Ottawa’s ‘leadership gap’ fuels growing violence, says Alberta deputy premier
Jaipur: Taking a major decision, the BJP government of Rajasthan has scraped 9 out of 17 districts and all 3 divisions formed during the Ashok Gehlot rule. This decision has been taken in the cabinet meeting chaired be CM Bhajan Lal Sharma on Saturday. Now there will be 41 districts and 7 divisions in Rajasthan. Accusing the previous Congress government of ignoring the basic norms for creating new districts, the cabinet minister Jogaram Patel said that new districts and divisions were created just before the elections to take political advantage. “Financial resources and norms of population and number of blocks were ignored. There were many districts which did not have even 6–7 blocks, which is the minimum requirement to form a district. Neither new posts were created, nor any office buildings were arranged for the new districts,” said the minister adding that these districts were putting unnecessary burden on Rajasthan. Notably, the previous Ashok Gehlot government had created 17 new districts and three new divisions in the state claiming that the formation of small districts will help the people to reach the administration. The move was considered historic as this number of districts were formed for the first time after the formation of Rajasthan. However, the decision could not yield desired results for Congress as it failed to retain power in the state. Reacting to the government's decision, the state Congress president Govind Singh said that scrapping the districts is an undemocratic decision as the districts were formed on the recommendations of a committee headed by a retired IAS and on public demand. “The Congress will start a statewide agitation against the government as this decision is not acceptable at all,” said the Congress president. The scraped districts - Dudu, Kekri, Shahpura, Neemkathana, Gangapur City, Jaipur Rural, Jodhpur Rural, Anupgarh, Sanchore. The retained districts - Balotra, Beawar, Deeg, Didwana-Kuchaman, Kotputli-Behrrod, Khairthal-Tijara, Phalodi and Salumber.Slate Office REIT (TSE:SOT.UN) Stock Price Up 53.7% – Here’s Why
Authored by Sam Dorman via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The Supreme Court made a wave of historic and game-changing decisions in 2024 on topics ranging from presidential immunity to social media and ballot disqualification. The presidential election combined with rising administrative law disputes helped tee up controversies that put the court and its decisions in the spotlight. Legal precedent flowing from those decisions created rippling effects for other cases and how entire branches of government are expected to make decisions. Here are several of the biggest cases this term. One of the most politically controversial cases this term stemmed from President-elect Donald Trump’s now-dismissed election interference case in Washington. In Trump v. United States, Trump appealed the case with the argument that under the Constitution, presidents should enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution. It was the first major Supreme Court precedent establishing presidential immunity since 1982 in Nixon v. Fitzgerald, wherein the court held that presidents enjoy immunity from civil liability for actions taken within the outer perimeter of his duties. By taking up the case earlier this year, the Supreme Court created a lengthy delay for the pre-trial process and the case was eventually dismissed because of Trump’s election win. The court’s decision set a major historical precedent by outlining the contours of criminal immunity. For unofficial acts, presidents are not immune, while for official acts, presidents enjoy certain levels of immunity, according to the decision. The majority offered some broad guidance on distinguishing between official and unofficial acts but acknowledged that doing so “can be difficult.” Chief Justice John Roberts said that lower courts should not inquire into a president’s motives and that they could not deem something unofficial “merely because it allegedly violates a generally applicable law.” While courts should base their distinctions on what a president’s discretionary authority entails, some conduct could qualify “even when not obviously connected to a particular constitutional or statutory provision.” Trump has attempted to apply that decision to his other criminal cases, including one still playing out in New York. For example, Trump argued in New York that prosecutors improperly used evidence, including testimony, that was prohibited under the immunity decision. However, New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan said that the evidence in question related “entirely to unofficial conduct” and was therefore not protected. It’s unclear how exactly the new precedent should be applied, and future cases involving presidents could help iron out the details. While the Supreme Court offered a broad outline of immunity, it remanded Trump’s election case in Washington for further determinations by the lower court regarding specific conduct. The case has since been dismissed . Before the immunity ruling in June, Trump prompted another historic ruling from the high court in March. In Trump v. Anderson, the court wrestled with how to interpret a provision of the 14th Amendment that disqualifies insurrectionists from serving in certain government offices. The legal debate surrounding the topic was extensive with multiple critical points on which the court could base its decision. Some argued that Trump, as a former president, wasn’t the type of “officer of the United States” who was subject to disqualification under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Others disagreed with the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision that Trump had engaged in insurrection—on Jan. 6, 2021—as covered by that section. A unanimous Supreme Court ultimately held that states, including Colorado, could not disqualify candidates for federal office as Congress was responsible for enforcing Section 3. Like