, and other non-cash charges, as applicable. – Adjusted gross margin is defined as GAAP revenue less GAAP cost of revenues, excluding long-term incentive compensation expense and depreciation expense, divided by GAAP revenue for the same period. – Adjusted contribution margin is defined as GAAP revenue less adjusted operating expenses, divided by GAAP revenue for the same period. – Free cash flow is defined as GAAP net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less purchases of property and equipment and internally developed software. – Adjusted free cash flow (levered) is defined as free cash flow plus the cash impact for adjusted EBITDA excluded charges. – Free cash flow conversion is defined as free cash flow divided by adjusted EBITDA for the same period. – Net leverage is defined as current maturities of long-term debt, plus borrowings under accounts receivable facility, plus long-term debt, less cash and equivalents and restricted cash, divided by adjusted EBITDA for the preceding twelve-month period. Certain amounts reported in prior years have been reclassified to conform to the presentation in the current year. These reclassifications had no effect on total assets, total liabilities, total stockholders' equity, or net income (loss) for the prior year. This document includes statements that are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created by those laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that we expect or anticipate may occur in the future, including such things as our outlook (including revenue, non-GAAP EBITDA, and free cash flow), our product development and planning, our sales pipeline, future capital expenditures, share repurchases, financial results, the impact of regulatory changes, existing and evolving business strategies and acquisitions and dispositions, demand for our services, competitive strengths, the benefits of new initiatives, growth of our business and operations, and our ability to successfully implement our plans, strategies, objectives, expectations and intentions are forward-looking statements. Also, when we use words such as “may”, “will”, “would”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “project”, “forecast”, “seek”, “outlook”, “target”, “goal”, “probably”, or similar expressions, we are making forward-looking statements. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Skillsoft’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking disclosure is speculative by its nature, and we caution you against unduly relying on these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include those described under “Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Form 10‐K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2024. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements included in our other periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained in this document represent our estimates only as of the date of this filing and should not be relied upon as representing our estimates as of any subsequent date. While we may elect to update these forward-looking statements in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, whether to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, changes in other factors affecting such forward-looking statements, or otherwise. Although we believe that the assumptions underlying our forward-looking statements are reasonable, any of these assumptions, and therefore also the forward-looking statements based on these assumptions, could themselves prove to be inaccurate. Given the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included in this document, our inclusion of this information is not a representation or guarantee by us that our objectives and plans will be achieved. Annualized, pro forma, projected and estimated numbers are used for illustrative purposes only, are not forecasts and may not reflect actual results. Additionally, statements as to market share, industry data and our market position are based on the most current data available to us and our estimates regarding market position or other industry data included in this document or otherwise discussed by us involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors, including as set forth above. (in thousands, except number of shares and per share amounts) Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 97,921 $ 136,308 Restricted cash 3,881 10,215 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of approximately $558 and $562 as of October 31, 2024 and January 31, 2024, respectively 102,498 185,638 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 