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A Closer Look at Lumentum Holdings's Options Market DynamicsHOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Officials say a dozen python snakes were rescued during an animal neglect investigation in northwest Houston on Thursday. Harris County Constable Precinct 1 deputies and the Houston SPCA team learned that a man was keeping the snakes on an apartment balcony in the 4000 block of Watonga Boulevard without a working warming system. The discovery was made after someone reported about 20 ball python snakes, with some dying in the past three months, Pct. 1 said. "Having concerns with the recent cold fronts lowering temperatures and the snakes being left outside on the apartment balcony, Pct. 1 and HSPCA Cruelty Investigators responded by visiting the apartment complex and unit to investigate further," the constable's official said on social media. Pct. 1 deputies said the owner admitted to keeping his snakes on the balcony for months, failing to power the warming system he created. The owner agreed to surrender a dozen snakes, with investigators finding out two of them had died. While assessing the snakes, authorities say their temperatures were so low that a regular thermometer couldn't read them. They had to use an infrared thermometer to find the snakes had dangerously low temperatures. The investigation is ongoing, and the Harris County District Attorney's Office will review the case for criminal charges.FMC Corporation announces date for fourth quarter 2024 earnings release and webcast conference call
CHARLOTTE, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- The Board of Trustees of Barings Participation Investors (NYSE: MPV) (the “Trust”) today announced that it has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.37 per share payable on January 17, 2025, to shareholders of record on December 30, 2024. The Trust also announced a special distribution of $0.10 per share payable on January 17, 2025, to shareholders of record on December 30, 2024. Based on current projections through the end of 2024, the Trust expects both dividends will be compromised of net investment income. The final determination of the source and tax characteristics of these distributions will depend upon the Trust’s investment experience during its fiscal year and will be made after the Trust’s year end and will be reported on IRS Form 1099-Div. Cliff Noreen, Chairman, stated, “We are pleased to announce a special distribution of $0.10 per share in addition to the Trust’s quarterly cash dividend of $0.37 per share. The special distribution, which was made possible by non-recurring dividend income received in the fourth quarter, highlights the benefits of the Trust’s equity co-investments to our shareholders.” The next scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held on February 27, 2025. Barings Participation Investors is a closed-end management investment company advised by Barings LLC. Its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol (“MPV”). Per share amounts are rounded to the nearest cent. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS Cautionary Notice: Certain statements contained in this press release may be “forward-looking” statements. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made and which reflect management’s current estimates, projections, expectations or beliefs, and which are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. These statements are subject to change at any time based upon economic, market or other conditions and may not be relied upon as investment advice or an indication of the fund's trading intent. References to specific securities are not recommendations of such securities, and may not be representative of the fund's current or future investments. We undertake no obligation to publicly update forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. About Barings Barings is a $431+ billion* global asset management firm that partners with institutional, insurance, and intermediary clients, and supports leading businesses with flexible financing solutions. The firm, a subsidiary of MassMutual, seeks to deliver excess returns by leveraging its global scale and capabilities across public and private markets in fixed income, real assets and capital solutions. *Assets under management as of September 30, 2024 View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212085549/en/ MediaRelations@barings.com KEYWORD: NORTH CAROLINA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: BANKING ASSET MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOURCE: Barings Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 04:15 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 04:17 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212085549/en
NEMA warns against bush burning in Harmattan period
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Andhra CM Naidu expresses sadness over Manmohan Singh’s death
US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccerBy MEAD GRUVER and AMY BETH HANSON, Associated Press A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to continue competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship scheduled for later this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed by nine current players who are suing the Mountain West Conference to challenge the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Judge Crews referred to the athlete as an “alleged transgender” player in his ruling and noted that no defendant disputed that San Jose State rosters a transgender woman volleyball player. He said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting that the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a forfeit in league standings. He also said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 – making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season’s awareness of her identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a political campaign year. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. San Jose State is seeded second. The judge’s order maintains the seedings and pairings for the tournament. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada’s players stated they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,” without providing further details. Crews served as a magistrate judge in Colorado’s U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him to serve as a federal judge in January of this year. Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Hanson from Helena, Montana.