the immunity decision, the decision in Trump v. Anderson also revealed divisions in the court. The court’s decision was 9–0 but justices produced separate concurrences that raised speculation that Justice Sonia Sotomayor might have initially intended to dissent. Justice Amy Coney Barrett issued a standalone concurrence in which she suggested the court’s more liberal justices used overly heated rhetoric while agreeing that the court’s conservatives went too far in their majority opinion. Sotomayor’s concurrence, which was joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, accused the majority of attempting to insulate all alleged insurrectionists from future challenges to their holding federal office. Another high-profile case arose from Jan. 6 defendants challenging the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) application of a financial reform law in their prosecutions. The DOJ had charged some defendants with violating the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, which contains provisions related to document destruction and obstructing an official proceeding. The section in question reads: “Whoever corruptly—alters, destroys, mutilates, or conceals a record, document, or other object, or attempts to do so, with the intent to impair the object’s integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding; or otherwise obstructs, influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.” The DOJ had argued that the second portion, starting with “or otherwise obstructs” allowed prosecutions that targeted obstructive conduct in a catch-all way that included methods other than those mentioned at the beginning of the section. A majority of the Supreme Court, including Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, disagreed in Fischer v. United States and held the following: “To prove a violation of §1512(c)(2), the Government must establish that the defendant impaired the availability or integrity for use in an official proceeding of records, documents, objects, or other things used in an official proceeding, or attempted to do so.” It’s unclear how Trump and his DOJ will apply the Fischer decision to the defendants’ unique circumstances. Sarbanes-Oxley carries a 20-year maximum sentence. In November, the DOJ said it was reviewing cases of “approximately 259 defendants who, at the time Fischer was decided, were charged with or convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. § 1512 to determine whether the charge should continue to be prosecuted.” The DOJ said that after Fischer, the government “decided to forgo the Section 1512(c)(2) charge for approximately 96 defendants, will continue to pursue the charge for approximately 13 defendants, and continues to assess the remaining defendants.” Read the rest here...Trending celebrity relationships in 2024
OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he won't play Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's games by voting to bring down the government on an upcoming non-confidence motion. The Conservatives plan to introduce a motion that quotes Singh's own criticism of the Liberals, and asks the House of Commons to declare that it agrees with Singh and has no confidence in the government. The motion is expected to be introduced on Thursday and the debate and vote are set for Monday. Singh says he is not going to vote non-confidence and trigger an election when he believes Poilievre would cut programs the NDP fought for, like dental care and pharmacare. The non-confidence vote was scheduled after Speaker Greg Fergus intervened to pause a filibuster on a privilege debate about a green technology fund. The Conservatives have said they would only end that debate if the NDP agree to topple the government or if the Liberals turn over unredacted documents at the centre of the parliamentary gridlock. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2024. David Baxter, The Canadian PressAtria Investments Inc Cuts Position in F5, Inc. (NASDAQ:FFIV)
BEIRUT —Tensions in northeast Syria between Kurdish-led authorities and Turkish-backed groups should be resolved politically or risk "dramatic consequences" for all of Syria, the United Nations envoy for the country Geir Pedersen told Reuters on Monday. Hostilities have escalated between Syrian rebels backed by Ankara and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in the northeast since Bashar al-Assad was toppled on Dec. 8. Syrian armed groups seized the city of Manbij from the SDF on Dec. 9 and could be preparing to attack the key city of Kobani, or Ayn al-Arab, on the northern border with Turkey. "If the situation in the northeast is not handled correctly, it could be a very bad omen for the whole of Syria," Pedersen said by phone, adding that "if we fail here, it would have dramatic consequences when it comes to new displacement." The SDF - which is spearheaded by the Kurdish YPG - has proposed to withdraw its forces from the area in exchange for a complete truce. But Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, speaking alongside Syria's de facto new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday in Damascus, said the YPG should disband totally. Turkey regards the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants who have fought an insurgency against the Turkish state and are deemed terrorists by Ankara, Washington and the European Union. Pedersen said a political solution "would require serious, serious compromises" and should be part of the "transitional phase" led by Syria's new authorities in Damascus. Fidan said he had discussed the YPG presence with the new Syrian administration and believed Damascus would take steps to ensure Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday the country will remain in close dialogue with Sharaa. Kurdish groups have had autonomy across much of the northeast since Syria's war began in 2011, but now fear it could be wiped out by the country's new Islamist rule. Thousands of women rallied on Monday in a northeast city to condemn Turkey and demand their rights be respected. Pedersen said Sharaa had told him in meetings in Damascus last week that they were committed to "transitional arrangements that will be inclusive of all". But he said resolving tensions in the northeast would be a test for a new Syria after more than a half-century of Assad family rule. "The whole question of creating a new, free Syria would be off to a very, extremely ... to put it diplomatically, difficult start," he said. —ReutersMixed day for global stocks as market hopes for 'Santa Claus rally'The 11 Best Sweatshirts You’ll Want to Wear All Day
SANTA CLARA, Calif. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Couchbase, Inc. BASE , the developer data platform for critical applications in our AI world, today announced financial results for its third quarter ended October 31, 2024. "I'm pleased with the continued operational progress of the entire Couchbase team," said Matt Cain , Chair, President and CEO of Couchbase. "We delivered top- and bottom-line results that exceeded our outlook, and we achieved another significant milestone with Capella, which now represents 15.1% of our ARR and one third of our customer base. I remain highly confident in our outlook and ability to achieve our objectives in fiscal 2025." Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial Highlights Revenue: Total revenue for the quarter was $51.6 million , an increase of 13% year-over-year. Subscription revenue for the quarter was $49.3 million , an increase of 12% year-over-year. Annual recurring revenue (ARR): Total ARR as of October 31, 2024 was $220.3 million , an increase of 17% year-over-year, or 16% on a constant currency basis. See the section titled "Key Business Metrics" below for details. Gross margin: Gross margin for the quarter was 87.3%, compared to 88.8% for the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP gross margin for the quarter was 88.2%, compared to 89.5% for the third quarter of fiscal 2024. See the section titled "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and the tables titled "Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Results" below for details. Loss from operations: Loss from operations for the quarter was $19.2 million , compared to $17.5 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Non-GAAP operating loss for the quarter was $3.5 million , compared to $5.0 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Cash flow: Cash flow used in operating activities for the quarter was $16.9 million , compared to cash flow used in operating activities of $12.7 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Capital expenditures were $0.6 million during the quarter, leading to negative free cash flow of $17.5 million , compared to negative free cash flow of $13.8 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. Remaining performance obligations (RPO): RPO as of October 31, 2024 was $211.3 million , an increase of 29% year-over-year. Recent Business Highlights Announced Capella AI Services to provide the critical capabilities and tools required for our customers to streamline the development of agentic AI applications. The new AI Services include model hosting, automated vectorization, unstructured data preprocessing and AI agent catalog services, allowing organizations to prototype, build, test and deploy AI agents while keeping models and data close together on one unified platform. Couchbase's innovation and newest features with AI Services are on display at AWS re:Invent this week. Continued to advance the Couchbase platform with three major releases: Capella Columnar which converges operational and real-time analytics; Mobile with vector search which makes it possible for businesses to offer similarity and hybrid search in their applications on mobile and at the edge; and Capella Free Tier, a workspace which empowers developers to work faster. Expanded Couchbase's AI partner ecosystem through new and recently introduced integrations with industry leaders including Amazon Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, Google Vertex AI, Haystack, LangChain, LlamaIndex, NVIDIA NIM/NeMo, Unstructured.io, Vectorize and others. These integrations help empower our customers to more easily develop enterprise-class, RAG-based solutions and meet their specific deployment needs. Recognized innovative Couchbase customer achievements through the 2024 Customer Impact Awards, demonstrating how leading companies are leveraging Couchbase's technology to transform their operations. For one of the award recipients – a leading software and technology company that powers the global travel industry serving a wide range of travel companies including airlines, hoteliers, travel agencies and other suppliers – Couchbase will enable a distributed, always-on transactional system. Couchbase handles hundreds of thousands of read transactions and more than 1,000 updates per second for this customer. Financial Outlook For the fourth quarter and full year of fiscal 2025, Couchbase expects: Q4 FY2025 Outlook FY2025 Outlook Total Revenue $52.7-53.5 million $207.2-208.0 million Total ARR $236.5-239.5 million $236.5-239.5 million Non-GAAP Operating Loss $5.7-4.7 million $20.0-19.0 million The guidance provided above is based on several assumptions that are subject to change and many of which are outside our control. If actual results vary from these assumptions, our expectations may change. There can be no assurance that we will achieve these results. Couchbase is not able, at this time, to provide GAAP targets for operating loss for the fourth quarter or full year of fiscal 2025 because of the difficulty of estimating certain items excluded from non-GAAP operating loss that cannot be reasonably predicted, such as charges related to stock-based compensation expense. The effect of these excluded items may be significant. Conference Call Information Couchbase will host a live webcast at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time (or 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time ) on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, to discuss its financial results and business highlights. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 877-407-8029 from the United States , or +1 201-689-8029 from international locations. The live webcast and a webcast replay can be accessed from the investor relations page of Couchbase's website at investors.couchbase.com . About Couchbase As industries race to embrace AI, traditional database solutions fall short of rising demands for versatility, performance and affordability. Couchbase is seizing the opportunity to lead with Capella, the developer data platform for critical applications in our AI world. By uniting transactional, analytical, mobile and AI workloads into a seamless, fully-managed solution, Couchbase empowers developers and enterprises to build and scale applications with complete flexibility – delivering exceptional performance, scalability and cost-efficiency from cloud to edge and everything in between. Trusted by over 30% of the Fortune 100, Couchbase enables organizations to unlock innovation, accelerate AI transformation and redefine customer experiences wherever they happen. Discover why Couchbase is the foundation of critical everyday applications by visiting www.couchbase.com and following us on LinkedIn and X . Couchbase has used, and intends to continue using, its investor relations website and the corporate blog at blog.couchbase.com to disclose material non-public information and to comply with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, you should monitor our investor relations website and the corporate blog in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures In addition to our financial information presented in accordance with GAAP, we believe certain non-GAAP financial measures are useful to investors in evaluating our operating performance. We use certain non-GAAP financial measures, collectively, to evaluate our ongoing operations and for internal planning and forecasting purposes. We believe that non-GAAP financial measures, when taken together with the corresponding GAAP financial measures, may be helpful to investors because they provide consistency and comparability with past financial performance and meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance by excluding certain items that may not be indicative of our business, results of operations or outlook. Non-GAAP financial measures are presented for supplemental informational purposes only, have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP, and may be different from similarly-titled non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate similarly-titled non-GAAP financial measures differently or may use other measures to evaluate their performance, all of which could reduce the usefulness of our non-GAAP financial measures as tools for comparison. Investors are encouraged to review the related GAAP financial measures and the reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures (provided in the financial statement tables included in this press release), and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate our business. Non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating loss, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net loss and non-GAAP net loss per share: We define these non-GAAP financial measures as their respective GAAP measures, excluding expenses related to stock-based compensation expense, employer payroll taxes on employee stock transactions, restructuring charges and impairment of capitalized internal-use software. We use these non-GAAP financial measures in conjunction with GAAP measures to assess our performance, including in the preparation of our annual operating budget and quarterly forecasts, to evaluate the effectiveness of our business strategies and to communicate with our board of directors concerning our financial performance. For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, we excluded the impairment of capitalized internal-use software, a non-cash operating expense, from our non-GAAP results as it is not reflective of ongoing operating results. This impairment charge related to certain previously capitalized internal-use software that we determined would no longer be placed into service. Prior period non-GAAP financial measures have not been adjusted to reflect this change as we did not incur impairment of capitalized internal-use software in any prior period presented. Free cash flow: We define free cash flow as cash used in operating activities less additions to property and equipment, which includes capitalized internal-use software costs. We believe free cash flow is a useful indicator of liquidity that provides our management, board of directors and investors with information about our future ability to generate or use cash to enhance the strength of our balance sheet and further invest in our business and pursue potential strategic initiatives. Please see the reconciliation tables at the end of this press release for the reconciliation of GAAP and non-GAAP results. Key Business Metrics We review a number of operating and financial metrics, including ARR, to evaluate our business, measure our performance, identify trends affecting our business, formulate business plans and make strategic decisions. We define ARR as of a given date as the annualized recurring revenue that we would contractually receive from our customers in the month ending 12 months following such date. Based on historical experience with customers, we assume all contracts will be renewed at the same levels unless we receive notification of non-renewal and are no longer in negotiations prior to the measurement date. For Capella products, ARR in a customer's initial year is calculated as the greater of: (i) initial year contract revenue as described above or (ii) annualized prior 90 days of actual consumption; and ARR for subsequent years is calculated with method (ii). ARR excludes services revenue. Prior to fiscal 2025, ARR excluded on-demand revenue and, for Capella products in a customer's initial year, ARR was calculated