55,834 53,170 Total current assets 260,134 385,331 Property and equipment, net 3,543 6,639 Goodwill 317,071 317,071 Intangible assets, net 456,692 539,293 Right of use assets 5,054 8,044 Other assets 11,037 17,256 Total assets $ 1,053,531 $ 1,273,634 Current liabilities: Current maturities of long-term debt $ 6,404 $ 6,404 Borrowings under accounts receivable facility 10,009 44,980 Accounts payable 21,159 14,512 Accrued compensation 28,325 31,774 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 22,370 29,939 Lease liabilities 2,088 3,049 Deferred revenue 203,646 282,570 Total current liabilities 294,001 413,228 Long-term debt 574,312 577,487 Deferred tax liabilities 44,099 52,148 Long-term lease liabilities 6,839 9,251 Deferred revenue - non-current 1,823 2,402 Other long-term liabilities 11,977 13,531 Total long-term liabilities 639,050 654,819 Commitments and contingencies Shareholders’ equity: Shareholders’ common stock - Class A common shares, $0.0001 par value: 18,750,000 shares authorized and 8,576,683 shares issued and 8,276,906 shares outstanding at October 31, 2024, and 8,380,436 shares issued and 8,080,659 shares outstanding at January 31, 2024 1 1 Additional paid-in capital 1,559,547 1,551,005 Accumulated equity (deficit) (1,412,279 ) (1,321,478 ) Treasury stock, at cost - 299,777 shares as of October 31, 2024 and January 31, 2024 (10,891 ) (10,891 ) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (15,898 ) (13,050 ) Total shareholders’ equity 120,480 205,587 Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 1,053,531 $ 1,273,634 (in thousands, except per share amounts) Revenues: Total revenues $ 137,225 $ 138,956 $ 397,241 $ 415,697 Operating expenses: Costs of revenues 34,312 36,407 101,254 114,698 Content and software development 14,937 16,126 45,436 51,024 Selling and marketing 39,615 43,983 122,591 130,321 General and administrative 21,686 22,308 66,390 72,689 Amortization of intangible assets 31,826 38,620 95,197 116,086 Acquisition and integration related costs 931 510 3,349 2,838 Restructuring 3,095 873 15,361 8,592 Total operating expenses 146,402 158,827 449,578 496,248 Operating income (loss) (9,177 ) (19,871 ) (52,337 ) (80,551 ) Other income (expense), net (538 ) 19 1,261 (1,290 ) Fair value adjustment of warrants — 1,105 — 4,750 Fair value adjustment of interest rate swaps (822 ) 3,981 418 11,186 Interest income 924 1,060 2,897 2,576 Interest expense (15,845 ) (16,492 ) (48,538 ) (48,683 ) Income (loss) before provision for (benefit from) income taxes (25,458 ) (30,198 ) (96,299 ) (112,012 ) Provision for (benefit from) income taxes (1,859 ) (2,462 ) (5,498 ) (8,735 ) Income (loss) from continuing operations (23,599 ) (27,736 ) (90,801 ) (103,277 ) Gain (loss) on sale of business — — — (682 ) Net income (loss) $ (23,599 ) $ (27,736 ) $ (90,801 ) $ (103,959 ) Net income (loss) per share: Basic and diluted - continuing operations $ (2.86 ) $ (3.45 ) $ (11.11 ) $ (12.84 ) Basic and diluted - discontinued operations — — — (0.08 ) Basic and diluted $ (2.86 ) $ (3.45 ) $ (11.11 ) $ (12.92 ) Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic and diluted 8,239,564 8,047,497 8,170,344 8,043,712 (in thousands) Cash flows from operating activities: Net income (loss) $ (90,801 ) $ (103,959 ) Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities: Amortization of intangible assets 95,197 116,086 Stock-based compensation 9,985 22,917 Depreciation 2,404 2,629 Non-cash interest expense 1,628 1,546 Non-cash property, equipment, software and lease impairment charges 2,495 4,265 Provision for credit loss expense (recovery) (4 ) 205 (Gain) loss on sale of business — 682 Provision for (benefit from) deferred income taxes – non-cash (8,080 ) (10,270 ) Fair value adjustment of warrants — (4,750 ) Fair value adjustment of interest rate swaps (418 ) (11,186 ) Change in assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable 82,877 70,645 Prepaid expenses and other assets, including long-term 4,258 2,726 Right-of-use assets 1,632 2,184 Accounts payable 6,693 (3,283 ) Accrued expenses and other liabilities, including long-term (12,819 ) (20,820 ) Lease liabilities (3,387 ) (3,048 ) Deferred revenues (79,446 ) (75,250 ) Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 12,214 (8,681 ) Cash flows from investing activities: Purchase of property and equipment (820 ) (3,753 ) Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 10 — Internally developed software - capitalized costs (13,018 ) (8,055 ) Sale of SumTotal, net of cash transferred — (5,137 ) Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (13,828 ) (16,945 