Eimear O’Brien, who retired 18 months ago as Clovis Unified’s superintendent, says she will seek election as the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools in 2026. O’Brien said Wednesday she had planned to formally announce her candidacy next month. However, word of her decision was already starting to leak out in the community. The job is currently held by Michelle Cantwell-Copher, who was elected in 2022 to replace Jim Yovino after he opted not to seek reelection. When she announced her retirement in January 2023, O’Brien still had more than a year left on her contract but said she needed to quit so she could help her siblings care for their aging mother, who lives in Ireland. She needed six months to sort out family matters. Beginning last January O’Brien started to take stock: “I realized very quickly that I’m not good at retirement, it just doesn’t suit me at all.” Since leaving Clovis Unified, O’Brien says, she’s been working on different projects: Writing a children’s book, working at the Welty Center at Fresno State on a leadership network with Mabel Franks, the Welty Center director, and Adela Jones, the former Sanger Unified superintendent, and conducting training on the Positivity Project, the character education program that was adopted by Clovis Unified. While she enjoys those projects, O’Brien said she came to realize that she still has a great passion for education and working with others — and a lot of pent-up energy. So she started considering options and talked to people like Yovino, who she says assured her that she has what it takes to excel at the county schools superintendent job. Leadership, Knowledge, Education Combination Is ‘Rare’ Yovino on Thursday confirmed to GV Wire that he will fully support and endorse O’Brien’s candidacy. “It’s rare that you get opportunities of people with that type of leadership and that type of credibility and knowledge and education,” he said. Before becoming Clovis Unified superintendent in 2017, O’Brien was a classroom teacher, a principal at elementary and secondary schools, and an administrator. Yovino said he appreciated how O’Brien was always quick at meetings of district superintendents to offer other districts the opportunity to observe Clovis Unified programs that were working and helping kids be successful. But she saw it as a two-way street, he said: “We’re talking about Firebaugh and they had had a year where they had just tremendous growth in third grade reading. And she goes, ‘Well, can we come out?’ ” O’Brien said she decided to run for county superintendent of schools post — it will be her first run for public office — because she would be able to work with districts across Fresno County, providing support as needed, and continue to develop the relationships she started as the Clovis superintendent. She said that the late Pete Mehas, formerly the county’s schools superintendent, was one of the first people she talked with when she was considering moving from Ireland to California after vacationing here. Although his schedule was full, Mejas generously gave her plenty of his time to answer her questions on that first call, she recalled. She stayed in touch with Mehas over the years and remembered how grateful she was for his generosity and admiring of his leadership when she was introducing him at a scholarship event. Afterward the two chatted, she recalled. “So he said to me, ‘You know, every time I run into you, you seem to (have) kind of moved up in the ranks.’ And I said, I don’t necessarily intend to, but I’m just enjoying every job. And he said, ‘Well, you never know. Maybe someday you’ll go for my job.’ And I said, I doubt if I’ll ever be able to fill those shoes. ... “I always admired his work. And I’ve been reflecting on that interaction in the last few weeks as I’m thinking about doing this, because he was a great leader.” Ready to Un-Retire O’Brien reports that her mother, while in declining health, is in a “good place” both physically and mentally. She travels to Ireland about four times a year to spend time with her. She’s confident she can juggle her roles as mother (one of her daughters is in law school at Berkeley), daughter, and educational leader. And O’Brien says she’s ready to come out of retirement. “I recognize I’m a people person, and I love solving problems. And I’m passionate about elevating people around me,” she said. “We have a lot of educational issues in this Valley and our superintendents need support and help. And I just know that I could be really good at that. “So it just energizes me to be involved ... plus my own deep desire to be involved in my career. I also have a passion. I don’t see it like a job. It’s a passion. It nourishes my soul, you know?”
-- First Half Revenue of $85.7 million , increase 1.5% year-over-year -- -- First Half GMV of $107.3 million , down 7.0% year-over-year -- SHANGHAI , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Jowell Global Ltd. ("Jowell" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: JWEL), one of the leading cosmetics, health and nutritional supplements, and household products e-commerce platforms in China , today announced its unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2024 . First Half 2024 Financial and Operational Highlights [1] "Total VIP members" refers to the total number of members registered on Jowell's platform as of June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023. [2] "LHH stores" refers to the brand name of "Love Home Store". Authorized retailers may operate as independent stores or store-in-shop (an integrated store), selling products they purchased through Jowell's online platform LHH Mall under their retailer accounts, which provides them with major discounts. First Half 2024 Financial Results Total Revenues Total revenues for the first half 2024 were $85.7 million , representing an increase of 1.5% from $84.4 million in the same period of 2023. Our weighted average unit price was $5.16 per unit for the first half of 2024, which represented an increase of 4.2% as compared to $4.95 per unit for the same period of 2023. Our health and nutritional supplements revenue for the first half of 2024 increased by about $11.1 million , or 182.1%, as compared to the same period of 2023. The increase in health and nutritional supplements revenue was mainly due to the increase in sales of premium brand health and nutritional supplements. We have stepped up our promotions on these items during the Chinese New Year holidays in the first half of 2024 in an attempt to offer more promotional discounts in response to the overall market downturn. First Half Ended June 30 % 2024 2023 change Revenues (in thousands, except for percentages) US$ US$ YoY* Product sales • Cosmetic products 19,768.5 29,495.5 (33.0 %) • Health and nutritional supplements 17,190.7 6,094.2 182.1 % • Household products 48,438.7 48,473.1 (0.1 %) • Others 286.4 343.4 (16.6 %) Total 85,684.3 84,406.2 1.5 % * YOY—year over year Total cost and operating expenses were $89.6 million in the first half of 2024, a decrease of 1.5% from $91.0 million in the same period of 2023. Operating Loss Operating loss was $4.0 million for the first half of 2024, compared with the operating loss of $6.6 million in the same period of 2023. The decrease in operating loss for the first half of 2024 was mainly due the decrease of marketing expenses, as well as reduction of operating expenses as discussed above. Net Loss Net loss was $3.8 million , a decrease of 47.1% compared with net loss of $7.1 million in the same period of 2023, which was mainly due the factors mentioned above. Loss per Share The Company computes earnings (loss) per share ("EPS") in accordance with ASC 260, "Earnings per Share" ("ASC 260"). Each of the Company's Preferred Share has voting rights equal to two Ordinary Shares of the Company and each Preferred Share is convertible into one Ordinary Share at any time. Except for voting rights and conversion rights, the Ordinary Shares and the Preferred Shares rank pari passu with one another and have the same rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions. For the first half ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, the Company had no potential ordinary shares outstanding that could potentially dilute EPS in the future. Cash and Cash Equivalents For the first half of 2024, the Company reported a net loss of $3.8 million , a negative operating cash flow of $41,012 and an accumulated deficit of approximately $29.8 million . The Company's principal sources of liquidity are sales revenues, proceeds from a private placement and a registered direct offering. As of June 30, 2024 , the Company had cash and restricted cash of approximately $0.8 million , held by the variable interest entity (VIE) Shanghai Juhao Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("Shanghai Juhao") with banks and financial institutions inside China as the Company conducts its operations primarily through the consolidated VIE in China ; the Company's working capital as of June 30, 2024 was $13.4 million . Due to the uncertainty of the current market environment, management believes it is necessary to enhance the collection of its outstanding accounts receivable and other receivables, and to be cautious in terms of its operational decisions and project selections. As of October 31, 2024 , approximately $1.8 million , or 62%, of its accounts receivable balance as of June 30, 2024 were collected, and approximately $9.9 million , or 93%, of its advances to supplier balance as of June 30, 2024 were utilized. In addition, the Company's Form F-3 registration was declared effective on August 31, 2022 , and the Company may also seek equity financing from outside investors if necessary. Based on the latest business plan of the Company, Shanghai Juhao has reduced its promotion efforts and marketing expenditures since the second half of 2023, which reduced the cash used in operating activities. Management believes that the above-mentioned factors, including cash on hand of approximately $0.8 million , will provide sufficient liquidity for the Company to meet its future liquidity and capital requirements for at least the next twelve months. About Jowell Global Ltd . Jowell Global Ltd. (the "Company") is one of the leading cosmetics, health and nutritional supplements and household products e-commerce platforms in China . We offer our own brand products to customers and also sell and distribute health and nutritional supplements, cosmetic products and certain household products from other companies on our platform. In addition, we allow third parties to open their own stores on our platform for a service fee based upon sale revenues generated from their online stores and we provide them with our unique and valuable information about market needs, enabling them to better manage their sales effort, as well as an effective platform to promote their brands. The Company also sells its products through authorized retail stores all across China , which operate under the brand names of " Love Home Store " or "LHH Store" and "Best Choice Store". For more information, please visit http://ir.1juhao.com/ . Exchange Rate The Company's financial information is presented in U.S. dollars ("USD"). The functional currency of the Company is the Chinese Yuan, Renminbi ("RMB"), the currency of the PRC. Any transactions which are denominated in currencies other than RMB are translated into RMB at the exchange rate quoted by the People's Bank of China prevailing at the dates of the transactions, and exchange gains and losses are included in the statements of operations as foreign currency transaction gain or loss. The consolidated financial statements of the Company have been translated into U.S. dollars in accordance with ASC 830, "Foreign Currency Matters". This press release contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars ("USD" or "$") at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. The exchange rates in effect as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 were RMB1 for $0.1403 and $0.1412 , respectively. The average exchange rates for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 were RMB1 for $0.1407 and $0.1444 , respectively. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development; financial condition and results of operations; product and service demand and acceptance; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; changes in technology; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov . The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: Jowell Global Ltd. Ms. Jessie Zhao Email: IR@1juhao.com Jowell Global Ltd. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS June 30, December 31, 2024 2023 (Unaudited) ASSETS Current Assets: Cash $ 805,344 $ 1,250,281 Accounts receivable, net 2,344,481 2,401,056 Accounts receivable - related parties - 47,040 Advance to suppliers 10,050,688 3,506,432 Advance to suppliers - related parties 12,493,792 9,874,545 Inventories 4,508,515 8,198,402 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,075,591 1,384,758 Total current assets 31,278,411 26,662,514 Long-term investment 3,709,340 3,888,377 Property and equipment, net 845,579 681,942 Intangible assets, net 532,810 634,655 Right of use lease assets, net 1,506,729 2,019,300 Other non-current asset 638,723 895,775 Deferred tax assets 512,175 515,364 Total Assets $ 39,023,767 $ 35,297,927 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities: Short-term loan $ 210,473 $ 423,567 Accounts payable 2,791,515 3,765,230 Accounts payable - related parties 280,530 194,818 Deferred revenue 11,691,812 2,309,957 Deferred revenue - related parties 40,000 47,059 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 1,475,947 942,989 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 975,072 782,048 Due to related parties 414,585 528,472 Taxes payable 1,487 58,233 Total current liabilities 17,881,421 9,052,373 Non-current portion of operating lease liabilities - 1,032,235 Total liabilities 17,881,421 10,084,608 Commitments and contingencies Equity Common stock, $0.0016 par value, 450,000,000 shares authorized, 2,170,475 issued and outstanding at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively * 3,473 3,473 Preferred stock, $0.0016 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 46,875 issued and outstanding at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively * 75 75 Additional paid-in capital 52,687,182 52,687,182 Statutory reserves 394,541 394,541 Accumulated deficit (29,768,863) (26,039,567) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (2,153,720) (1,843,970) Total Jowell GlobSoporific. Tedious. Platitudinous. Benumbing. These pejoratives condemn former German Christian Democratic Union Chancellor Angela Merkel’s overweight 700-page memoir as not worth the price of admission. Merkel served 16 years as chancellor from 2005 to 2021 before voluntarily bowing out. The high-water mark of intellectual stimulation in her memoir is reached with Merkel’s forgettable, “We can do this” in referencing a flood of immigrants. The reader waits in vain for something as electrifying as President John F. Kennedy’s, “Ich bin ein Berliner.” Born in the communist German Democratic Republic and trained as a scientist, Merkel drifted into politics less because of deep philosophical convictions than faute de mieux. She was not at the barricades participating in the destruction of the Berlin Wall. She was not steeped in political philosophy, including separation of powers touted by Montesquieu and James Madison. She has little or nothing to say about Nazi Germany, the Nuremberg trials or the dynamics that gave birth to the Holocaust. Her understanding of human nature is Pollyannaish, refusing to accept Immanuel Kant’s dictum, “From such crooked timber as humankind is made nothing straight can be made.” Merkel’s attempts to broker peace in Ukraine predictably proved fool’s errands. Thuggish Russian President Vladimir Putin ignites her anguish. But she is unable to suggest a superior replacement. Self-government and the right to march to your own drummer have been alien to Russia since time immemorial. Dictatorship is all Russians know and accept as superior to the alternatives. Alexei Navalny perished on that brute fact. Merkel also neglects that NATO expansion up to Russia’s borders — akin to Nikita Khrushchev’s installation of Soviet missiles in Cuba and the 1962 Cuban missile crisis — made Putin’s attack on Ukraine inevitable to prevent Russia’s encirclement by hostile powers entering her traditional sphere of influence. Consider the following. The Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, ending any military threat to NATO members, which then numbered 16. Since then, while the Russian economy and military profile shrank, NATO mushroomed to 32 members creating an equivalent or greater threat to Russian security than the Cuban missile crisis posed for the United States. Further, in 1990, the United States implicitly promised Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO would not expand forces eastward if East and West Germany were permitted to unite — a promise with a truncated shelf life. Additionally, on March 26, 2022, in Warsaw, Poland, President Joe Biden exclaimed with reference to Putin, “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.” The United States had previously orchestrated regime change in Ukraine featuring Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and her memorable vulgarity, “F— the EU.” Putin reacted like the United States reacted in the Cuban missile crisis amid the Soviet Union’s penetration of our traditional sphere of influence in the Caribbean and Central and South America. Remember the Roosevelt corollary to the 1823 Monroe Doctrine: The United States was saddled with the responsibility to preserve order and to protect life and property in all nations in the Western Hemisphere. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine equaled or bettered our instruction not only in the Western Hemisphere but elsewhere as in Libya or Iraq. Merkel understands none of this. She is bereft of ideas for ending the war in Ukraine. She is unable to conceive that Putin could retreat from Ukraine and proclaim victory if the United States withdrew from NATO, removed its troops and weapons from Europe and left the remaining 31 members to defend themselves if attacked without American training wheels. Without the United States, NATO would still eclipse Russia in economic and military strength. Russia is no juggernaut, as its quagmire in Ukraine proves. Merkel also displays naivete over global warming. She chronicles countless international meetings and infinite hours over two decades in which countries repeatedly sally forth with meaningless pledges to plunge greenhouse gas emissions in order to forestall the species’ suicide. Nations, however, are not philanthropies. They act only in short-term self-interest. None have or will handicap economic growth and prosperity to diminish emissions in the hope that other nations will follow suit. Why should they? Other nations can do nothing and take a free ride on the nation that goes first with emissions reductions. All this Merkel-like gnashing about global warming has accomplished nothing. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels and cement will rise around 0.8% in 2024, reaching a record 37.4 billion tons of CO2, the 2024 Global Carbon Budget report by the Global Carbon Project. This is 0.4 billion tons higher than the previous record, set in 2023. Merkel exemplifies the absence of inspiring leadership or statesmanship anywhere on the world stage. The commanding heights of power are populated by pedestrian thinkers as technology, including artificial intelligence, continues to outrace moral or philosophical wisdom. H.G. Wells observed more than a century ago, “Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.” Has the race been lost?
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Aidan O'Connell and the Las Vegas Raiders played with a lot of energy — and looked pretty sharp — for a last-place team that had every excuse to be sluggish and sleep-deprived. O'Connell passed for two touchdowns, tight end Brock Bowers broke two rookie NFL records , and the Raiders won for just the fourth time this season, 25-10 over the struggling New Orleans Saints on Sunday. The convincing victory came after flight delays so long on Saturday that players didn't get into their New Orleans hotel until after midnight — less than 12 hours before kickoff. “These guys didn’t blink, flinch," Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said with a satisfied grin. "We got in at 1 o'clock in the morning, got up this morning and rolled.” Bowers' seven catches for 77 yards gave him 108 receptions for 1,144 yards this season, eclipsing Mike Ditka's 1961 rookie tight end mark of 1,067 yards receiving and Puka Nacua's 2023 mark of 105 catches by a rookie at any position. Bowers also surpassed Darren Waller's franchise mark of 107 receptions in a season, which had stood since 2020. “It's pretty shocking to me,” Bowers said of his records, saying he had “no clue what to expect, coming from college to the NFL.” Ameer Abdullah rushed for 115 yards for the Raiders (4-12) — the journeyman running back's first 100-yard game in his 10 NFL seasons. “I'm not surprised by it,” Abdullah said. “I put a lot of work in. I'm very consistent. ... I'm happy for it, but I still think there's a lot more out there for me.” O'Connell finished with 242 yards passing, including a 3-yard TD pass to Jakobi Meyers and an 18-yarder to Tre Tucker as the Raiders won their second straight on the heels of a 10-game skid. “Better late than never,” O'Connell said. “We have a resilient bunch of guys and I'm sure it was probably harder for people to believe that when we were losing a lot of games.” Daniel Carlson kicked four field goals — his longest from 54 yards — for Las Vegas. With former Raiders QB Derek Carr unable to suit up for the Saints (5-11) because of his injured left, non-throwing hand, rookie Spencer Rattler received his fifth career start. He remained winless as a starter after completing 20 of 36 passes for 218 yards and one TD with two interceptions. Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi cited dropped passes, untimely penalties and breakdowns in pass blocking as the leading causes of his team's offensive anemia. “I felt like Spencer really never got settled in there, and he was moving around,” Rizzi said. “And he made some plays moving around, to his credit.” Rattler also rushed for 46 yards to finish as New Orleans' leading rusher for a second straight week. “It’s no secret our team is in a dark time right now,” Saints linebacker Demario Davis said. The Saints used trickery to take an early 7-3 lead . Running back Kendre Miller took what looked like a toss sweep to the right before throwing a lateral back to his left, where Rattler caught it and threw 30 yards downfield to wide-open tight end Foster Moreau in the end zone. Las Vegas moved in front for good on O'Connell's short scoring pass to Meyers with a minute left in the second quarter. Travel trouble After congregating for their flight on Saturday, only to learn of mechanical issues with their plane, Raiders players were sent home for several hours. “It was pretty weird,” O’Connell said. “I kind of got back home and my wife and my dog both looked at me like, ‘What are you doing here?’ It was fun to be home for an extra couple hours but last night was a late night.” The Raiders returned to team headquarters for meetings that normally would have been held in their New Orleans hotel before finally flying two times zones east. “It was kind of funny when we came in this morning," O'Connell said. “It was really a lot of juice from a lot of guys that I think kind of saw it as a challenge and tried to just enjoy it.” Injuries Saints: Miller left the game with concussion symptoms in the second quarter. LB Jaylan Ford appeared to seriously injure his lower right leg on punt coverage in the fourth quarter. DE Payton Turner left with an ankle injury. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling briefly went down, but walked off on his own, after a hard collision over the middle. Up next Raiders: Host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Saints: Visit Tampa Bay on Sunday. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Brett Martel, The Associated Press
FMC Corporation announces date for fourth quarter 2024 earnings release and webcast conference callWASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump on Monday, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The decision was inevitable, since longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Yet it was still a momentous finale to an unprecedented chapter in political and law enforcement history, as federal officials attempted to hold accountable a former president while he was simultaneously running for another term. Trump emerges indisputably victorious, having successfully delayed the investigations through legal maneuvers and then winning re-election despite indictments that described his actions as a threat to the country's constitutional foundations. “I persevered, against all odds, and WON," Trump exulted in a post on Truth Social, his social media website. He also said that “these cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought.” The outcome makes it clear that, when it comes to a president and criminal accusations, nothing supersedes the voters' own verdict. In court filings, Smith's team emphasized that the move to end their prosecutions was not a reflection of the merit of the cases but a recognition of the legal shield that surrounds any commander in chief. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” prosecutors said in one of their filings. They wrote that Trump’s return to the White House “sets at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: on the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law.” In this situation, “the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated,” they concluded. Smith’s team said it was leaving intact charges against two co-defendants in the classified documents case — Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira — because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” Steven Cheung, Trump's incoming White House communications director, said Americans “want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country.” Trump has long described the investigations as politically motivated, and he has vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. Now he will start his second term free from criminal scrutiny by the government that he will lead. The election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing Trump as he tried to reclaim the White House. He was indicted for plotting to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020, an effort that climaxed with his supporters' violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But the case quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. In asking for the election case to be dismissed, prosecutors requested that Chutkan do it “without prejudice,” raising the possibility that they could try to bring charges against Trump again after he leaves office. But such a move may be barred by the statute of limitations, and Trump may also try to pardon himself while in office. The separate case involving classified documents had been widely seen as legally clear cut, especially because the conduct in question occurred after Trump left the White House and lost the powers of the presidency. The indictment included dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing federal efforts to get them back. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. The case quickly became snarled by delays, with U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon slow to issue rulings — which favored Trump’s strategy of pushing off deadlines in all his criminal cases — while also entertaining defense motions and arguments that experts said other judges would have dispensed with without hearings. In May, she indefinitely canceled the trial date amid a series of unresolved legal issues before dismissing the case outright two months later. Smith’s team appealed the decision, but now has given up that effort. Trump faced two other state prosecutions while running for president. One them, a New York case involving hush money payments, resulted in a conviction on felony charges of falsifying business records. It was the first time a former president had been found guilty of a crime. The sentencing in that case is on hold as Trump's lawyers try to have the conviction dismissed before he takes office, arguing that letting the verdict stand will interfere with his presidential transition and duties. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office is fighting the dismissal but has indicated that it would be open to delaying sentencing until Trump leaves office. Bragg, a Democrat, has said the solution needs to balance the obligations of the presidency with “the sanctity of the jury verdict." Trump was also indicted in Georgia along with 18 others accused of participating in a sprawling scheme to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election there. Any trial appears unlikely there while Trump holds office. The prosecution already was on hold after an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Four defendants have pleaded guilty after reaching deals with prosecutors. Trump and the others have pleaded not guilty. Associated Press writers Colleen Long, Michael Sisak and Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this story.