solely on the basis of initial year contract revenue. The reason for these changes is to better reflect ARR where usage rates or timing of purchases may be uneven and to better align with how ARR is used to measure the performance of the business. ARR for prior periods has not been adjusted to reflect this change as it is not material to any period previously presented. ARR should be viewed independently of revenue, and does not represent our revenue under GAAP on an annualized basis, as it is an operating metric that can be impacted by contract start and end dates and renewal dates. ARR is not intended to be a replacement for forecasts of revenue. Although we seek to increase ARR as part of our strategy of targeting large enterprise customers, this metric may fluctuate from period to period based on our ability to acquire new customers, expand within our existing customers and consumption dynamics. We believe that ARR is an important indicator of the growth and performance of our business. We also attempt to represent the changes in the underlying business operations by eliminating fluctuations caused by changes in foreign currency exchange rates within the current period. We calculate constant currency growth rates by applying the applicable prior period exchange rates to current period results. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, quotations of management, the section titled "Financial Outlook" above and statements about the expected client demand for and benefits of our offerings, the impact of our recently-released and planned products and services and our market position, strategies and potential market opportunities. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts and, in some cases, can be identified by terms such as "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "plan," "believe," "continue," "could," "potential," "remain," "may," "might," "will," "would" or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including factors beyond our control, which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to: our history of net losses and ability to achieve or maintain profitability in the future; our ability to continue to grow on pace with historical rates; our ability to manage our growth effectively; intense competition and our ability to compete effectively; cost-effectively acquiring new customers or obtaining renewals, upgrades or expansions from our existing customers; the market for our products and services being highly competitive and evolving, and our future success depending on the growth and expansion of this market; our ability to innovate in response to changing customer needs, new technologies or other market requirements, including new capabilities, programs and partnerships and their impact on our customers and our business; our limited operating history, which makes it difficult to predict our future results of operations; the significant fluctuation of our future results of operations and ability to meet the expectations of analysts or investors; our significant reliance on revenue from subscriptions, which may decline and, the recognition of a significant portion of revenue from subscriptions over the term of the relevant subscription period, which means downturns or upturns in sales are not immediately reflected in full in our results of operations; and the impact of geopolitical and macroeconomic factors. Further information on risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from forecasted results are included in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that we may file from time to time, including those more fully described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2024 . Additional information will be made available in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2024 that will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which should be read in conjunction with this press release and the financial results included herein. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable as of this date. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons if actual results differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Couchbase, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands, except per share data) (unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenue: License $ 4,343 $ 4,577 $ 16,444 $ 14,318 Support and other 44,955 39,420 131,185 109,175 Total subscription revenue 49,298 43,997 147,629 123,493 Services 2,330 1,816 6,915 6,455 Total revenue 51,628 45,813 154,544 129,948 Cost of revenue: Subscription (1) 4,866 3,549 13,278 11,067 Services (1) 1,690 1,562 5,423 5,875 Total cost of revenue 6,556 5,111 18,701 16,942 Gross profit 45,072 40,702 135,843 113,006 Operating expenses: Research and development (1) 17,486 15,903 52,703 47,578 Sales and marketing (1) 34,196 31,602 108,119 96,503 General and administrative (1) 12,624 10,739 37,843 30,823 Restructuring (1) — — — 46 Total operating expenses 64,306 58,244 198,665 174,950 Loss from operations (19,234) (17,542) (62,822) (61,944) Interest expense (17) — (46) (43) Other income, net 1,790 1,298 5,062 3,986 Loss before income taxes (17,461) (16,244) (57,806) (58,001) Provision for income taxes 691 11 1,236 780 Net loss $ (18,152) $ (16,255) $ (59,042) $ (58,781) Net loss per share, basic and diluted $ (0.35) $ (0.34) $ (1.16) $ (1.26) Weighted-average shares used in computing net loss per share, basic and diluted 51,831 47,586 50,821 46,724 (1) Includes stock-based compensation expense as follows: Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Cost of revenue—subscription $ 318 $ 130 $ 885 $ 559 Cost of revenue—services 104 119 354 413 Research and development 4,497 3,116 12,704 9,498 Sales and marketing 5,242 4,188 16,627 11,461 General and administrative 5,127 4,202 15,501 11,216 Restructuring — — — 1 Total stock-based compensation expense $ 15,288 $ 11,755 $ 46,071 $ 33,148 Couchbase, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands) (unaudited) As of October 31, 2024 As of January 31, 2024 