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Shares repurchased for tax withholding upon vesting of restricted stock-based awards (1,052 ) (1,441 ) Payments to acquire treasury stock — (8,046 ) Proceeds from (payments on) accounts receivable facility (34,971 ) 793 Principal payments on term loans (4,803 ) (4,803 ) Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (40,826 ) (13,497 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (2,281 ) (1,674 ) Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (44,721 ) (40,797 ) Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period 146,523 177,556 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $ 101,802 $ 136,759 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Cash and cash equivalents $ 97,921 $ 129,806 Restricted cash 3,881 6,953 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $ 101,802 $ 136,759 (in thousands, unaudited) Talent Development Solutions $ 102,998 $ 101,132 $ 302,725 $ 302,893 Global Knowledge 34,227 37,824 94,516 112,804 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Acquisition and integration related costs 931 510 3,349 2,838 Restructuring 3,095 873 15,361 8,592 Transformation costs 164 1,053 1,351 2,503 System migration costs — 510 118 1,580 Long-term incentive compensation expenses 4,099 7,962 10,438 22,917 Executive exit costs — — 3,326 — Fair value adjustment of warrants — (1,105 ) — (4,750 ) Fair value adjustment of interest rate swaps 822 (3,981 ) (418 ) (11,186 ) Foreign currency impact 524 (181 ) (1,297 ) 1,513 Gain (loss) on sale of business — — — 682 Tax impact of adjustments (1,057 ) (602 ) (3,349 ) (2,921 ) Interest expense, net 14,921 15,432 45,641 46,107 Expense (benefit from) income taxes, excluding tax impacts above (802 ) (1,860 ) (2,149 ) (5,814 ) Depreciation 1,000 266 2,404 2,629 Amortization of intangible assets 31,826 38,620 95,197 116,086 $ $ $ $ Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic and diluted 8,239,564 8,047,497 8,170,344 8,043,712 Basic and diluted per share information: Net income (loss), as reported $ (2.86 ) $ (3.45 ) $ (11.11 ) (12.92 ) Adjusted net income (loss) from continuing operations $ (1.82 ) $ (2.82 ) $ (7.58 ) $ (10.22 ) Interest expense, net 10.9 % 11.1 % 11.5 % 11.1 % Expense (benefit from) income taxes, excluding tax impacts above (0.6 )% (1.3 )% (0.5 )% (1.4 )% Depreciation 0.7 % 0.2 % 0.6 % 0.6 % Amortization of intangible assets 23.2 % 27.8 % 23.9 % 27.9 % (in thousands, unaudited) Operating expenses: GAAP costs of revenues $ 34,312 $ 36,407 $ 101,254 $ 114,698 Depreciation (91 ) (80 ) (315 ) (413 ) Long-term incentive compensation expenses (201 ) (128 ) (499 ) (463 ) Adjusted costs of revenues 34,020 36,199 100,440 113,822 GAAP content and software development 14,937 16,126 45,436 51,024 Depreciation (74 ) 22 (218 ) (169 ) Long-term incentive compensation expenses (857 ) (1,575 ) (3,061 ) (5,350 ) System migration — (510 ) (118 ) (1,580 ) Adjusted content and software development 14,006 14,063 42,039 43,925 GAAP selling and marketing 39,615 43,983 122,591 130,321 Depreciation (161 ) (160 ) (531 ) (839 ) Long-term incentive compensation expenses (1,595 ) (1,421 ) (3,648 ) (2,435 ) Transformation — (9 ) (213 ) (251 ) Adjusted selling and marketing 37,859 42,393 118,199 126,796 GAAP general and administrative 21,686 22,308 66,390 72,689 Depreciation (674 ) (48 ) (1,340 ) (1,208 ) Long-term incentive compensation expenses (1,446 ) (4,838 ) (3,230 ) (14,669 ) Transformation (179 ) (882 ) (1,192 ) (2,475 ) Executive exit costs — — (3,326 ) — Adjusted general and administrative 19,387 16,540 57,302 54,337 Total GAAP operating expenses 110,550 118,824 335,671 368,732 Depreciation (1,000 ) (266 ) (2,404 ) (2,629 ) Long-term incentive compensation expenses (4,099 ) (7,962 ) (10,438 ) (22,917 ) System migration — (510 ) (118 ) (1,580 ) Transformation (1) (179 ) (891 ) (1,405 ) (2,726 ) Executive exit costs — — (3,326 ) — Adjusted total operating expenses $ 105,272 $ 109,195 $ 317,980 $ 338,880 (1) This line item does not agree to the amounts reflected on preceding table due to certain transformation expenses not being reflected in GAAP operating expenses. (in thousands) Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ 8,717 $ (10,666 ) $ 12,214 $ (8,681 ) Purchase of property and equipment, net (411 ) (347 ) (810 ) (3,753 ) Internally developed software - capitalized costs (4,222 ) (2,104 ) (13,018 ) (8,055 ) Total free cash flow Cash impact for adjusted EBITDA excluded charges 10,089 2,306 17,187 10,098 Adjusted free cash flow (levered) $ $ $ $ ) View source version on : CONTACT: Investors: Ross Collins or Stephen Poe : Cameron Martin KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY SECURITY OTHER TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE INTERNET CONTINUING TRAINING DATA MANAGEMENT EDUCATION SOURCE: Skillsoft Corp. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/10/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 12/10/2024 04:04 PM
Trump taps forceful ally of hard-line immigration policies to head Customs and Border ProtectionThe Coach Tregs Classic didn’t go the way the College of the Redwoods men’s basketball team had in mind. The tournament got pushed back a full day because of the 7.0 earthquake on Thursday. After Thursday’s quake, it felt like the Earth was again shaking for the Corsairs, with the team losing the tournament’s first two games of the Coach Tregs Classic. The two home losses are the first two home losses since December 2021, with CR going 21-0 at home the past two seasons. CR entered the tournament as the No. 14 team in the state according to the California Community College Men’s Basketball Coaches Association’s poll earlier this month, but that’s now likely to drop with the back-to-back losses. The Corsairs began the tournament with a 83-75 loss to Mendocino College, it was the third time this season that the two schools have faced off and it was the first time that the Corsairs didn’t leave with a win. CR won the first matchup 79-61 and barely won the second one 68-67 to win the Ed Boyle Invitational and Mendocino came back with an edge, coming from behind late to win 83-75. “Mendocino came with supreme toughness and were in it for the long haul competitively,” Corsairs head coach Ryan Bisio said. “Credit to them for their follow-through in seeing the game out. They were connected in their purpose. A well-deserved victory.” Sophomore guard Mason Mottashed led CR with 18 points while sophomore forward Brandon Lucas added 14, with the Corsairs hitting nine threes in the loss. Bisio and the Corsairs were hoping for a bounce-back performance on Saturday against Southwestern Oregon but instead CR delivered one of their worst starts imaginable, falling behind 18-1 in the first half. “I think there’s trace amounts of the really bitter disappointment from last night that crept in,” Bisio said on Saturday after the loss. “We just got out-coached and out-played. We just simply didn’t see it coming, the way they were going to attack us early.” CR eventually began to dust themselves off after the dreadful start, with freshman guard Marcos Rosales providing a spark off the bench for the Corsairs, with two early threes and then beating the first-half buzzer with a layup. “I’m really happy for him, we’ve been wanting him to be more aggressive to shoot the three and hopefully tonight affirms to him that he does have that ability,” Bisio said of Rosales, who finished with 19 points. “He needs to be really hunting shots when he’s out on the floor. I think it makes us more dangerous, not only just from a threat level but he changes the spacing for other people on the floor when he approaches the game that way.” The Corsairs trailed 39-29 at halftime but Rosales’ hot shooting carried over into the second half as he drilled two more threes to keep pace with the Lakers. “Our offensive malaise this whole weekend has been very disappointing for all of us,” Bisio said. “There’s just not a shortage of issues that we need to address.” A bucket by Mottashed got CR within five points but the Lakers went on a run themselves to push the lead back to 16. CR refused to roll over. Freshman guard Isai Sow hit a three to bring the Corsairs back within five points with two minutes to play. The lowest CR got the Lakers’ lead was three points but as soon as the Corsairs did that, the Lakers went down the court and got an and-one. Lucas then slipped and turned the ball over for the Corsairs which would seal their fate and earn their second-straight home loss after not having one in three years, falling 75-65. “We haven’t shown the adaptability that this program is known for historically,” Bisio said. “Ultimately, our competitive disposition has been the issue. We can inspire, we can motivate them but ultimately it’s a player’s game and they have to play with the requisite focus and toughness and simply more passion than we’ve exhibited this weekend.” CR didn’t leave the weekend without a win, beating Simpson University’s JV team 98-59 on Sunday to close out the tournament at 1-2, dropping CR to 8-3 on the season. The road doesn’t get any easier for the Corsairs, with the No. 1 team in the state, San Francisco City, coming to town on Friday. Dylan McNeill can be reached at 707-441-0526.