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 19, 2024-- Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (Nasdaq: FFIE) (“FF”, “Faraday Future”, or the “Company”), a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company, today announced that its first Faraday X (FX) prototype mules will arrive in Los Angeles at the end of this month. The first two FX mules will begin their product development and testing in the U.S. shortly thereafter at FF’s manufacturing facility in Hanford, CA, with a stop in Las Vegas, NV from January 5-7, which coincides with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). While in Las Vegas, the Company will provide updates on the progress of the FX strategy. The first prototype mules’ delivery and shipping route has taken them from FF’s Headquarters in Beijing to Los Angeles. The FX brand is accelerating its efforts to deliver "twice the performance at half the price" AIEV products to U.S. consumers and is advancing toward the goal of delivering performance and technology capable EV’s at an affordable price point. Faraday Future is the pioneer of the Ultimate AI TechLuxury ultra spire market in the intelligent EV era, and the disruptor of the traditional ultra-luxury car civilization epitomized by Ferrari and Maybach. FF is not just an EV Company, but also a software-driven intelligent internet Company. Ultimately FF aims to become a User Company by offering a shared intelligent mobility ecosystem. FF remains dedicated to advancing electric vehicle technology to meet the evolving needs and preferences of users worldwide, driven by a pursuit of intelligent and AI-driven mobility. This press release includes “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding FX and the timing for public display of prototype mules, product development and testing, and accelerating development efforts, are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include, among others: potential unforeseen delays regarding the customs clearing process for the prototype mules; the Company’s ability to secure the necessary funding to execute on the FX strategy, which will be substantial; the Company’s ability to secure additional agreements with OEMs that are necessary to execute on the FX strategy; the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and improve its liquidity and financial position; the Company’s ability to pay its outstanding obligations; the Company's ability to remediate its material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and the risks related to the restatement of previously issued consolidated financial statements; the Company’s limited operating history and the significant barriers to growth it faces; the Company’s history of losses and expectation of continued losses; the success of the Company’s payroll expense reduction plan; the Company’s ability to execute on its plans to develop and market its vehicles and the timing of these development programs; the Company’s estimates of the size of the markets for its vehicles and cost to bring those vehicles to market; the rate and degree of market acceptance of the Company’s vehicles; the Company’s ability to cover future warranty claims; the success of other competing manufacturers; the performance and security of the Company’s vehicles; current and potential litigation involving the Company; the Company’s ability to receive funds from, satisfy the conditions precedent of and close on the various financings described elsewhere by the Company; the result of future financing efforts, the failure of any of which could result in the Company seeking protection under the Bankruptcy Code; the Company’s indebtedness; the Company’s ability to cover future warranty claims; the Company’s ability to use its “at-the-market” program; insurance coverage; general economic and market conditions impacting demand for the Company’s products; potential negative impacts of a reverse stock split; potential cost, headcount and salary reduction actions may not be sufficient or may not achieve their expected results; circumstances outside of the Company's control, such as natural disasters, climate change, health epidemics and pandemics, terrorist attacks, and civil unrest; risks related to the Company's operations in China; the success of the Company's remedial measures taken in response to the Special Committee findings; the Company’s dependence on its suppliers and contract manufacturer; the Company's ability to develop and protect its technologies; the Company's ability to protect against cybersecurity risks; and the ability of the Company to attract and retain employees, any adverse developments in existing legal proceedings or the initiation of new legal proceedings, and volatility of the Company’s stock price. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on May 28, 2024, as amended on May 30, 2024, and June 24, 2024, as updated by the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s first quarter 2024 Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on July 30, 2024, and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. View source version on : CONTACT: Investors (English):ir@faradayfuture.com Investors (Chinese):cn-ir@faradayfuture.com Media:john.schilling@ff.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA NEVADA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY EV/ELECTRIC VEHICLES LUXURY ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES/FUELS TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY AUTOMOTIVE TRAVEL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RETAIL AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING SOURCE: Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/19/2024 04:30 PM/DISC: 12/19/2024 04:28 PMThe slump in the number of people heading to the shops during Boxing Day sales signals a return to declining pre-pandemic levels, an analyst has said. Boxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first “proper Christmas” period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found £4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: “We’ve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. “Figures have come out that things have stabilised, we’re almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.” There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: “It’s the shift to online shopping, it’s the convenience, you’ve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: “We see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so they’ve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they don’t really need to go out again until later on in that week. “We did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.” Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and “a lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own home”, she said. She added: “I feel like it’s becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.” Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend £236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still £50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store – an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. “This year, we’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.” Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.
PM Modi-led Cabinet Approves ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bill Controversy Erupts Across Political Spectrum New Delhi: The Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet’s approval of the One Nation, One Election (ONOE) Bill has sparked controversy across India’s political spectrum. Described by the BJP as a revolutionary step towards streamlining governance and boosting development, the proposal has been fiercely opposed by Opposition parties, which argue it undermines federalism and concentrates power in the hands of the centre. The Bill aims to synchronise elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and local bodies and is expected to be tabled in the Parliament during the ongoing winter session. While the BJP and its allies are pushing the idea as a significant reform, the Congress and other regional parties, have branded it as “anti-democratic” and a threat to India’s diverse political fabric. Supporters laud efficiency BJP ally Chirag Paswan was quick to hail the initiative as being in the “national interest,” emphasising its potential to minimise the disruptions caused by frequent elections. “It (simultaneous election) is in the interest of the country. It will boost development,” Paswan stated. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma endorsed the Bill, highlighting the logistical and financial efficiencies it promises. “Like simultaneous elections were held in Odisha...When assembly and Lok Sabha elections are not held together, development work stops,” Sarma argued. BJP MP Kangana Ranaut added her voice to the chorus of approval, asserting, “There is a wave of enthusiasm across the country for ‘One Nation, One Election.’ This should have happened earlier, and it’s being done under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.” Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini also backed the move, citing cost savings and developmental benefits. “Earlier, the money was misused in the elections. It used to restrict the pace of development too...I welcome this decision. It will save the burden on the exchequer,” he said. Opposition unites against ‘authoritarian’ move Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had already articulated his party’s strong disapproval in January 2024, describing the concept as “anti-democratic.” The party’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, accused the BJP of using the Bill to divert attention from critical issues. “There are many concerns among the INDIA bloc about the impact on the federal character of our country through this Bill,” Gogoi said, adding, “PM Modi has not walked the talk...he does Haryana and Maharashtra elections separately. He does Gujarat elections separately.” TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee minced no words, calling the legislation a “draconian” attack on democracy. “Bengal will NEVER bow to Delhi’s dictatorial whims,” she declared. Her colleague Kunal Ghosh echoed her sentiment, raising doubts about the practicality of the move. “Who will give the guarantee that after voting once, a government will last for its full term, i.e., 5 years?” Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin launched a scathing attack on the Bill, labelling it “impractical” and “anti-democratic.” He warned that it would erase regional voices and disrupt governance. “Let’s resist this attack on Indian Democracy with all our strength!” Stalin wrote on X. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh dismissed the Bill as a ploy to benefit corporate interests, saying, “There’s only one slogan of the Modi government: ‘one nation, one Adani.’” Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann questioned the Centre’s sincerity, stating, “They cannot even hold ‘two states, one election.’ That means there must be something else in their mind.” JMM MP Mahua Maji called it a conspiracy against smaller parties, asserting, “They want to finish off regional parties and want just 1-2 parties in the country.” Similarly, Shiv Sena UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi expressed scepticism about the logistics, saying, “How will it be implemented, what will be the expense, how many more EVMs will be installed...It is a long procedure.” In contrast, BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao appeared cautious, stating that while his party had supported the concept in 2017, they would wait for more clarity. “We are firm proponents of federalism...We will have to wait and see in what form this Bill will come,” Rao said. Former President Ram Nath Kovind, who headed the high-level committee on the proposal, noted that 32 political parties supported the idea, while 15 opposed it. Yet, the stark divide among national and regional players reflects the complexity of reconciling simultaneous polls with India’s federal structure. The debate over One Nation, One Election is far from new. It has resurfaced repeatedly over the years, with each instance sparking intense controversies and ideological divides. While the BJP touts ONOE as a visionary reform, Opposition parties warn of its potential to tilt the balance of power.How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers