Pooches in pullovers strut their stuff at London's canine Christmas sweater paradeBoston, MA, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MiniLuxe Holding Corp. (the "Company") (TSXV: MNLX) today announces that as part of its standard disclosures, the Company has granted 1,103,269 options (against ~145M fully diluted shares) to certain leadership team members of the Company as part of its ongoing incentive program to award equity of options in lieu of cash compensation. The average strike price for these options is .36 CDN reflecting the price of MNLX at the time cash compensation was forgone by employees. In certain cases of senior leadership, equity-based options make up to 30 to 100 percent of an executive’s base salary compensation. Any new option awards continue to draw from the existing employee incentive pool with no net new incremental dilution to shareholders. There was delay in the formal announcement and grant of the options given that the Company was waiting for options to be returned to the pool to avoid any shareholder dilution that might come from an expansion of the pool. The options are subject to a 1-year cliff vesting schedule and are exercisable for subordinate voting shares of the Company for a period of 10 years following the date of grant. About MiniLuxe MiniLuxe , a Delaware corporation based in Boston, Massachusetts. MiniLuxe is a lifestyle brand and talent empowerment platform servicing the beauty and self-care industry. The Company focuses on delivering high-quality nail care and esthetic services and offers a suite of trusted proprietary products that are used in the Company’s owned-and-operated studio services. For over a decade, MiniLuxe has been elevating industry standards through healthier, ultra-hygienic services, a modern design esthetic, socially responsible labor practices, and better-for-you, cleaner products. MiniLuxe aims to radically transform a highly fragmented and under-regulated self-care and nail care industry through its brand, standards, and technology platform that collectively enable better talent and client experiences. In addition to creating long-term durable economic returns for stakeholders, MiniLuxe is expanding its reach through franchising, offering entrepreneurs the opportunity to partner with a brand recognized as the best nail salon franchise . MiniLuxe seeks to empower one of the most diverse and largest hourly worker segments through professional development, economic mobility, and ownership opportunities. For its clients, MiniLuxe offers best-in-class self-care services and better-for-you products, and for nail care and beauty professionals, MiniLuxe seeks to become the employer of choice. Since its inception, MiniLuxe has performed over 4 million services. For further information Christine Mastrangelo Investor Relations, MiniLuxe Holding Corp. cmastrangelo@MiniLuxe.com MiniLuxe.com
BUCHAREST, Romania — TikTok took down several networks that tried to meddle in Romania’s elections, executives said Tuesday as they defended the company’s election integrity measures to European Union lawmakers. The video-sharing platform is a focus of controversy in the Eastern European country after far-right outsider Calin Georgescu emerged as the front-runner in the vote, plunging the nation into turmoil amid allegations of electoral violations and Russian meddling. Among the networks that TikTok uncovered were two small groups that it disrupted on Friday, days after the first round of voting, Brie Pegum, the platform’s global head of product, authenticity and transparency, told a committee. Both networks targeted Romanian users. One had only 1,781 followers and supported Georgescu, who was a little-known independent candidate until he set off shock waves by convincingly winning the first round of voting, beating the incumbent prime minister. The other networks supported different candidates, Pegum said. Many observers chalked up Georgescu’s success to his TikTok account, which now has 5.8 million likes and 527,000 followers. He gained huge traction and popularity in the weeks leading up to the first vote. Experts suspect Georgescu’s online following was artificially inflated while officials hinted that he was given preferential treatment by TikTok. The controversy highlights how TikTok has become a key election tool in Romania, an EU and NATO member state that shares a long border with war-torn Ukraine. TikTok applied its “global playbook” for the Romanian election and took a local approach with staff on the ground, said Caroline Greer, the company’s top lobbyist in the EU. Greer and Pegum were being grilled by EU lawmakers about TikTok’s role in the Romanian vote as well as its compliance with the 27-nation bloc’s Digital Services Act, a sweeping set of regulations designed to protect users online from illegal or harmful content. Greer said TikTok deployed 95 Romanian language content moderators, worked with a fact-checking group and met with political parties and a number of different authorities including the country’s electoral authority. But many lawmakers were not satisfied with their responses. “The feeling here is that we are losing patience ... and that we need more specific answers,” said Dirk Gotink, a Dutch member of the European Parliament. He also questioned what the scores of Romanian content moderators were doing during the election, and compared Pegum and Greer to firefighters TikTok sent to put out a fire. “They come, they let the fire rage online for weeks, months, during an election. And then they send very nice people here into this committee to answer questions in a very polite way,” Gotink said. “But it is simply not convincing — and it also doesn’t reflect what is happening online.” According to a report by the Bucharest-based Expert Forum think tank, Georgescu’s TikTok account garnered 92.8 million views primarily within the last few months, a figure that grew by 52 million views a week later, just days ahead of the first-round vote. Another TikTok account solely featuring Georgescu content, which had 1.7 million likes on the night first-round polls closed, was removed the day after voting. It had posts with Georgescu attending church, doing judo, running around an oval track, and speaking on podcasts. In an emailed statement to the Associated Press on Monday, TikTok said the account was one of “more than 150 accounts impersonating Georgescu” to date that has been removed, but added: “We also removed more than 650 additional impersonation accounts belonging to other candidates.” Georgescu will face reformist Elena Lasconi, of the progressive Save Romania Union party, in a presidential runoff on Sunday. Chan and McGrath write for the Associated Press. Chan reported from London.LOS ANGELES — The locker room after the Rams’ 37-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles was as quiet as any this season. Players shouldered blame in quiet, shorts responses to reporters’ questions before filing out and into the night. As they dissected what had just happened, the Rams (5-6) also looked ahead and stated they could not afford for this game to spiral into the next game, which is Sunday’s matchup with the New Orleans Saints (4-7). “Just make sure you turn the page. Obviously, there are things that we want to correct from the game and find ways to be better moving forward, but make sure that we come out with great energy today. It starts today,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said before Wednesday’s practice. “There are going to be things we want to clean up from practice, make sure we do that and move on day-to-day with the right attitude and the right spirit.” As the Rams have gone about making those corrections, a consistent word has come to mind: Consistency. Asked what he’s looking for from the defense Sunday after its worst performance since the early weeks of the season, head coach Sean McVay used that word. He spoke about playing as a unit, sticking to assignments, coverage and pass rush complementing each other. Then he added with a smile, “Same things I’m looking for on the defense would be exactly how I would answer your offensive question as well.” Even 11 games into the season, we still haven’t seen the Rams offense perform with the type of consistency you would expect from a group with this much talent. Against the Eagles, the Rams moved the ball well in the first quarter, reaching the red zone twice without needing a third down. But any momentum was quickly lost with a 10-play second quarter that resulted in a loss of six yards. It was the same story a week before, with the offense blazing in the second and third quarters against the Patriots while going nowhere in the first and fourth quarters. “It’s kind of the word ‘consistency’ right now,” Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. “There are times where it feels like we go right down the field and put it in, and there are other times where it just feels a little bit harder than it should. I think that’s the biggest key right now.” The defense is facing a similar obstacle. The Rams are among the best in the NFL at holding teams without a touchdown in the red zone, limiting opponents to a 48.8% success rate. That ranks eighth in the league, but the flip side is that the Rams allow teams 3.7 trips into the red zone per game, which is tied for 28th. Defensive tackle and captain Kobie Turner raised the issue of allowing too many long drives following the Eagles loss, and defensive coordinator Chris Shula agreed with the assessment. “Some of that, especially the other night, they were in third downs a decent amount of time and it was a third and favorable,” Shula said. “Then, finding a way to get stops, finding a way to play, get them off track, get them into 2nd-and-longs where you get those 3rd-longs, and you can earn the right to rush the passer.” Entering Week 13, it’s not encouraging that the Rams are still struggling to find consistency in their execution. But to this point, it hasn’t upended their season. The wild card might be out of reach, but the NFC West title is still up for grabs. But that starts with a road win against a Saints team playing with nothing to lose. “We know that it’s going to be a great challenge, especially at their place. It’ll be rocking atmosphere and environment with the holidays and the momentum they have,” McVay said. “We’ve a lot of guys that are experiencing things for the first time. I have seen the resolve of this group show itself. Now, we’ve to do it.” RAMS (5-6) at NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-7) When: 1:05 p.m. Sunday Where: Superdome, New Orleans TV/radio: FOX (Ch. 11)/710 AM; 93.1 FM; 1330 AM (Spanish); Sirius 382, 226
Dauphin County consultant got nearly $200K in grant money from program he oversees
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams appears open to switching parties to become a Republican, as he declined to rule out a future change in political allegiances during a pair of interviews Friday that came as he has increasing warmed to President-elect Donald Trump. The comments from Adams, the top Democrat in one of the country's most liberal cities, riled critics who have grown concerned over the mayor's increasing willingness to throw his support behind Trump and his hardline immigration policies. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.TOKYO — Japan’s popular Princess Aiko turned 23 on Sunday, as she takes on more official duties even while her future in the imperial family remains in doubt. Aiko, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, graduated from university earlier this year and has since been participating in official duties and palace rituals while working at the Red Cross Society, according to the Imperial Household Agency. But Japanese law requires her to renounce her royal status and leave the family if she marries outside the imperial family. The vast majority of Japan’s public supports changing the law to allow her to remain a royal and become emperor, but conservatives in the governing party insist on keeping male-only succession. Japan’s rapidly dwindling imperial family has only 16 members, including four men. Aiko was to mark her birthday with her parents at the imperial palace in Tokyo. The IHA also released several photos of Aiko, including one of her standing by a persimmon tree at a palace garden. Another showed her holding pieces of traditional hand-crafted washi paper that she made at a workshop during her first solo official trip in October to the National Sports Festival in Japan’s southwestern prefecture of Saga. Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . The 1947 Imperial House Law, which largely preserves conservative prewar family values, allows only males to take the throne and forces female royals who marry outside the family to give up their status. With only one young male member, that puts the survival of the 2,000-year-old monarchy in jeopardy. The youngest male member of the imperial family, Prince Hisahito — Aiko's 18-year-old cousin — is currently the last heir apparent, posing a major problem for the system. The government is looking for a way to keep the succession stable without relying on women, such as allowing the family to adopt new male members from former noble families that lost their status after World War II. Aiko's own views on the topic are unknown. She's only had one full news conference, when she reached adulthood. Last month, the United Nations women’s rights committee in Geneva issued a report that called for the Japanese government to allow a female emperor, among other issues hindering gender equality in the country. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi dismissed the report “regrettable” and “inappropriate.” He said the imperial succession is a matter of fundamental national identity and that it is not covered by constitutional basic rights. Crown Prince Akishino, Aiko's uncle, was asked about the succession debate at a news conference marking his 59th birthday Saturday, and replied that members of the royal family are “living humans” and that the palace officials who support their daily lives should know how it affects them. At her work at the Japanese Red Cross Society, Aiko is assigned to volunteer training program, the IHA said. On weekends, it said, the princess enjoys taking walks with her parents and playing volleyball, tennis and badminton with palace officials.
TORONTO — Strength in base metal stocks helped lift Canada's main stock index Tuesday, while U.S. stock markets were mixed. Markets took on a cautious tone Tuesday, said Greg Taylor, chief investment officer at Purpose Investments. “We had a super strong month of November across the board, and then yesterday was kind of a bit of a give back,” he said, noting that weakness in commodities held the TSX back on Monday. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 45.40 points on Tuesday at 25,635.73. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 76.47 points at 44,705.53. The S&P 500 index was up 2.73 points at 6,049.88, while the Nasdaq composite was up 76.96 points at 19,480.91. In Canada, Scotiabank was the first major bank to report earnings, with the rest to come in short order as the sector caps off earnings season. The bank saw its earnings rise year-over-year, and it set aside a smaller sum for loan losses than it did a year ago. However, its profit came in below analyst expectations, and Scotiabank said it expects continued pressure on loan growth in the coming months. Scotiabank’s share price fell more than three per cent, but Taylor said that was likely investors taking some profit after a strong several months for the stock. “There’s not a lot of expectations for any fireworks from the banks this week,” he said. In the U.S., a report showed U.S. employers advertised slightly more job openings at the end of October than they did the month before, ahead of the monthly jobs report at the end of the week. The U.S. Federal Reserve is set to make its last interest rate decision of the year later this month. “The payroll number Friday is going to be interesting to watch,” said Taylor. “It's certainly a case that if you did get a really strong number, you might get some people putting into question the need for another rate cut at this meeting.” But while economic strength and the promised policies of president-elect Donald Trump could mean fewer rate cuts than previously expected in 2025, Taylor said a cut from the Fed later this month is a “foregone conclusion.” In Canada, where the economy hasn’t weathered high rates as well, another cut is expected next week from the central bank, said Taylor. However, if the Fed does pull back on cuts in the coming year, Canada may have to move with more caution, he said, as the divergence could put further downward pressure on the loonie. The Canadian dollar traded for 71.14 cents US, compared with 71.14 cents US on Monday. The January crude oil contract was up US$1.84 at US$69.94 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was down 17 cents at US$3.04 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was up US$9.40 at US$2,667.90 an ounce and the March copper contract was up 13 cents at US$4.20 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian PressMITCHELL — Students in the Mitchell School District work hard to see good performance reflected in their regular report cards. That’s equally true for the school district itself, with the annual district report card giving school leaders insight into school statistics, student academic performance and overall system goals, all the while offering perspective on how the district compares to others around the state. Reports are published for districts in the fall of every school year. ADVERTISEMENT Joe Childs, superintendent for the Mitchell School District, gave a brief rundown of some of those figures at a recent meeting of the Mitchell Board of Education. He also recently talked with the Mitchell Republic about some of the highlights of the 2023-24 report for the Mitchell School District, the most recent such report card. With the student body population playing a large role in district funding, school officials keep a close eye on the latest enrollment figures. The district report card shows the Mitchell district with an enrollment of 2,728 for the 2023-24 school year, which was up a few students from the previous year, which logged 2,725 students. The 2021-22 school year saw a higher enrollment at 2,747 and 2020-21 was even higher at 2,802, which marks the high point for the district since at least 2014-15. Overall state enrollment numbers were also up for 2023-24 over 2022-23, with all districts reporting 167,316 students in 2023-24, up from 166,680 the previous year. Childs said the enrollment for this year, which is not reflected in the new report card, is down by 91 students. “The count day is done, but going into the current school year we are down. We did see a decrease in enrollment, and it wasn’t at just one building or one grade level, it was just kind of across the entire district,” Childs said. ADVERTISEMENT There are several factors that can affect enrollment. Overall rural population decline in the state is one contributor, as is some students choosing alternative education options, such as home-schooling. Childs suspects those factors are affecting not just the Mitchell district, but districts around the state. “I think folks are seeing some of this all across the state, for sure. And I know there are statistics that our state is seeing an increase in alternative sources of education,” Childs said. The report includes information on student socioeconomic status within the district, measuring the percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunches. According to the report, 40% of elementary students qualify for such discounts, along with 39% of Mitchell Middle School. That number takes a dive when students get to high school, with only 28% qualifying for free and reduced lunches. Childs said that drop off can be partially attributed to the lunch habits of the high school students. ADVERTISEMENT “When you’re an elementary student and often a middle school student, you are at school all day, you get there at 8:15 a.m. and you don’t get out until 3:15 p.m. And if you’re having lunch, you either brought lunch or you ate lunch at school. But in high school, you get a little more mobile,” Childs said. With other lunch options for high schoolers, such as going off-campus for lunch, some families simply don’t fill out the applications to qualify for the reduced meal prices. “I would suspect that because of that, you’re seeing 10% of those families that might be eligible for free and reduced lunches simply aren’t completing the forms,” Childs said. According to the report, the district has 153 students who classify as English language learners (EL), which accounts for about 5% of the total student population. Broken down, the highest percentage of those students are at Rosedale Colony and Rockport Colony, where there are 15 and 4 students classified as EL students, making up about 63% and 40% of their respective school bodies. After the colony schools, the numbers and percentages drop, with L.B. Williams Elementary hosting the highest number of students at 46, or 10% of its student body. Mitchell High School is next with 29 for 3%, followed by Gertie Belle Rogers Elementary with 24, for 6%. Mitchell Middle School counts 19 such students for 3% and Longfellow Elementary comes in with 16, or 5%. Childs said the EL population at the district continues to grow. ADVERTISEMENT “The overall numbers in the grand scheme of the total enrollment of our schools, that number is still low, but it is the fastest growing population of students that we have in the Mitchell School District,” Childs said. Mitchell School District Report Card Full by inforumdocs on Scribd Testing scores tracked by the report card also show the Mitchell School District outperforming their peers at both the state and national level. Statistics show reading and ELA scores at 59% proficiency, compared to 51% for the state average. For math scores, the district logged a 54% proficiency rating compared to 44% for the state averages. Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11 are included as part of the survey. All reading and math scores at each grade level rate at above the state average for 2023-24. Mitchell students also tend to outperform their peers in the ACT test. For 2023-24, MItchell students’ average score was 22.3, up from 21.8 in 2022-23 and even with 2021-22. The past three years of state average scores are 21.5 in 2021-22, and 21.1 in 2022-23 and 2023-24. For the national average, scores were 19.8 in 2021-22, 19.5 in 2022-23 and 19.4 in 2023-24. Childs said the ACT test will now be used for state assessment scores for juniors instead of the traditional Smarter Balanced Assessment. Childs expects that change to affect scores as taking the ACT test is optional. ADVERTISEMENT “You don’t have to take the ACT. So when we look at our composite from 2024 and say our composite average is 22.3, that’s the average of those who decided to take the test. So I would imagine we’re going to see that average change, and I have to imagine it’s going to go down,” Childs said. Childs said with ACT taking the place of Smarter Balanced tests for juniors, the state average would also likely see a drop in scores as all the other districts in South Dakota will also be making the switch. The Mitchell School District has made an effort to improve chronic absenteeism in the district, and for the most part, Childs feels those efforts are paying off. Mitchell was one of four South Dakota school districts that were awarded grant money for the Addressing Chronic Absenteeism program from the South Dakota Department of Education in 2023. The district used that funding to hire Aaron Klinger as an attendance liaison and social worker, who began his duties early in 2024. That start date was a little too late to reflect much progress in the 2023-24 report card, but Childs said district statistics suggest overall improvement. “We got him in last year, mid-year, and so he had half a year to work on it, and he hit the ground running for this school year. So we’re hoping to see some improvement moving into next year’s report, and he’s just one component, of course,” Childs said. “(Based on observations) the only place we didn’t make our progress goal was at one of the elementary schools, but the middle school and the other two elementary schools did make some progress toward improving their chronic absenteeism.” The 2023-24 report card shows an attendance rate of 91% and a chronic absenteeism rate of 19%. The state chronic absenteeism rate for that same year is 20.4%. ADVERTISEMENT A priority district goal is the graduation of its students, and Childs noted several statistics show positive performance by students and their instructors. The latest report card shows an on-time graduation rate of 90% for the Mitchell School District, above the 83% state average. The Mitchell district on-time graduation rate has fluctuated between 87% and 93% since 2018. The overall graduation rate for 2023-24 comes in at 93% for Mitchell and 91% for the state average. Those are respectable numbers, but Childs said he was particularly pleased seeing the survey of Mitchell High School graduates’ plans for after graduation. About 76% of graduates are heading off to post-secondary schools, another 21% are entering the workforce and another 2% planned to enter the military. The most popular in-state post-secondary destination for Mitchell students is none other than Mitchell Technical College. “One of the things I get excited about is the graduates’ plans. You can see that 76% of our students are going on to post-secondary, which is the most favorable of the options that they report back to us,” Childs said. “What I think is fun to report is that over 40% of those students are still staying in Mitchell. We have a lot of them that are sticking around here near their South Dakota roots, and we also have students that are kind of going all over the place in some really neat and very prestigious places.” In addition to Mitchell Tech, other common in-state schools picked by Mitchell graduates include South Dakota State University, the University of South Dakota and Dakota Wesleyan University. Notable out-of-state schools include Arizona State, Harvard, the University of Iowa, Dordt University and the University of Nebraska. The full 2023-24 report card for the Mitchell School District can be found at the Mitchell School District website.
Mark Vancil has been called “Michael Jordan’s Boswell.” For more than 30 years that has been the case and it all began when Vancil, a native of far west suburban and charming Sycamore, was a young sportswriter covering the Bulls and their rookie named Jordan for the Chicago Sun-Times. Vancil had come to the paper after getting a journalism degree at Northern Illinois University and working at such newspapers as Florida’s Clearwater Sun and St. Petersburg Times, DeKalb’s Chronicle and the Aurora Beacon-News. “When I came to the Sun-Times in 1984, the Bulls weren’t good, so they took a chance on this young guy,” he told me last week, “I think Michael and I became friends, in part, because I never asked him for anything.” Vancil would soon leave the Sun-Times to cover the NBA for the short-lived sports daily The National. But he never lost touch with Jordan. “I had been thinking about writing books since I was young and finally in Jordan I came upon the perfect subject,” he told me. “I pitched the idea in the late ‘80s and nothing happened. Then in 1992, I was ready.” He was in Southern California, where Michael was practicing with the so-called U.S. “Dream Team” for the Olympics. “We were a stairwell, and he tells me he is going to quit and play baseball,” Vancil says. “I realized that the next season could be his last in the NBA, the timing was perfect for a book.” Vancil explained his idea, telling Jordan, “I can guarantee you a million dollars.” Jordan smiled and said, “You’ve got a million dollars?” “Not yet,” said Vancil. They made a deal, orchestrated an innovative publishing venture and in 1993 the world had “Rare Air: Michael on Michael,” with dozens of striking photos by acclaimed Walter Iooss Jr. and words from Jordan. “This was Michael’s book, his words. I interviewed him all over (on tape) and put it together,” Vancil says. The book was a sensation. It is estimated to have sold more than 2.5 million copies. (You can now find autographed copies online for, oh my, many thousands of dollars.) This success spawned a publishing company called Rare Air Media. Vancil also wrote books about Ken Griffey Jr., Mario Andretti, Dan Marino and musician Johnny Cash. His latest, just published, is unlike the rest but certainly benefits from Vancil’s experiences and opinions. It is a thought-provoking marvel titled “The Last Excellent Man: The Meaning of Our Jordan Year,” which is a bit about Jordan but also a lot else. In it, there is Vancil’s near dust-up with Oprah, the quiet visits Jordan would make to local children’s hospitals, “acts of kindness personal and executed quietly”; and thoughts on politics, technology, sports gambling. Though Vancil, in his self-effacing manner, writes “readers (will) notice that parts of my life string through these pages ... the attention to my own life in these pages is uncomfortable.” Sorry he feels that way but having him pepper the book is what gives it its special kick, its authoritativeness, its philosophical potency as in “The connection between people and their inner lives is largely misunderstood, if acknowledged at all. Yet, it appears to be the source of Jordan’s on-court theatrics, (Taylor) Swift’s three-and-a-half-hour performances, and the soulful countenance with which both travel.” There is no specific “man” referred to in the title, and many men and women are discussed, including Caitlin Clark, Muhammad Ali and Steve Jobs. One of the most moving portions deals with the murder of James Jordan, Michael’s father, whose body was discovered on Aug. 13, 1993, by a fisherman in a South Carolina swamp. I learned things, such as that race car driver Mario Andretti “could pick out his wife in the infield while maneuvering a Ferrari around the track’s 17 turns, sometimes at 180 miles an hour.” I was especially grabbed when Vancil addresses “America’s peculiar desire to attack what it previously cheered.” He writes of the theories surrounding Jordan’s first “retirement,” and how any involved would have had to craft “one of the greatest conspiracies in the history of conspiracies, and then maintained a Black Ops level silence for more than 30 years.” I had not seen Vancil in some time before we sat down last week and our conversation was filled with memories of the newspaper business and the names of mutual friends, such as his high school friend and former Sun-Times and New York Times writer Dirk Johnson. Another of those ink-stained pals, Ron Rapoport, told me, “I remember when Mark was one of us at the Sun-Times, scuffling to get athletes’ quotes and trying to make deadlines, and then all of a sudden he became this journalistic colossus explaining the phenomenon of Michael Jordan to the world. Did James Boswell know as much about Samuel Johnson as Mark does about Jordan? I wonder.” I was happy to hear that Vancil and his wife Laura, who runs a granola company, have been married for more than three decades and have four grown children, often dropping into the family home in the suburbs. And, born storyteller that he is, he told me, “Laura and I went on our first date in mid-January 1993. After dinner, she suggested extending the night at the Old Town Ale House. I was hooked. So, for symmetry, a while later we stopped into the Ale House on our way to a family event, put Patsy Cline on the jukebox, got down on a knee at the bar, and that was that. We were married on Sept. 4.” He still talks to Jordan. They are friends. “Yes,” Vancil says. “Of course our lives have diverged.” He smiles and then says, “For one thing, Michael’s a multi-billionaire and I’m not.” And that’s OK. Money isn’t everything. rkogan@chicagotribune.comBitcoin’s soaring value has caught the attention of high-end fashion brands and retailers, prompting further interest in offering cryptocurrencies as a means of payment to tap in to fresh pockets of wealth and build loyalty with crypto investors. Until recently, only a handful of luxury brands including LVMH LVMH.PA watch labels Hublot and Tag Heuer as well as Kering-owned PRTP.PA fashion brands Gucci and Balenciaga have experimented with crypto payment offers. In recent weeks, upscale French luxury department store Printemps announced it was teaming up with the world’s largest crypto exchange, Binance, and French financial tech company Lyzi to accept cryptocurrencies including bitcoin and ethereum in its stores in France – becoming the first European department store to do so. The move, coming as bitcoin rises, has been noticed by other brands and retailers who are showing interest in joining in. “There have been quite a few calls – it’s generated interest,” said David Princay, president of Binance France, who said the company is in talks with other luxury labels. Luxury lighter and pen maker S.T. Dupont told Reuters it aims to accept cryptocurrency payments in two Paris stores before the holidays. In the realm of experiences, cruise company Virgin Voyages began this month offering its first product accepting bitcoin as a payment option – a $120,000 annual pass for up to a year of sailing on its cruise ships. Regulators have long warned that cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are high-risk assets, with limited uses in the real world. High volatility has been another barrier to wide adoption as a means of payment. But pledges of support from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who is expected to bring in more friendly e-currency regulation, have fueled record-breaking rises for bitcoin. S&P analysts say the narrative is starting to shift, noting that blockchain innovation in financial markets could increase predictability for cryptocurrencies. SEEKING INNOVATIVE BRANDING Luxury labels have long sought to cater to affluent shoppers from the tech industry by opening stores in upscale Silicon Valley malls and issuing products like the Hermes HRMS.PA Apple Watch, for example, which combines signature, stitched leather straps of the French Birkin bag maker with tech giant Apple’s AAPL.O connected timepiece. Now, new wealth generated by bitcoin’s recent highs – topping $107,000 on Monday – comes as the luxury industry faces its biggest slump in years and searches for new sources of growth. Offering cryptocurrency payments can be a way for companies to brand themselves as innovative rather than “a stuffy old brand that’s only selling to the boomers,” said Andrew O’Neill, digital assets lead analyst at S&P Global Ratings. The payment option remains largely symbolic. Retailers usually reconvert the funds to euros or dollars to offset risks of volatility, while for most shoppers, payment methods are seen overall as “something that’s been solved” already by such transaction platforms as PayPal PYPL.O or Venmo, said O’Neill. But for bitcoin investors who have seen a strong rise in the value of their investment, luxury goods – a designer handbag or high-end watch – are an obvious choice for diversifying one’s portfolio, analysts say. In a sign of growing interest from designer labels, Balenciaga recently issued a leather card holder designed to hold “Stax” hardware from crypto wallet company Ledger. The black leather accessory, which retails for 350 euros ($368), includes a keychain and Eiffel Tower charm, and an NFC chip fitted underneath the brand logo. Ledger’s Stax Crypto hardware, its recently developed higher-end hardware with a curved touch screen, sells for $399 at Best Buy BBY.N. The company’s “Flex” hardware, which resembles a mini Amazon Kindle, sells for $249 while the “Nano” version, which looks like a USB key, sells for $79. REACHING YOUNGER CLIENTELE Gregory Boutte, chief client and digital officer for luxury conglomerate Kering, has described the group’s strategy when it comes to technology as “test and learn” rather than “wait and see.” He emphasized the embrace of new technologies as key to reaching younger and Asian clientele. Kering’s star label, Gucci, has since 2022 made purchases available through 10 cryptocurrencies for most of its products in the United States. Printemps is working to expand its crypto payments service to New York City, where it plans to open a multibrand retailer in the Wall Street district in March. Bitcoin’s rise in late 2021 prompted an initial flurry of interest from luxury brands with Tag Heuer, headed at the time by LVMH luxury scion Frederic Arnault, as well as Gucci, accepting payments in cryptocurrency the following year for some purchases in the United States. One crypto advocate who recently used digital assets to make luxury purchases is Eunice Wong, an investor and influencer known as “Eunicorn.” Wong said she used cryptocurrency to buy several high-end watches this year including an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak model. But she is not interested in being drawn in by high end brands seeking to build a closer client relationship, preferring to bypass traditional retail stores and sales routines. That takes too much time, in her view. “If I will buy, I’ll buy on the secondary market, not through them,” she told Reuters. “I want it now.” Source: Reuters (Reporting by Mimosa Spencer in Paris, Editing by Matthew Lewis)
The USS Zumwalt is at a Mississippi shipyard where workers have installed missile tubes that replace twin turrets from a gun system that was never activated because it was too expensive. Once the system is complete, the Zumwalt will provide a platform for conducting fast, precision strikes from greater distances, adding to the usefulness of the warship. “It was a costly blunder. But the Navy could take victory from the jaws of defeat here, and get some utility out of (the ships) by making them into a hypersonic platform,” said Bryan Clark, a defence analyst at the Hudson Institute. The US has had several types of hypersonic weapons in development for the past two decades, but recent tests by both Russia and China have added pressure to the US military to hasten their production. Hypersonic weapons travel beyond Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, with added manoeuvrability making them harder to shoot down. Last year, The Washington Post newspaper reported that among the documents leaked by former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was a defence department briefing that confirmed China had recently tested an intermediate-range hypersonic weapon called the DF-27. While the Pentagon had previously acknowledged the weapon’s development, it had not recognised its testing. One of the US programmes in development and planned for the Zumwalt is the Conventional Prompt Strike. It would launch like a ballistic missile and then release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would travel at speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target. The weapon system is being developed jointly by the Navy and Army. Each of the three Zumwalt-class destroyers would be equipped with four missile tubes, each with three of the missiles for a total of 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. In choosing the Zumwalt, the Navy is attempting to add to the usefulness of a 7.5 billion US dollars (£5.9 billion) warship that is considered by critics to be an expensive mistake despite serving as a test platform for multiple innovations. The Zumwalt was envisioned as providing land-attack capability with an advanced gun system with rocket-assisted projectiles to open the way for Marines to charge ashore. But the system featuring 155mm guns hidden in stealthy turrets was cancelled because each of the rocket-assisted projectiles cost up to one million dollars (£790,000). Despite the stain on their reputation, the three Zumwalt-class destroyers: Zumwalt, Michael Monsoor and Lyndon B Johnson; remain the Navy’s most advanced surface warships in terms of new technologies. Those innovations include electric propulsion, an angular shape to minimise radar signature, an unconventional wave-piercing hull, automated fire and damage control and a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors. The US is accelerating development because hypersonics have been identified as vital to US national security with “survivable and lethal capabilities”, said James Weber, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. “Fielding new capabilities that are based on hypersonic technologies is a priority for the defence department to sustain and strengthen our integrated deterrence, and to build enduring advantages,” he said.
NoneBrisbane news live: Meta outage affecting Facebook, Instagram and WhatsAppThe 2024–25 summer of sport is here, and Seven is setting the pace with an impressive lineup that blends tradition, technology, and some clever storytelling. From cricket to the NFL playoffs, Seven is making sure its coverage isn’t just watched but truly experienced. Rob Maclean , Seven’s national sport sales director, says the secret to Seven’s success is inclusivity. “At its core, Seven’s sport content is for everyone. We tell stories that draw in the first-time viewer while keeping the die-hard fans engaged.” And it’s not just about the broadcast anymore. Seven is putting digital platforms like 7plus front and centre. “We know people’s time is limited, so we offer highlights, minis, and social content for those who want a quick fix,” Maclean explains. But it’s the live-streaming options that really stand out. “Our Hindi feed for the Australia vs. India Tests reached 74,000 viewers, and we’re introducing alternate commentary like The Grade Cricketer for the Big Bash League. It’s all about catering to different fan segments.” Maclean is confident that the future of sports broadcasting is evolving into a more curated, entertainment-driven experience, and Seven is strategically positioning itself at the forefront of this shift. When it comes to integrating sponsors into its coverage, Seven knows that subtlety is key. “Sports fans are smart—they know when something feels forced,” says Maclean. That’s why Seven’s 7RED division works closely with producers to make sure brands genuinely enhance the experience. “The best integrations are entertaining, informative, or insightful,” he says. “We’re always asking, ‘Does this add value for fans?’ For example, we’ve got brands collaborating with us to create unique content that our producers actually love.” It’s a strategy that’s clearly working, with strong advertiser interest across the summer slate. “The NRMA Insurance Test Series between Australia and India is a standout. It ticks all the boxes—big audiences, cultural relevance, and perfect timing leading into Christmas.” Maclean also notes the growing appeal of international sports like the NFL and NBA. “Younger Australians are tuning in more because accessibility has improved. It’s easy to follow now, and that’s opening up new opportunities for brands to connect.” Seven’s coverage wouldn’t be the same without its all-star commentary teams. Chris Jones , Seven’s director of sport, says this summer is particularly exciting with the addition of Aaron Finch. “Having Aaron on board gives us so much flexibility. And we’re still rolling out Ricky Ponting—he’s the world’s best cricket commentator, hands down.” But it’s not just about who’s on the mic—it’s also about how they deliver. “We’ve made a conscious decision to focus on the action on the field. Our commentators aren’t here to reminisce about the ‘good old days.’ We aim to educate, inform, and entertain every time we go to air,” Jones says. And then there’s the tech. Seven is pushing boundaries with new offerings like virtual sets and partnerships with companies like Quidich in India. “We’re doing player tracking and even taking viewers inside players’ helmets so they can see what the athletes are seeing,” says Jones. “This summer, we’re also mic-ing players live and non-live across all forms of cricket, including Tests. It’s game-changing.” With such a packed schedule, Seven isn’t just delivering sport—it’s delivering moments. “The Big Bash League will carry us through January, and we’ll wrap up the cricket season with the Women’s Ashes, including the first-ever day-night Test at the MCG,” says Maclean. “Then, February kicks off with the Super Bowl, LIV Golf Adelaide, the Supercars championship, and Australian thoroughbred racing every Saturday.” And it’s not just sport pulling viewers in. Seven’s entertainment offering is firing too. “Home and Away is back mid-January, and our FAST channels are packed with local and international content from partners like NBCUniversal and Disney,” says Maclean. With more people streaming than ever, Seven’s strategy seems to be paying off. “Since adding cricket to 7plus, we’ve already seen over 70,000 new users register on the platform,” Maclean says. “It’s about giving people reasons to stay engaged—not just with the sport, but with everything else we offer.” Whether it’s short-form highlights, live-streamed alternate feeds, or Ricky Ponting breaking down the action, this is sport as it should be—inclusive, innovative, and downright entertaining. Keep on top of the most important media, marketing, and agency news each day with the Mediaweek Morning Report – delivered for free every morning to your inbox.
Ellis announces candidacy for Assembly special election to fill Fong's old seat
South Florida sees dozens of luxury high-rise buildings start to sinkSo far, major public infrastructure appears to have evaded extensive damage after Thursday’s magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck about 40 miles off Ferndale. The quake did cause damage, particularly in Southern Humboldt County. Windows broke, pipes separated and bottles fell off shelves as the quake rattled buildings. Since the quake, there’s been around two hundred aftershocks surrounding the Mendocino fault the quake originated from, according to a USGS map which captures quakes over magnitude 2.5. For aftershocks, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates there’s a 53% chance another earthquake in the magnitude 5 range will hit, and a 7% chance for the 6 range. “Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and be prepared for aftershocks,” the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said in an update Thursday. HCSO reported no injuries associated with the quake Thursday and said that damage assessments are ongoing, with no major earthquake-related damages so far. Humboldt Bay Fire did not have any earthquake-related calls Thursday and did not have any significant damage reported to them, according to spokesperson Talia Flores. The quake, which struck at 10:44 a.m., triggered a tsunami warning for most of coastal California from the National Tsunami Warning Center, which was later canceled. Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency Thursday in Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties to support emergency response. People reported feeling the quake from Santa Cruz to up the Oregon Coast. According to a USGS map, the quake was strongest on land in Southern Humboldt County, closer to where it originated. “The power went out, so I was in completely in the dark, and when it came back on, I was just ... my office was just destroyed,” Lisa Connell, manager of the Shop Smart in Redway, said on Friday. A shelf that fell off just missed hitting her. As she walked downstairs, she found water pouring out of the ceiling after sprinkler lines broke and broken glass was all over the floor. She estimates the store saw damages around $30,000 from the quake, including $10,000 in broken liquor bottles. “I’m used to living in earthquake country. That was one of the worst,” she said. The store reopened later Thursday. Shelter Cove Resort Improvement District reported some damages to public infrastructure from the quake, including a water main break, a storage tank separation, which are repaired or in the process of being repaired. In Humboldt County, hospitals remained open. Jerold Phelps Community Hospital said in a social media post, “we sustained some broken windows and items knocked off shelves but everyone is safe and our doors remain open.” In an email Thursday, Providence St. Joseph spokesperson Christian Hill said the two Providence hospitals in the county remained fully operational and safe, with medical services running smoothly. Sequoia Park Zoo’s Redwood Sky Walk reopened Friday after closing following the quake. People were reportedly on the skywalk during the quake, though nobody was injured at the zoo and no damage was found during inspections. The Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services asks residents to fill out the Emergency Damage Assessment Form at humboldtgov.org/EmergencyDamageForm . Sage Alexander can be reached at 707-441-0504.MINILUXE ANNOUNCES ISSUANCE OF OPTIONS IN LIEU OF CASH COMPENSATION EXTENDING ITS SHAREHOLDER ALIGNED INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR LEADERSHIP
Following the recent election of Donald Trump as the next president of the U.S., the Biden administration is racing to approve huge quantities of green funding to ensure the U.S. gets the best chance possible at a green transition. The Biden government’s far-reaching climate policy, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), is under threat as President-elect Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut spending on renewable energy and clean tech in favour of greater fossil fuel production. The government is, therefore, racing to advance clean energy before Trump’s inauguration in January. The Loan Programs Office at the Department of Energy (DoE) is working to finalise as many loans as possible before the change of government in January, as its future looks uncertain. During Biden’s leadership, the office announced around $54 billion in loans or loan guarantees, which is just a small portion of its total lending power, for projects such as the and . However, the office has closed just $13.5 billion of the deals to date. Kennedy Nickerson, a former policy adviser to the loan programs office, , “They see the writing on the wall... They want to get out as much money as possible just to safeguard as much progress as they can.” Companies expecting a payout from the Loan Office are now worried that loans could be delayed or stopped under the new Trump administration. In addition to losing out on critical funds and threats to the advancement of the U.S. green transition, some company leaders believe that if their projects are delayed it leaves space for China to move ahead, which could be detrimental to U.S. geopolitical aims . Following the passing of the IRA in 2022, the Loan Programs Office was made responsible for the distribution of up to $400 million in funding. The office, which was established in 2009, has input from thousands of experts at the DoE, making it better prepared to assess green energy and clean tech projects than most commercial banks. Since Biden’s inauguration in January 2021, the office has approved $34 billion in loans for the electric vehicle (EV) and battery industries, aiming to counter China’s dominance in the global market. Funds have been awarded to battery manufacturers and automakers, to strengthen domestic EV and battery supply chains. It has also provided financing for several novel technologies to drive innovation that could help advance the U.S. green transition. The office is now racing to finalise various funding decisions for fear that Trump may attempt to halt green spending once in office. In his July Party , Trump stated his intention to DRILL, BABY, DRILL.” He said, “We will become Energy Independent, and even Dominant again. The United States has more liquid gold under our feet than any other Nation, and it’s not even close. The Republican Party will harness that potential to power our future.” During his first term in office, Trump and withdrew the U.S. from the , which it had joined in 2015. He also sought to establish more opportunities for new drilling on federal land and offshore drilling. Trump has been adamant about his intention to halt programmes and funding from the IRA. “My plan will terminate the Green New Deal, which I call the Green New Scam. Greatest scam in history, probably,” Trump in a September speech. He also plans to overturn on vehicles, , and household appliances. The rush to approve funds has been criticised by the opposition in recent weeks. A from three House Republicans addressed to the head of the Loan Programs Office, Jigar Shah, stated, “The last-minute drive to expedite loans exposes the federal government — and American taxpayers — to tremendous risk.” Shah responded by , “Our process remains the same... We continue to do everything with a fine-toothed comb. But right now, borrowers are sufficiently motivated to move more quickly.” The rush to finalise funding decisions started even before the November presidential election when the office recognised the potential shift in policy approach. In October, Katie Harris with BlueGreen Alliance, a coalition of union and environmental groups, , “The Biden-Harris administration is trying to get this money out the door and get it fully obligated.” Harris added, “It’s quite the undertaking.” By early September, $61 billion in climate funding had been awarded across several government departments, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, with much of it allocated this year. This figure does not include the significant that have been awarded. While it will be impossible to complete all the pending loans under the Loan Programs Office and other government agencies, the Biden administration is making a clear effort to distribute the funding as quickly as the bureaucratic process will allow to ensure that the U.S. is given the best possible chance at a green transition. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.comFederal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the USCommandos: Origins delayed to 2025 for more polish and AI behavior enhancements
The US Navy is to transform three, white elephant, stealth destroyers by fitting them with first-of-their-kind shipborne hypersonic weapons. The USS Zumwalt is at a Mississippi shipyard where workers have installed missile tubes that replace twin turrets from a gun system that was never activated because it was too expensive. Once the system is complete, the Zumwalt will provide a platform for conducting fast, precision strikes from greater distances, adding to the usefulness of the warship. “It was a costly blunder. But the Navy could take victory from the jaws of defeat here, and get some utility out of (the ships) by making them into a hypersonic platform,” said Bryan Clark, a defence analyst at the Hudson Institute. Hypersonic weapons travel beyond Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, with added manoeuvrability making them harder to shoot down. Last year, The Washington Post newspaper reported that among the documents leaked by former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was a defence department briefing that confirmed China had recently tested an intermediate-range hypersonic weapon called the DF-27. While the Pentagon had previously acknowledged the weapon’s development, it had not recognised its testing. One of the US programmes in development and planned for the Zumwalt is the Conventional Prompt Strike. It would launch like a ballistic missile and then release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would travel at speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target. The weapon system is being developed jointly by the Navy and Army. Each of the three Zumwalt-class destroyers would be equipped with four missile tubes, each with three of the missiles for a total of 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. In choosing the Zumwalt, the Navy is attempting to add to the usefulness of a 7.5 billion US dollars (£5.9 billion) warship that is considered by critics to be an expensive mistake despite serving as a test platform for multiple innovations. The Zumwalt was envisioned as providing land-attack capability with an advanced gun system with rocket-assisted projectiles to open the way for Marines to charge ashore. But the system featuring 155mm guns hidden in stealthy turrets was cancelled because each of the rocket-assisted projectiles cost up to one million dollars (£790,000). Despite the stain on their reputation, the three Zumwalt-class destroyers: Zumwalt, Michael Monsoor and Lyndon B Johnson; remain the Navy’s most advanced surface warships in terms of new technologies. Those innovations include electric propulsion, an angular shape to minimise radar signature, an unconventional wave-piercing hull, automated fire and damage control and a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors. The US is accelerating development because hypersonics have been identified as vital to US national security with “survivable and lethal capabilities”, said James Weber, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. “Fielding new capabilities that are based on hypersonic technologies is a priority for the defence department to sustain and strengthen our integrated deterrence, and to build enduring advantages,” he said.