Australia's proposal to ban under-16s from social media platforms is "rushed", social media companies claimed Tuesday, expressing "serious concerns" about potential unintended consequences. The landmark legislation would force social media firms to prevent young teens from accessing their platforms or face fines of up to Aus$50 million (US$32.5 million). Platforms such as X, Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta have criticised the 24-hour time frame given for stakeholder comments, claiming a lack of consultation and inadequate details about how the legislation would work. X said in its submission that it had "serious concerns" the ban would have "a negative impact" on children, adding it breached their "rights to freedom of expression and access to information". The company added that the proposed law was "vague" and "highly problematic" and that there was "no evidence" that it would work. Australia is among the vanguard of nations trying to clean up social media, and the proposed age limit would be among the world's strictest measures aimed at children. The proposed laws, which were presented to parliament last week, would also include robust privacy provisions that require tech platforms to delete any age-verification information collected. The government is trying to approve the law this week, before parliament breaks for the rest of the year. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said in its submission the ban would "fail" in its current form because there was not enough consultation with stakeholders. "More time should be taken to get this bill right," it said. TikTok raised concerns over the privacy provisions -- including that they overlapped and contradicted other legislation -- and the limited time to consult stakeholders. "Its rushed passage poses a serious risk of further unintended consequences," the company's submission said. Key details about how social media companies are expected to enforce the ban remain unclear. Some companies will be granted exemptions from the ban, such as YouTube, which teenagers may need to use for school work or other reasons. Once celebrated as a means of staying connected and informed, social media platforms have been tarnished by cyberbullying, the spread of illegal content, and election-meddling claims. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insisted Tuesday that "social media is causing social harm". "It can be a weapon for bullies, a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators," he wrote in an opinion piece. "And because it is young Australians who are most engaged with this technology -- it is young Australians who are most at risk." The laws would give families "peace of mind" that their children's well-being and mental health were being prioritised, he said. If the proposed law passes, tech platforms would be given a one-year grace period to figure out how to implement and enforce the ban. The proposal comes just months before Australians go to the polls in a general election that must be held in the first half of 2025. lec/arb/foxTests keep coming for Auburn and Duke, who collide at Cameron Indoor Stadium in a typical prove-it game in a rare environment on Wednesday night. No. 2 Auburn and No. 9 Duke square off less than one month into the season as two of the most battle-tested teams in basketball. They're matched as one of the marquee games in the crossover showcase known as the ACC-SEC Challenge. Auburn (7-0) jumped two spots in the latest Top 25 poll propelled by its Maui Invitational championship. In one of Feast Week's toughest brackets, the Tigers rallied from 18 points down to beat then-No. 4 Iowa State, handled then-No. 12 North Carolina 85-72 and rolled past Memphis 90-76 in the title game. With a week off to shed any remnants of jet lag returning from the islands, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl is pointing to another potential resume-building win. "The confidence that we're going to get from (Maui) is that we know we can play with anybody," Pearl said. "I promise you this, we'll stay humble and hungry. We will not begin to think too much of ourselves." Helping lead Auburn in Maui was fifth-year power forward Johni Broome. The tournament's MVP, Broome averaged 21.7 points, 15 rebounds, 4.3 assists and three blocks in the three-game sweep. Spearheading a veteran Tigers roster, Broome couldn't care less about individual honors. "I wanted to come to a place where the foundation was already built, and that's why I came to Auburn," Broome said. "Winning player of the year doesn't matter to me. I care about winning games, and making sure I can help my team in any way." Broome's 20.7 points and 12.9 rebounds per game lead the Tigers, while Chad Baker-Mazara adds 12.6 ppg and Denver Jones chips in 11.1. Auburn's next roadblock is earning its first-ever win against Duke. The Tigers are 0-3 all-time against the Blue Devils, including a six-point loss in the 2018 Maui Invitational. Duke (5-2) has already been through three games against ranked opponents. The Blue Devils had a 77-72 loss against then-No. 19 Kentucky, a 14-point win at then-No. 17 Arizona and a 75-72 defeat against No. 1 Kansas last week in Las Vegas. "Best team we've played so far," Pearl said of Duke. Bouncing back on Friday, the Blue Devils took down Seattle 70-48, holding the Redhawks to just 10 made field goals on 47 attempts (21.3 percent). Despite the suffocating defensive effort, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer knows his team has a long way to go. "I wasn't really happy with much tonight, to be honest," Scheyer said on Friday. "I thought we rushed some shots, had too many turnovers. We need to finish stronger, drive stronger, make extra passes, there were a whole bunch of things. ... We just need to get back to practice. In fairness to our guys, we've been traveling a lot and we just need practice time." Pacing the Blue Devils in scoring is five-star freshman Cooper Flagg. He's averaging 15.9 points per game to go along with 8.3 rebounds. Fellow freshman Kon Knueppel adds 13.4 points per contest. Far less seasoned raw freshman, big man Khaman Maluach has given Duke's interior defense an edge it was lacking last season. A projected lottery pick who can be overshadowed by the Flagg publicity train, Maluach (7-2, 248) is averaging 8.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and has two three-block games. In last year's inaugural ACC-SEC Challenge, Duke lost at Arkansas 80-75 and Auburn topped Virginia Tech 74-57. --Field Level Media
Penn St. 85, Fordham 66Braid: Alberta's 'most provocative' anti-Ottawa action coming Tuesday to block emissions cap
Close to 13% increase in number of committals to prison last year, according to new report
Revenue grows 125% year over year Current hashrate surpasses 33.5 EH/s on track for 37 EH/s LAS VEGAS , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CleanSpark, Inc. (Nasdaq: CLSK) (the "Company"), America's Bitcoin Miner®, today reported financial results for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 . "Our performance this year reflects a sustained growth trajectory, solidifying our position as one of the top Bitcoin miners in the world, as we move into an anticipated new bull market," said CleanSpark CEO Zach Bradford . "Reflecting on the past year, our results in FY 2024 and the positioning of the company going into 2025 demonstrated the wisdom of our counter-cyclical growth and capital allocation strategy. We produce durable, high performing growth and have been since our earliest days in Bitcoin mining," Bradford said. "CleanSpark has prioritized owned infrastructure as its core foundation, putting us in the best position to optimize our portfolio of data centers to drive ROI to our shareholders as we continue to rapidly deploy additional hashrate on our path to 37 EH by year-end and 50 EH and beyond in 2025." "We anticipated that there would be prime opportunities for M&A paired with organic growth, and over the past year we capitalized by adding 423 MWs to our operating portfolio bringing us to 726 MW, as of today. As we continue focusing on scale in FY 2025 and beyond, we will develop the remaining hundreds of MW in the near-term pipeline while always staying opportunistic," said Bradford. "The team produced our strongest year of financial performance to date, solidifying a track record of effective execution and keeping commitments to shareholders. This fiscal year included the fourth halving event in Bitcoin 's history, and our organizational commitment to operational excellence has allowed us to weather it more successfully than many of our industry peers," said CleanSpark CFO Gary Vecchiarelli . "Even with the halving event impacting block rewards and a significant increase in difficulty, our production outpaced both, yielding approximately 7,100 BTC thanks to our growth in hashrate and the efficiency improvements to our fleet. "CleanSpark's financial strength continued to grow in fiscal 2024," said Vecchiarelli. "Heading into 2025, we have significant scale and size, a healthy balance sheet, industry leading operations and a strong liquidity position, and we are well positioned to pursue diverse capital raising strategies," Vecchiarelli said. Financial Highlights: Full Fiscal Year 2024 Financial Results for the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2024 . Balance Sheet Highlights as of September 30, 2024 Assets Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity The Company had working capital of $517.5 million and $66.0 million of loans payable as of September 30, 2024 . 1 See "Non-GAAP Measure" and the related reconciliation below Investor Conference Call and Webcast The Company will hold its fiscal year 2024 earnings presentation and business update for investors and analysts today, December 2, 2024 , at 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET . Webcast URL: https://investors.cleanspark.com The webcast will be accessible for at least 30 days on the Company's website and a transcript of the call will be available on the Company's website following the call. About CleanSpark CleanSpark (Nasdaq: CLSK), America's Bitcoin Miner ® , is a market-leading, pure play bitcoin miner with a proven track record of success. We own and operate a portfolio of mining facilities across the United States powered by globally competitive energy prices. Sitting at the intersection of Bitcoin , energy, operational excellence and capital stewardship, we optimize our mining facilities to deliver superior returns to our shareholders. Monetizing low-cost, high reliability energy by securing the most important finite, global asset – Bitcoin – positions us to prosper in an ever-changing world. Visit our website at www.cleanspark.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this press release, forward-looking statements include, but may not be limited to, statements regarding the Company's expectations, beliefs, plans, intentions, and strategies. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "intends," "targets," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "forecasts," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that 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, including, but not limited to: the risk that the electrical power available to our facilities does not increase as expected; the success of its digital currency mining activities; the volatile and unpredictable cycles in the emerging and evolving industries in which we operate, including the volatility of BTC prices; increasing difficulty rates for bitcoin mining; bitcoin halving; new or additional governmental regulation; the anticipated delivery dates of new miners; the Company's ability to successfully completed acquisitions, including integration risks relating to completed and potential acquisitions, the ability to successfully deploy new miners; the dependency on utility rate structures and government incentive programs; dependency on third-party power providers for expansion efforts; the expectations of future revenue growth may not be realized; and other risks described in the Company's prior press releases and in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including under the heading "Risk Factors" in those filings. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release, and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of any new information, changed circumstances or future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Non-GAAP Measure The Company presents adjusted EBITDA, which is not a measurement of financial performance under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"). The Company's non-GAAP "Adjusted EBITDA" excludes (i) impacts of interest, taxes, and depreciation; (ii) the Company's share-based compensation expense, unrealized gains/losses on securities, and, changes in the fair value of contingent consideration with respect to previously completed acquisitions, all of which are non-cash items that the Company believes are not reflective of the Company's general business performance, and for which the accounting requires management judgment, and the resulting expenses could vary significantly in comparison to other companies; (iii) non-cash impairment losses related to long-lived assets (including goodwill); (iv) realized gains and losses on sales of equity securities, the amounts of which are directly related to the unrealized gains and losses that are also excluded; (v) legal fees related to litigation and various transactions, which fees management does not believe are reflective of the Company's ongoing operating activities; (vi) gains and losses on disposal of assets, the majority of which are related to obsolete or unrepairable machines that are no longer deployed; (vii) gains and losses related to discontinued operations that would not be applicable to the Company's future business activities; and (viii) severance expenses. The Company previously excluded non-cash impairment losses related to digital assets and realized gains and losses on sales of bitcoin from its calculation of adjusted EBITDA, but has determined such items are part of the Company's normal ongoing operations and will no longer be excluding them from its calculation of adjusted EBITDA. Management believes that providing this non-GAAP financial measure that excludes these items allows for meaningful comparisons between the Company's core business operating results and those of other companies, and provides the Company with an important tool for financial and operational decision making and for evaluating its own core business operating results over different periods of time. In addition to management's internal use of non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA, management believes that adjusted EBITDA is also useful to investors and analysts in comparing the Company's performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis. Management believes the foregoing to be the case even though some of the excluded items involve cash outlays and some of them recur on a regular basis (although management does not believe any of such items are normal operating expenses necessary to generate the Company's bitcoin related revenues). For example, the Company expects that share-based compensation expense, which is excluded from adjusted EBITDA, will continue to be a significant recurring expense over the coming years and is an important part of the compensation provided to certain employees, officers, and directors. Additionally, management does not consider any of the excluded items to be expenses necessary to generate the Company's bitcoin related revenue. The Company's adjusted EBITDA measure may not be directly comparable to similar measures provided by other companies in our industry, as other companies in the Company's industry may calculate non-GAAP financial results differently. The Company's adjusted EBITDA is not a measurement of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to operating (loss) income or any other measure of performance derived in accordance with GAAP. Although management utilizes internally and presents adjusted EBITDA, the Company only utilizes that measure supplementally and does not consider it to be a substitute for, or superior to, the information provided by GAAP financial results. Accordingly, adjusted EBITDA is not meant to be considered in isolation of, and should be read in conjunction with, the information contained in the Company's consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. CLEANSPARK, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (in thousands, except par value and share amounts) September 30, 2024 September 30, 2023 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 121,222 $ 29,215 Restricted cash 3,056 — Receivable for equity offerings — 9,590 Prepaid expense and other current assets 7,995 3,258 Bitcoin (See Note 2 and Note 6) 431,661 56,241 Receivable for bitcoin collateral (See Note 2 and Note 12) 77,827 — Note receivable from GRIID (see Note 7) 60,919 — Derivative investments 1,832 2,697 Investment in debt security, AFS, at fair value 918 726 Current assets held for sale — 445 Total current assets $ 705,430 $ 102,172 Property and equipment, net $ 869,693 $ 564,395 Operating lease right of use asset 3,263 688 Intangible assets, net 3,040 4,603 Deposits on miners and mining equipment 359,862 75,959 Other long-term asset 13,331 5,718 Goodwill 8,043 8,043 Total assets $ 1,962,662 $ 761,578 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 82,992 $ 39,900 Accrued liabilities 43,874 25,677 Other current liabilities 2,240 311 Current portion of loans payable 58,781 6,992 Current liabilities held for sale — 1,175 Total current liabilities $ 187,887 $ 74,055 Long-term liabilities Operating lease liability, net of current portion 997 519 Finance lease liability, net of current portion — 9 Loans payable, net of current portion 7,176 8,911 Deferred income taxes 5,761 2,416 Total liabilities $ 201,821 $ 85,910 Commitments and contingencies - Note 18 CLEANSPARK, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (continued) (in thousands, except par value and share amounts) September 30, 2024 September 30, 2023 Stockholders' equity Preferred stock; $0.001 par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized; Series A shares; 2,000,000 authorized; 1,750,000 issued and outstanding (liquidation preference $0.02 per share) Series X shares; 1,000,000 and 0 authorized, issued and outstanding, respectively 3 2 Common stock; $0.001 par value; 300,000,000 shares authorized; 270,897,784 and 160,184,921 shares issued and outstanding, respectively 271 160 Additional paid-in capital 2,239,367 1,009,482 Accumulated other comprehensive income 418 226 Accumulated deficit (479,218) (334,202) Total stockholders' equity 1,760,841 675,668 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 1,962,662 $ 761,578 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements. CLEANSPARK, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (in thousands, except per share and share amounts) For the year ended September 30, 2024 September 30, 2023 September 30, 2022 Revenues, net Bitcoin mining revenue, net $ 378,968 $ 168,121 $ 131,000 Other services revenue — 287 525 Total revenues, net $ 378,968 $ 168,408 $ 131,525 Costs and expenses Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown below) 165,516 93,580 41,234
Alarm in France over fate of detained French-Algerian writer