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 33,031 $ 41,351 Short-term investments 108,908 112,281 Accounts receivable, net 28,514 44,848 Deferred commissions 13,297 15,421 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 10,551 10,385 Total current assets 194,301 224,286 Property and equipment, net 7,000 5,327 Operating lease right-of-use assets 5,497 4,848 Deferred commissions, noncurrent 14,485 11,400 Other assets 1,176 1,891 Total assets $ 222,459 $ 247,752 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 4,724 $ 4,865 Accrued compensation and benefits 12,323 18,116 Other accrued expenses 3,981 4,581 Operating lease liabilities 2,150 3,208 Deferred revenue 67,996 81,736 Total current liabilities 91,174 112,506 Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent 3,678 2,078 Deferred revenue, noncurrent 829 2,747 Total liabilities 95,681 117,331 Stockholders' equity Preferred stock — — Common stock — — Additional paid-in capital 676,360 621,024 Accumulated other comprehensive income 119 56 Accumulated deficit (549,701) (490,659) Total stockholders' equity 126,778 130,421 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 222,459 $ 247,752 Couchbase, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in thousands) (unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Cash flows from operating activities Net loss $ (18,152) $ (16,255) $ (59,042) $ (58,781) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities Depreciation and amortization 757 399 1,520 2,034 Stock-based compensation, net of amounts capitalized 15,288 11,755 46,071 33,148 Amortization of deferred commissions 4,375 4,500 12,655 13,742 Non-cash lease expense 863 765 2,393 2,313 Foreign currency transaction losses (gains) (60) 484 231 649 Other (456) (804) (1,869) (2,580) Changes in operating assets and liabilities Accounts receivable 2,912 1,577 16,207 9,114 Deferred commissions (5,367) (4,746) (13,616) (13,892) Prepaid expenses and other assets (606) 955 (163) 837 Accounts payable (295) (10) (149) 1,735 Accrued compensation and benefits (1,799) (1,763) (5,790) (3,517) Other Accrued Expenses 632 (1,126) (475) (2,997) Operating lease liabilities (876) (838) (2,501) (2,561) Deferred revenue (14,111) (7,636) (15,658) 313 Net cash used in operating activities (16,895) (12,743) (20,186) (20,443) Cash flows from investing activities Purchases of short-term investments (37,809) (26,141) (75,614) (90,456) Maturities of short-term investments 23,000 41,854 81,144 111,974 Additions to property and equipment (583) (1,066) (2,645) (3,425) Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (15,392) 14,647 2,885 18,093 Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from exercise of stock options 1,115 2,703 5,251 7,353 Proceeds from issuance of common stock under ESPP 1,720 1,153 3,515 2,000 Net cash provided by financing activities 2,835 3,856 8,766 9,353 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (124) (290) (328) (542) Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (29,576) 5,470 (8,863) 6,461 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period 62,607 41,980 41,894 40,989 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 33,031 $ 47,450 $ 33,031 $ 47,450 Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash within the consolidated balance sheets to the amounts shown above: Cash and cash equivalents $ 33,031 $ 46,907 $ 33,031 $ 46,907 Restricted cash included in other assets — 543 — 543 Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 33,031 $ 47,450 $ 33,031 $ 47,450 Couchbase, Inc. Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Results (in thousands, except per share data) (unaudited) Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Reconciliation of GAAP gross profit to non-GAAP gross profit: Total revenue $ 51,628 $ 45,813 $ 154,544 $ 129,948 Gross profit $ 45,072 $ 40,702 $ 135,843 $ 113,006 Add: Stock-based compensation expense 422 249 1,239 972 Add: Employer taxes on employee stock transactions 22 55 120 86 Non-GAAP gross profit $ 45,516 $ 41,006 $ 137,202 $ 114,064 Gross margin 87.3 % 88.8 % 87.9 % 87.0 % Non-GAAP gross margin 88.2 % 89.5 % 88.8 % 87.8 % Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Reconciliation of GAAP operating expenses to non-GAAP operating expenses: GAAP research and development $ 17,486 $ 15,903 $ 52,703 $ 47,578 Less: Stock-based compensation expense (4,497) (3,116) (12,704) (9,498) Less: Employer taxes on employee stock transactions (106) (199) (585) (430) Non-GAAP research and development $ 12,883 $ 12,588 $ 39,414 $ 37,650 GAAP sales and marketing $ 34,196 $ 31,602 $ 108,119 $ 96,503 Less: Stock-based compensation expense (5,242) (4,188) (16,627) (11,461) Less: Employer taxes on employee stock transactions (275) (327) (1,378) (777) Non-GAAP sales and marketing $ 28,679 $ 27,087 $ 90,114 $ 84,265 GAAP general and administrative $ 12,624 $ 10,739 $ 37,843 $ 30,823 Less: Stock-based compensation expense (5,127) (4,202) (15,501) (11,216) Less: Employer taxes on employee stock transactions (64) (176) (391) (264) Non-GAAP general and administrative $ 7,433 $ 6,361 $ 21,951 $ 19,343 Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Reconciliation of GAAP operating loss to non-GAAP operating loss: Total revenue $ 51,628 $ 45,813 $ 154,544 $ 129,948 Loss from operations $ (19,234) $ (17,542) $ (62,822) $ (61,944) Add: Stock-based compensation expense 15,288 11,755 46,071 33,147 Add: Employer taxes on employee stock transactions 467 757 2,474 1,557 Add: Restructuring (2) — — — 46 Non-GAAP operating loss $ (3,479) $ (5,030) $ (14,277) $ (27,194) Operating margin (37) % (38) % (41) % (48) % Non-GAAP operating margin (7) % (11) % (9) % (21) % Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Reconciliation of GAAP net loss to non-GAAP net loss: Net loss $ (18,152) $ (16,255) $ (59,042) $ (58,781) Add: Stock-based compensation expense 15,288 11,755 46,071 33,147 Add: Employer taxes on employee stock transactions 467 757 2,474 1,557 Add: Restructuring (2) — — — 46 Non-GAAP net loss $ (2,397) $ (3,743) $ (10,497) $ (24,031) GAAP net loss per share $ (0.35) $ (0.34) $ (1.16) $ (1.26) Non-GAAP net loss per share $ (0.05) $ (0.08) $ (0.21) $ (0.51) Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted 51,831 47,586 50,821 46,724 (2) For the nine months ended October 31, 2023, an immaterial amount of stock-based compensation expense related to restructuring charges was included in the restructuring expense line. The following table presents a reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, for each of the periods indicated (in thousands, unaudited): Three Months Ended October 31, Nine Months Ended October 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Net cash used in operating activities $ (16,895) $ (12,743) $ (20,186) $ (20,443) Less: Additions to property and equipment (583) (1,066) (2,645) (3,425) Free cash flow $ (17,478) $ (13,809) $ (22,831) $ (23,868) Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities $ (15,392) $ 14,647 $ 2,885 $ 18,093 Net cash provided by financing activities $ 2,835 $ 3,856 $ 8,766 $ 9,353 Couchbase, Inc. Key Business Metrics (in millions) (unaudited) As of Jan. 31, April 30, July 31, Oct. 31, Jan. 31, April 30, July 31, Oct. 31, 2023 2023 2023 2023 2024 2024 2024 2024 Annual Recurring Revenue $ 163.7 $ 172.2 $ 180.7 $ 188.7 $ 204.2 $ 207.7 $ 214.0 $ 220.3 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/couchbase-announces-third-quarter-fiscal-2025-financial-results-302321531.html SOURCE Couchbase, Inc. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Concerns have also been raised about the “renormalisation” of smoking. Dr Rachel O’Donnell, senior research fellow at the University of Stirling’s Institute for Social Marketing and Health, said restrictions on smoking in outdoor places can “reinforce” a message that smoking “isn’t a socially acceptable thing to do” and could also help smokers to kick the habit. In November, it emerged that the UK Government is to scrap plans to ban smoking in the gardens of pubs and restaurants in England. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the hospitality industry has “taken a real battering in recent years” and it is not “the right time” to ban smoking outside pubs. But smoking and vaping could be banned in other public places in England – such as in playgrounds or outside of schools – under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. According to the World Health Organisation, there is no safe level of second-hand smoke exposure. In a briefing for journalists, Dr O’Donnell said decision-making “should be on the basis of all the evidence that’s available”. She added: “Any debate about legislation on smoking in outdoor settings shouldn’t only focus on air quality and second-hand smoke exposure levels, because the impacts of restrictions in outdoor settings are also evident on our social norms.” Smoke-free outdoor environments “reinforce smoke-free as the acceptable norm”, she said. “This, I think, is a critically important point at a time where in the media, over the last year, we’ve seen various reports and questions as to whether we might be on the cusp of renormalisation of smoking for various reasons, and so smoke-free public environments still have a critically important role to play. “If you reduce opportunities to smoke, it can also help individuals who smoke themselves to reduce the amount they smoke or to make a quit attempt.” Dr O’Donnell said visibility of tobacco products and smoking is a “form of marketing for tobacco companies” as she pointed to studies highlighting the increasing number of tobacco depictions on screen. She went on: “The more often young adults observe smoking around them, the more likely they are to believe that smoking is socially acceptable, which feeds back into this idea of renormalisation of smoking. “So, restrictions on smoking in outdoor public places have other positive knock-on effects, potentially for young people as well, just sending out that clear message that this isn’t a socially acceptable thing to do and see, and this could help to discourage smoking initiation among young people at quite a critical time.” On being exposed to second-hand smoke at work, she added: “I think sometimes when we think about exposure to second-hand smoke in outdoor settings, in pubs, in restaurants, we think about that sort of occasional customer exposure, the nuisance element of it when people are out enjoying a meal with friends, but we also need to be reminded that this is a repeated occupational exposure for those who are working in hospitality and serving drinks and food. “Now, as we’ve already seen, concentrations of second-hand smoke in these settings are generally low, and they’re likely to present a low risk to health for most healthy people. “But ... there’s no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke, and so any individual with pre-existing heart, lung or respiratory conditions may be particularly vulnerable even to low levels of exposure. “We know that second-hand smoke is its known carcinogen, and on that basis those exposed in the hospitality sector have a right to be protected. “On that basis, there’s a need to protect them, as there is anybody in any workplace setting from second-hand smoke exposure in all areas of workplaces and spaces.” Sean Semple, professor of exposure science at the University of Stirling’s Institute for Social Marketing and Health, said: “I think that if I were a policy-maker, which I am not, then I would be looking at those occupational exposures as well. “I have asthma, if I was being occupationally exposed to SHS (second-hand smoke), and knowing that I was one of a very small number of workers now being legally exposed to SHS in the workplace, then I might not be very happy about that.” A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “As part of our 10 Year Health Plan we are shifting focus from sickness to prevention, including tackling the harms of smoking and passive smoking. “The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill is the biggest public health intervention in a generation and will put us on track towards a smoke-free UK.”
Central Division opponents meet when Predators host the JetsPresident-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money convictionRIMOUSKI, Québec, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Puma Exploration Inc. (TSXV: PUMA, OTCQB: PUMXF) (the “Company” or “Puma”) is pleased to announce the execution of definitive agreements with NB Gold Inc. (“NB Gold”), a private company, and Comet Lithium Corporation (TSXV: CLIC) (“Comet”) on December 23, 2024 to acquire the McKenzie Gold Project as described previously on November 18, 2024 . On the heels of its Williams Brook Project (“Williams Brook”) Option agreement with Kinross Gold ( see Oct. 24, 2024 News Release ), Puma aimed to secure and gain control over a second large and highly prospective mining exploration project. The Mackenzie Gold Project, located only 7 km west of Williams Brook, shares many of its characteristics and hosts many high-grade gold occurrences (up to 1,315 g/t Au) on the extensive property package. The project is easily accessible from the Company’s field operations and core shack, only 10 km away in St-Quentin and is ideally located to benefit from Puma’s proven low-cost exploration method. TRANSACTION DETAILS To secure an initial 70% interest in the McKenzie Gold Project, Puma will: Comet Lithium retains a 2% net smelter return royalty (“NSR”) on production from each of the Northwest Property (7298-7734) and the Grog Property (7211-8167-7683-9131-9132-9133). Puma reserves the right to purchase one-half (1%) of each NSR at any time with a cash payment to Comet of $500,000. NB Gold’s 30% interest will be free-carried until Puma incurs $2,000,000 in exploration expenditures. Once such an amount is reached, Puma and NB Gold will have to finance expenses according to their respective pro-rata interest in the joint venture. If one party’s interest drops below 10%, the ownership will be transferred to a 10% net profit on mining production. Puma will be responsible for the underlying agreements in particular, but not limited to the NSR granted to previous owners. The completion of this transaction is conditional upon several conditions, including, but not limited to, approval from the TSX Venture Exchange. Puma is dealing at arm's length with Comet and NB Gold. No finders fees are payable in connection with the transaction. Figure 1. Claims blocks of the McKenzie Gold Project A preliminary exploration program for the MacKenzie Gold Project, with a budget of $500,000, is scheduled for 2025. This program is fully funded by the closing of an unbrokered private placement announced today (details below). Preliminary fieldwork began in October 2024 and includes mapping, prospecting, and trenching. Assay results are pending and will be announced upon receipt. Qualified Person The content of this press release was prepared by Marcel Robillard, President and Dominique Gagné, P.Geo., qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101, who supervised the preparation of the technical information that forms part of this news release. About Puma’s Assets in New Brunswick Puma has accumulated an impressive portfolio of prospective gold landholdings strategically located close to roads and infrastructure in Northern New Brunswick - the Williams Brook Project and the new Mckenzie Gold Project. Both are located near the Rocky Brook Millstream Fault (“RBMF”), a major regional structure formed during the Appalachian Orogeny and a significant control for gold deposition in the region. Puma’s work to date has focused on the Williams Brook property, but prospecting and surface exploration work on its other properties have confirmed their potential for significant gold mineralization. About Puma Exploration Puma Exploration is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on finding and growing a pipeline of precious metals projects in New Brunswick, near Canada's Famous Bathurst Mining Camp. Puma has a long history in Northern New Brunswick, having worked on regional projects for over 15 years. Puma’s successful exploration methodology, which combines old prospecting methods with detailed trenching and up-to-date technology such as Artificial Intelligence, has been instrumental in facilitating an understanding of the region's geology and associated mineralized systems. Armed with geophysical surveys, geochemical data and consultants’ expertise, Puma has developed a perfect low-cost exploration tool to discover gold at shallow depths and maximize drilling results. The Company is committed to its DEAR business model of D iscovery, E xploration, A cquisition and R oyalties to generate maximum value for shareholders with low share dilution. Connect with us on Facebook / X / LinkedIn . Visit www.explorationpuma.com for more information or contact: Marcel Robillard , President and CEO. (418) 750-8510; president@explorationpuma.com Mia Boiridy , Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Development. (250) 575-3305; mboiridy@explorationpuma.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve several known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Puma to be materially different from actual future results and achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statements were made, except as required by law. Puma undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. The quarterly and annual reports and the documents submitted to the securities administration describe these risks and uncertainties. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1c42ff7e-9362-4486-99af-7cfc0dd36b0b
ArtMarie/E+ via Getty Images The remittance market accounts for more than 0.8% of the global GDP. In the United States alone, more than $79.15 billion were transferred in remittances in 2022 , and for countries such as Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Keller: Why "brain rot" is Oxford's word of the year