Falcons feeling the pressure at .500 as Cousins' interceptions put spotlight on downturn for offenseStockhead Don't miss out on the headlines from Stockhead. Followed categories will be added to My News. Nerve-repair company Renerve is set to make its ASX debut today Renerve is developing products for repair and replacement of damaged peripheral nerves It becomes only the second nerve-repair company on the ASX, after Orthocell When Renerve (ASX:RNV) makes its initial public offering (IPO) on the ASX at 12pm (AEDT) on Tuesday, it will join Orthocell (ASX:OCC) as one of only two nerve-repair companies to be listed on the local bourse. Having undertaken a $750k pre-IPO raise in September, the company has raised $7 million at 20 cents/share when it hits the ASX. US companies dominate the nerve-repair market with Axogen (Nasdaq:AXGN) along with Integra Lifesciences Holdings (Nasdaq:IART) both prominent. CEO Dr Julian Chick told Stockhead that Renerve was developing porcine collagen-based products to repair and regenerate damaged peripheral nerves and related soft tissue. Peripheral nerves are the network of nerves outside the central nervous system, responsible for transmitting signals between the brain, spinal cord and the rest of the body. He said they make us walk, run, jump and eat, and they tend to get damaged quite a lot. The company’s trademarked Nervalign was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2022 and has been launched in the US market. It is a cuff to prevent scarring and inflammation when a nerve is being fixed. “It is used for no better term like a Band-Aid, to protect a nerve that has been severed and repaired,” Chick said. He said Nervalign products have been specifically designed to protect the nerve for two to four months and then get naturally absorbed, so avoiding need for further surgery and potential risk of longer-term issues. Next in Renerve’s development pipeline is a nerve conduit designed to guide nerves to grow in a straight path, preventing branching, tree-like growth, where a small portion of damaged nerve has been removed. It is intended for small gaps of approximately one centimetre with Renerve planning to submit an FDA approval application for the conduit in 2025 via the 510(k) predicate device pathway. "It comes basically as a straw, which is used to bridge small gaps," Chick explained. "Nerves are great in the sense they will regrow and regenerate, but the downside is that when they do that, they have a propensity to branch and create nerves that are going to nowhere. "The purpose of the conduit is to provide a protective environment for that nerve to repair itself." The company also has a Nervalign replacement nerve, for when there is a need to replace the nerve specifically. "The idea is to have a portfolio of products which will give the surgeon multiple options that they may require depending on the type of injury and damage," Chick said. Experienced team targeting $1.6 billion market Renerve was founded in 2017 by Chick, chief scientific officer Dr David Rhodes and Royal Melbourne Hospital neurosurgeon Dr Alex Adamides. With a PhD in neuromuscular physiology, Chick has been involved in 16 start-ups and has launched four tissue products in the US. Rhodes has a PhD in biochemistry and more than 20 years’ experience in healthcare and biotechnology industries, including developing technologies through to market approval. Chick is also the chairman of pot play Cann Group (ASX:CAN) and co-founded erectile dysfunction company LTR Pharma (ASX:LTP) , where he is an independent non-executive director. Renerve is targeting an estimated peripheral nerve-repair market of US$1.6 billion per annum, which is growing at ~17% per annum. "A lot of that is driven by the need to look after nerves," Chick said. "More surgeons are training in nerve repair and there are better products coming to market. "In the US, there are an estimated 900,000 nerve traumas per annum." Orthocell sees strong growth The only other nerve repair company listed on the ASX, Perth-based Orthocell is the maker of nerve-repair product Remplir, which is approved and reimbursed in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. The product is a collagen wrap designed to enhance the effectiveness of nerve-repair surgeries. Remplir is placed around damaged or repaired peripheral nerves during surgery for protection from surrounding tissue, reducing the risk of scarring or adhesion. It aims to support healing by creating an environment conducive to nerve regeneration, while maintaining healing and ensuring proper regrowth and functional restoration. Orthocell’s regulatory and growth strategy for Remplir continues to progress. The company is undertaking a US market authorisation study and is due to submit a US 510(k) application with the FDA in December with approval expected by late Q1 CY25. The approval of Remplir in Australia and New Zealand has resulted in record revenue growth for the company over the last two quarters. With sales expected in Singapore from early 2025 and pending approvals in other jurisdictions, further growth for Orthocell is anticipated. The OCC share price has risen more than 62% YTD. Note: While Renerve and Orthocell are Stockhead advertisers, the companies did not sponsor this article. Originally published as Renerve all set to become only the second nerve-repair stock on the ASX More related stories Stockhead Trump’s tariffs hits ASX, but EML jumps 24pc The ASX has dropped on Tuesday following Trump’s tariff announcement, but EML Payments surged after reporting strong Q1 results. Read more Stockhead Two biotech IPOs test strength of market Two new biotech companies – Vitrafy and Renerve – listed today, breaking an eight-month drought of life sciences IPOs on the ASX. Read moreConnor Gaydos, a man connected to an apparent parody project to relaunch the energy company Enron and become its new CEO , was hit in the face with a pie this week as he was entering a building in New York City. The incident was caught on video and went viral on social media Thursday. The clip shows Gaydos exiting an SUV shortly before an older man slams the pie into his face as two bodyguards intervene. The bizarre incident mirrored one from more than two decades earlier, when a California woman tossed a pie into the face of Enron’s then-CEO Jeffrey Schilling . Earlier this month, a group announced the scandal-plagued Texas company was returning exactly 23 years after filing for bankruptcy amid massive fraud. “With a bold new vision, Enron will leverage cutting-edge technology, human ingenuity, and the spirit of adaptation to address the critical challenges of energy, sustainability, accessibility and affordability,” the company said in a press release that raised questions about its legitimacy. The announcement was reportedly joined by billboards in the Houston area, a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle and a video promoting the company’s comeback. An investigation conducted by Houston station KHOU turned up a disclaimer on the company’s website that read, “The information on the website is First Amendment-protected parody , represents performance art and is for entertainment purposes only.” Many have speculated the company’s reemergence is merely a publicity stunt promoting cryptocurrency .
Climate activists are counting down the hours until they take to the water near the world's biggest coal port, despite government efforts to crack down on their action. or signup to continue reading The multi-day "protestival" will ramp up on Friday morning when participants attempt to occupy parts of Newcastle Harbour and the foreshore with a flotilla. The event near the Port of Newcastle also includes live music and other activities to amplify a call to end the expansion of fossil fuel use. Children are set to join the action as they rally outside Customs House for a School Strike for Climate before joining the harbourside festival later in the day. Frankie Kelly, a 12-year-old primary school student, will participate in the weekend events. "It is scary knowing that I am growing up into a world that is severely affected by climate change, especially when the government continues to approve new coal and gas projects," she said in a statement. "But I feel a little bit better knowing there are people at the strike who will join us in fighting for climate justice." Former federal environment minister and Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett will be part of the live music line-up. The event follows a successful last-minute legal challenge by organisers Rising Tide to overturn a government-ordered "marine exclusion zone" that would have prevented the protesters from entering the water. As a result, the group said protesters could peacefully enter the water off Horseshoe Beach, near the mouth of the harbour, to conduct a flotilla without impeding the nearby shipping channel. Transport for NSW issued the exclusion order a week earlier, including a maximum $1100 fine for anyone entering the water and $3300 fine for anyone in the vicinity who failed to comply with directions. Rising Tide lawyer Felicity Graham successfully argued in the NSW Supreme Court the purpose of such zones was to protect public safety during "special events" on waterways, not prevent them from happening. During the hearing, protest organiser Alexa Stuart agreed Rising Tide promoted civil disobedience and said some of those at the event might break the law to draw more publicity to the cause. "I would say it is likely," she said. Police have repeatedly flagged concerns with the safety of the event, citing a similar action in 2023 that resulted in the arrests of nine people who refused to exit the water at an agreed time. They were successful in an earlier court application to have the planned protest declared unlawful, leaving participants liable to arrest if they block port or other essential infrastructure. Rising Tide is calling for an end to new coal and gas approvals, and the imposition of a 78 per cent tax on coal and gas exports to help fund the energy transition. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement
Three straight setbacks, including an ugly 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, has left the Falcons 6-6 and feeling the pressure. Only a tiebreaker advantage over Tampa Bay has kept the Falcons atop the division. Now the Falcons must prepare to visit streaking Minnesota, which has won five straight . Veteran defensive tackle Grady Jarrett knows the Falcons must solve the flaws which have been exposed in the losing streak. “It’s now or never,” Jarrett said. “You have to flip the mindset fast.” Kirk Cousins threw four interceptions in the loss, matching his career high. Coach Raheem Morris said he didn't consider playing rookie Michael Penix Jr. against the Chargers and won't think about benching Cousins this week. Morris acknowledged the Falcons can't expect to win when turning the ball over four times. It was the latest example of Atlanta's offensive decline. In the three-game losing streak, Cousins has thrown six interceptions with no touchdowns. The Falcons were held under 20 points in each loss. If not for the rash of interceptions which has contributed to the scoring problems, more attention would be devoted to the surge of big plays on defense. The defense forced two fumbles and set a season high with five sacks, including two by Arnold Ebiketie. The Falcons ranked last in the league with only 10 sacks before finding success with their pass rush against Justin Herbert. Herbert was forced to hold the ball while looking for an open receiver, so some credit for the pass-rush success belongs to Atlanta's secondary. The Falcons gave up only two first downs in the second half and 187 yards for the game. Cousins, 36, was expected to be the reliable leader on offense after he signed a four-year, $180 million contract. The four interceptions were his most since 2014 with Washington. Cousins now will be in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons as he returns to Minnesota, his NFL home from 2018-23. Cousins has thrown 13 interceptions, one shy of his career high set in 2022. His passer rating of 90.8 is his lowest since his 86.4 mark as a part-time starter in 2014 with Washington. “Certainly when you haven’t played at the standard you want to a few weeks in a row, you know, you do want to change that, turn it around,” Cousins said. Running back Bijan Robinson had his busiest day of the season, perhaps in an attempt to take heat off Cousins. Robinson's 26 carries set a career high. He ran for 102 yards with a touchdown, his third 100-yard game of the season. He also was heavily involved as a receiver with six catches for 33 yards. With 135 yards from scrimmage, Robinson has eight games this season with more than 100 yards combined as a rusher and receiver, the second-most in the league. Tight end Kyle Pitts had no catches on only two targets. He has only six catches in the last four games after appearing to establish momentum for a big season with two seven-catch games in a span of three weeks in October. Morris noted the Falcons have “so many people that we've got to get the ball to” but noted he'd like to see Pitts more involved. Younghoe Koo's hip issues were such a concern that kicker Riley Patterson was signed to the practice squad on Friday and added to the active roster Saturday. Patterson was on the inactive list as Koo was good on two of three field goals, missing from 35 yards. Koo has made 21 of 29 attempts this season. He did not have more than five misses in any of his first five seasons with Atlanta. 70 — WR Drake London had nine receptions for 86 yards, giving him 70 catches for the season. London, a 2022 first-round draft pick, is the first player in team history with at least 65 receptions in each of his first three seasons. While Ray-Ray McCloud III led the team with a career-best 95 yards on four catches against the Chargers and Darnell Mooney has had some big games, London has been the most consistent receiver. The Falcons face a difficult test Sunday in their visit to Minnesota (10-2), which has five straight wins and is 5-1 at home. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflFalcons feeling the pressure at .500 as Cousins’ interceptions put spotlight on downturn for offenseOpposition forces seeking to overthrow Syria's President Bashar al-Assad launched their biggest offensive in years last week, retaking the northern city of Aleppo and driving government forces out of the region. It was the first significant development in years in Syria's grinding civil war, which after almost 14 years had largely fallen from the world's headlines. It also raises fresh questions about the opposing sides, who supports them, and what might happen next. Here's what we know: What happened in Aleppo? Syrian rebels launched a two-pronged offensive on Aleppo last week, gaining control of the country's second largest city amid little resistance from government troops, according to residents and fighters. The insurgents are a coalition of Turkey-backed mainstream secular groups spearheaded by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and United Nations. The rebels have since pressed their advance to the south and southwest of Aleppo, capturing territory in Hama province and moving into the countryside around Idlib. WATCH | Syrian rebels advance: Rebel forces advance as Syrian military retaliates with airstrikes 10 hours ago Duration 5:33 Russian and Syrian jets struck the rebel-held city of Idlib in northern Syria on Sunday, military sources said, as President Bashar al-Assad vowed to crush insurgents who had swept into the city of Aleppo. Which rebel groups are involved? HTS, formerly known as the Nusra Front, was al-Qaeda's official wing in the Syrian war but the groups broke ties in 2016. Another rebel group — the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, the internationally recognized Syrian opposition — launched a separate offensive from north of Idlib. It represents anti-Assad groups including the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army or Free Syrian Army. Why now? The assault followed the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, ending more than a year of fighting that started shortly after Israel went to war with Hamas in Gaza. Hadi al-Bahra, president of the National Coalition, says rebels began preparing to seize Aleppo a year ago but were delayed by the Israel-Hamas war. "The moment there was a ceasefire in Lebanon, they found that opportunity... to start," he said. Earlier this year, Israeli airstrikes in Aleppo hit both Hezbollah weapons depots and Syrian government forces, among other targets, according to an independent monitoring group. Israel rarely acknowledges strikes against Aleppo or other government-held areas of Syria. Iran which, like Hezbollah, supports the regime, has also been weakened by recent Israeli airstrikes. Russia — Assad's main international backer — is meanwhile preoccupied with its war in Ukraine. WATCH | Russian airstrike kills at least 12: Inside an Aleppo hospital after a deadly Russian military airstrike 1 day ago Duration 2:05 A Russian airstrike at the Aleppo University Hospital in Syria killed at least 12 people and injured more than 20 others. The bombardment, in support of Syrian government forces, followed insurgents seizing control of Aleppo, the country's largest city. Why Aleppo is significant Aleppo, an ancient centre of commerce and culture in the Middle East, was home to 2.3 million people before the war. Rebels seized the east side of the embattled city in 2012, and it became the proudest symbol of the advance of armed opposition factions, but changed hands again when a brutal air campaign by Russia helped al-Assad retake the city. Intervention by Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and other groups did much to keep Assad in power, who now has 70 per cent of Syria under his control. The rest is held by a range of opposition forces and foreign troops. This latest change "has the potential to be really quite, quite consequential and potentially game-changing," if Syrian government forces can't hold their ground, said Charles Lister, a longtime Syria analyst with the U.S.-based Middle East Institute. Which countries are involved? Syria is split into three regions: each controlled by either the Assad regime, opposition forces or the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led coalition of U.S.-backed ethnic militias and rebel groups opposed by Turkey. Russia and Iran have sway over government-held areas, the single biggest chunk of Syria. The U.S. has forces in the northeast and east, backing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. Turkey has troops in the rebel-held northwest. WATCH | Syrian army redeploys: Syrian rebels capture most of Aleppo in 1st major offensive since 2020 2 days ago Duration 3:01 The Syrian army said on Saturday dozens of its soldiers had been killed in a major attack by rebels who swept into the city of Aleppo, forcing the army to redeploy in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad in years. Hezbollah, the regime's third main supporter, does not currently intend to send fighters to northern Syria to support Assad, according to sources who spoke to Reuters. Turkish forces have previously attacked northeast Syria, wanting to eliminate one of its main concerns on its borders: Kurdish-led groups. Iran has pledged to aid the Syrian government and on Monday hundreds of fighters from Tehran-backed Iraqi militias crossed into Syria to help fight the rebels, Syrian and Iraqi sources said. What happens now? Syria's government has scrambled its forces to push back the offensive, with help from Russia. Both the government and Russia have been rushing reinforcements and striking rebel-held areas as they attempt to stall the opposition's momentum. Airstrikes pummelled Idlib in northwestern Syria on Monday, killed at least a dozen civilians including children, according to the White Helmets, a volunteer rescue group also known as Syrian Civil Defence. At least 44 civilians, including 12 children and seven women, were killed in northwest Syria from Tuesday to Saturday, according to the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Iran-backed militia fighters enter Syria to help government forces fight off rebels Syrian rebels storm into Aleppo in largest assault on the city in years Syrian authorities close Aleppo airport after rebels breach city in shock attack OCHA added that over 48,500 people had been displaced, with key infrastructure — including hospitals, schools and water stations — damaged in the escalating hostilities. The United Nations has described the situation in Aleppo as "volatile and unpredictable." "The latest developments pose severe risks to civilians and have serious implications for regional and international peace and security," said UN Syria envoy Geir O. Pedersen in a statement. A rebel fighter carries a weapon as he stands at the entrance of Saraqeb town in northwestern Idlib province in Syria on Sunday. (Mahmoud Hassano/Reuters)
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Tests keep coming for Auburn and Duke, who collide at Cameron Indoor Stadium in a typical prove-it game in a rare environment on Wednesday night. No. 2 Auburn and No. 9 Duke square off less than one month into the season as two of the most battle-tested teams in basketball. They're matched as one of the marquee games in the crossover showcase known as the ACC-SEC Challenge. Auburn (7-0) jumped two spots in the latest Top 25 poll propelled by its Maui Invitational championship. In one of Feast Week's toughest brackets, the Tigers rallied from 18 points down to beat then-No. 4 Iowa State, handled then-No. 12 North Carolina 85-72 and rolled past Memphis 90-76 in the title game. With a week off to shed any remnants of jet lag returning from the islands, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl is pointing to another potential resume-building win. "The confidence that we're going to get from (Maui) is that we know we can play with anybody," Pearl said. "I promise you this, we'll stay humble and hungry. We will not begin to think too much of ourselves." Helping lead Auburn in Maui was fifth-year power forward Johni Broome. The tournament's MVP, Broome averaged 21.7 points, 15 rebounds, 4.3 assists and three blocks in the three-game sweep. Spearheading a veteran Tigers roster, Broome couldn't care less about individual honors. "I wanted to come to a place where the foundation was already built, and that's why I came to Auburn," Broome said. "Winning player of the year doesn't matter to me. I care about winning games, and making sure I can help my team in any way." Broome's 20.7 points and 12.9 rebounds per game lead the Tigers, while Chad Baker-Mazara adds 12.6 ppg and Denver Jones chips in 11.1. Auburn's next roadblock is earning its first-ever win against Duke. The Tigers are 0-3 all-time against the Blue Devils, including a six-point loss in the 2018 Maui Invitational. Duke (5-2) has already been through three games against ranked opponents. The Blue Devils had a 77-72 loss against then-No. 19 Kentucky, a 14-point win at then-No. 17 Arizona and a 75-72 defeat against No. 1 Kansas last week in Las Vegas. "Best team we've played so far," Pearl said of Duke. Bouncing back on Friday, the Blue Devils took down Seattle 70-48, holding the Redhawks to just 10 made field goals on 47 attempts (21.3 percent). Despite the suffocating defensive effort, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer knows his team has a long way to go. "I wasn't really happy with much tonight, to be honest," Scheyer said on Friday. "I thought we rushed some shots, had too many turnovers. We need to finish stronger, drive stronger, make extra passes, there were a whole bunch of things. ... We just need to get back to practice. In fairness to our guys, we've been traveling a lot and we just need practice time." Pacing the Blue Devils in scoring is five-star freshman Cooper Flagg. He's averaging 15.9 points per game to go along with 8.3 rebounds. Fellow freshman Kon Knueppel adds 13.4 points per contest. Far less seasoned raw freshman, big man Khaman Maluach has given Duke's interior defense an edge it was lacking last season. A projected lottery pick who can be overshadowed by the Flagg publicity train, Maluach (7-2, 248) is averaging 8.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and has two three-block games. In last year's inaugural ACC-SEC Challenge, Duke lost at Arkansas 80-75 and Auburn topped Virginia Tech 74-57. --Field Level Media
Lowey Dannenberg Notifies Dentsply Sirona Inc. (“Dentsply Sirona,” “Dentsply,” or the ...Robbins LLP Informs Proficient Auto Logistics, Inc. Stockholders that it is Investigating the Officers and Directors of PAL to Determine if They Breached Fiduciary Duties Owed to ShareholdersUS markets continued to rally on Wednesday as investors continued to cheer President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Hedge Fund manager Scott Bessent as treasury secretary. Crude prices fell, as did the treasury yields, while the US Dollar weakened against peers. NSE The Dow Jones rose 1% or nearly 450 points, while the S&P 500 made a new high of 6,020 before closing below that level with gains of 0.3%. A mixed bag day for big tech meant that the Nasdaq Composite underperformed, although it closed with gains as well. The Smallcap-focused Russell 2000 index also ended 1.5% higher, making a new high of 2,466. Bitcoin slipped after a surge toward $100,000 fizzled just shy of the historic level. Oil sank as Israel moved closer to a cease-fire with Hezbollah. The yield on 10-year Treasuries declined 14 basis points to 4.26%. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.5%. “Investors are viewing this nomination as one that will provide a Goldilocks scenario for Mr. Trump’s pro-business proposals,” said Matt Maley at Miller Tabak + Co. A year-end rally will push the S&P 500 to 6,200 points, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s Scott Rubner. Retail euphoria is accelerating just as stocks enter their best seasonal trading pattern. Corporate demand for buybacks is also increasing, adding to the reasons why the rally could start in the coming days, Rubner said in a note to clients on Friday. At RBC Capital Markets, Lori Calvasina says the S&P 500 is set to reach the 6,600 level by the end of 2025 due to what’s likely to be another year of solid economic and earnings growth, some political tailwinds, and additional relief on inflation. Her team’s new price target “does bake in the idea that the S&P 500 will experience a 5-10% drawdown before too long.” Elevated positioning, recent froth in sentiment, and higher valuations leave the S&P 500 vulnerable to bad news and perhaps simply in need of a breather. And Barclays Plc strategists expect further stock-market upside in 2025 amid constructive positioning and a solid macroeconomic backdrop, even though gains are set to slow from the breakneck pace seen this year and last. The team led by Venu Krishna raised its S&P 500 year-end target to 6,600 from 6,500. While the S&P 500 might be a long way away from fumbling a strong year, don’t get too optimistic about a strong, smooth finish to the year, according to Callie Cox at Ritholtz Wealth Management. “Investors are especially upbeat right now, too. We all love a good collective mood before the holidays, but I’m worried we could get caught off guard by bad news,” she concluded. US inflation figures this week that are seen showing stubborn price pressures will reinforce the Federal Reserve’s cautionary posture toward future interest-rate cuts. The personal consumption expenditures price index excluding food and energy — the Fed’s preferred measure of underlying inflation — is projected to have risen by 0.3% in October from September, and by 2.8% from a year earlier, in what would be the largest advance since April. Fed Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee told Fox Business he foresees the central bank continuing to lower rates toward a stance that neither restricts nor promotes economic activity. (With Inputs From Agencies.)
IPS Commissioner receives death threats after cracking down on criminal, terror orgs in prisonMetal Toad and Laurel Canyon Live Spotlighted in AWS re:Invent 2024 KeynoteThe McMahon family may be WWE royalty, but they have been increasingly distanced from the company for the last several years. Now, however, rumors are swirling that former CEO and WWF Women's Champion Stephanie McMahon may be returning to the fold in some capacity. According to a report by PWInsider , McMahon has recently been spotted at WWE headquarters in Stamford, CT, fuelling rumors that the once-and-perhaps future Billion Dollar Princess may be assuming a new role at the former family business. More News: Fan-Favorite WWE Superstar Makes Unexpected Comeback Like her father Vince, mother Linda, brother Shane, and husband Paul "Triple H" Levesque, McMahon has held numerous roles at WWE over the years. She began her career behind the scenes, initially working in marketing and sales. Over time, she transitioned to an on-screen role, becoming one of WWE's most prominent female characters. She portrayed a range of compelling personas, including a spoiled heiress and a ruthless authority figure, often at the center of dramatic feuds with top superstars. In addition to her in-ring presence, Stephanie took on several high-level executive roles within WWE. As Chief Brand Officer (CBO), she was responsible for overseeing the company's marketing, branding, and creative initiatives, helping to shape WWE's global image and strategic direction. Most recently, Stephanie McMahon resigned as WWE's CEO in 2023, following the return of her father, Vince, as Executive Chairman. Vince had stepped down in 2022 amid allegations of sexual assault and a WWE Board of Directors investigation into hush money payments related to alleged affairs with employees. When Vince retired, Stephanie was appointed co-CEO alongside Nick Khan. However, her resignation came after Vince's reinstatement in the company's leadership. Subsequently, in January, Vince McMahon resigned from WWE, the company he founded nearly six decades ago, following the public revelation of sexual assault allegations in a lawsuit filed the day before. "Vince McMahon has tendered his resignation from his positions as TKO Executive Chairman and on the TKO Board of Directors," Nick Khan, WWE President and a board member of TKO said via statement. "He will no longer have a role with TKO Group Holdings or WWE." More News: Linda McMahon Lying About Education Degree 'Disqualifying': Attorney More recently in family news, Stephanie's mother Linda McMahon, nominated by President-elect Donald J. Trump for the position of Education Secretary, is facing allegations in a recent lawsuit. The suit claims she failed to prevent a WWE ringside announcer from grooming and sexually abusing children during the 1980s and 1990s. Somewhat understandably, the various McMahons have largely stayed away from WWE business in the last year and Stephanie currently holds no official role. However, with her spouse being the Chief Content Officer of the company and her father completely exiled, maybe it's time for her to return. For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports .