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Syrian rebels who overthrew the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad on Sunday are reportedly executing their opponents, imposing Islamic sharia law, and threatening non-Muslim minorities, including the Kurdish population in the north. Videos are circulating on social media showing Syrian rebels killing people associated with the regime — some of whom may have been part of the state security services, and others who appear to have been ordinary employees. The New York Times reported Tuesday: Islamic State forces on Tuesday killed 54 people in the Homs region in central Syria who had been part of the Syrian government’s military and fled during the collapse of the Assad regime, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group. The killings highlight the chaos in Syria as various rebel factions operate in different regions. One video also shows thousands of smashed bottles of liquor at the duty free store of the Damascus airport, where Islamist rebels apparently enforced the Islamic ban on alcohol by force, as Islamists did in Lebanon in the 1980s. In addition, Islamist rebels, backed by Turkey, have been threatening Kurdish communities, backed by the U.S. The Times reported that the Syrian rebels are fighting with Kurdish militias: Fierce fighting was underway on Tuesday between rebels supported by Turkey and U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led forces near Kobani, a town in northern Syria with historic and symbolic significance for American involvement in the region. The fight illustrates how, even as rebels try to build a government after taking Damascus, armed groups with competing interests are still fighting for territory and power, trying to fill the vacuum left by a collapsed regime and, in this case, pitting proxies of the United States and Turkey against each other. U.S. Central Command commanding officer General Erik Kurilla actually visited Syria on Tuesday, reviewing the current state of preparations among U.S. troops and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted hundreds of airstrikes on Syrian army positions and arms stockpiles, destroying what was left of the military Assad abandoned, preventing it from falling into rebel hands. Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days , available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency , now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak .By HILLEL ITALIE NEW YORK (AP) — Even through a year of nonstop news about elections, climate change, protests and the price of eggs, there was still time to read books. Related Articles Books | Percival Everett, 2024 National Book Award winner, rereads one book often Books | Gift books for 2024: What to give, and what to receive, for all kinds of readers Books | Our critic’s picks: Best mystery fiction books of 2024 Books | 10 best books of 2024: The surprising reads that stuck Books | ‘We are time’s subjects’: Author Clock keeps track of the hours, one literary quotation at a time U.S. sales held steady according to Circana, which tracks around 85% of the print market, with many choosing the relief of romance, fantasy and romantasy. Some picked up Taylor Swift’s tie-in book to her blockbuster tour, while others sought out literary fiction, celebrity memoirs, political exposes and a close and painful look at a generation hooked on smartphones. Here are 10 notable books published in 2024, in no particular order. Asking about the year’s hottest reads would basically yield a list of the biggest hits in romantasy, the blend of fantasy and romance that has proved so irresistible fans were snapping up expensive “special editions” with decorative covers and sprayed edges. Of the 25 top sellers of 2024, as compiled by Circana, six were by romantasy favorite Sarah J. Maas, including “House of Flame and Shadow,” the third of her “Crescent City” series. Millions read her latest installment about Bryce Quinlan and Hunter Athalar and traced the ever-growing ties of “Maasverse,” the overlapping worlds of “Crescent City” and her other series, “Throne of Glass” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses.” If romantasy is for escape, other books demand we confront. In the bestselling “The Anxious Generation,” social psychologist Jonathan Haidt looks into studies finding that the mental health of young people began to deteriorate in the 2010s, after decades of progress. According to Haidt, the main culprit is right before us: digital screens that have drawn kids away from “play-based” to “phone-based” childhoods. Although some critics challenged his findings, “The Anxious Generation” became a talking point and a catchphrase. Admirers ranged from Oprah Winfrey to Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee, who in a letter to state legislators advocated such “commonsense recommendations” from the book as banning phones in schools and keeping kids off social media until age 16. Bob Woodward books have been an election tradition for decades. “War,” the latest of his highly sourced Washington insider accounts, made news with its allegations that Donald Trump had been in frequent contact with Russian leader Vladimir Putin even while out of office and, while president, had sent Putin sophisticated COVID-19 test machines. Among Woodward’s other scoops: Putin seriously considered using nuclear weapons against Ukraine, and President Joe Biden blamed former President Barack Obama, under whom he served as vice president, for some of the problems with Russia. “Barack never took Putin seriously,” Woodward quoted Biden as saying. Former (and future) first lady Melania Trump, who gives few interviews and rarely discusses her private life, unexpectedly announced she was publishing a memoir: “Melania.” The publisher was unlikely for a former first lady — not one of the major New York houses, but Skyhorse, where authors include such controversial public figures as Woody Allen and Trump cabinet nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And its success was at least a minor surprise. Melania Trump did little publicity for the book, and offered few revelations beyond posting a video expressing support for abortion rights — a break from one of the cornerstones of GOP policy. But “Melania” still sold hundreds of thousands of copies, many in the days following her husband’s election. Taylor Swift was more than a music story in 2024. Like “Melania,” the news about Taylor Swift’s self-published tie-in to her global tour isn’t so much the book itself, but that it exists. And how well it sold. As she did with the “Eras” concert film, Swift bypassed the established industry and worked directly with a distributor: Target offered “The Eras Tour Book” exclusively. According to Circana, the “Eras” book sold more than 800,000 copies just in its opening week, an astonishing number for a publication unavailable through Amazon.com and other traditional retailers. No new book in 2024 had a better debut. Midnight book parties are supposed to be for “Harry Potter” and other fantasy series, but this fall, more than 100 stores stayed open late to welcome one of the year’s literary events: Sally Rooney’s “Intermezzo.” The Irish author’s fourth novel centers on two brothers, their grief over the death of their father, their very different career paths and their very unsettled love lives. “Intermezzo” was also a book about chess: “You have to read a lot of opening theory — that’s the beginning of a game, the first moves,” one of the brothers explains. “And you’re learning all this for what? Just to get an okay position in the middle game and try to play some decent chess. Which most of the time I can’t do anyway.” Lisa Marie Presley had been working on a memoir at the time of her death , in 2023, and daughter Riley Keough had agreed to help her complete it. “From Here to the Great Unknown” is Lisa Marie’s account of her father, Elvis Presley, and the sagas of of her adult life, notably her marriage to Michael Jackson and the death of son Benjamin Keough. To the end, she was haunted by the loss of Elvis, just 42 when he collapsed and died at his Graceland home while young Lisa Marie was asleep. “She would listen to his music alone, if she was drunk, and cry,” Keough, during an interview with Winfrey, said of her mother. Meanwhile, Cher released the first of two planned memoirs titled “Cher” — no further introduction required. Covering her life from birth to the end of the 1970s, she focuses on her ill-fated marriage to Sonny Bono, remembering him as a gifted entertainer and businessman who helped her believe in herself while turning out to be unfaithful, erratic, controlling and so greedy that he kept all the couple’s earnings for himself. Unsure of whether to leave or stay, she consulted a very famous divorcee, Lucille Ball, who reportedly encouraged her: “F— him, you’re the one with the talent.” A trend in recent years is to take famous novels from the past, and remove words or passages that might offend modern readers; an edition of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” cuts the racist language from Mark Twain’s original text. In the most celebrated literary work of 2024, Percival Everett found a different way to take on Twain’s classic — write it from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. “James,” winner of the National Book Award, is a recasting in many ways. Everett suggests to us that the real Jim was nothing like the deferential figure known to millions of readers, but a savvy and learned man who concealed his intelligence from the whites around him, and even from Twain himself. Salman Rushdie’s first National Book Award nomination was for a memoir he wished he had no reason to write. In “Knife,” he recounts in full detail the horrifying attempt on his life in 2022, when an attendee rushed the stage during a literary event in western New York and stabbed him repeatedly, leaving with him a blinded eye and lasting nerve damage, but with a spirit surprisingly intact. “If you had told me that this was going to happen and how would I deal with it, I would not have been very optimistic about my chances,” he told The Associated Press last spring. “I’m still myself, you know, and I don’t feel other than myself. But there’s a little iron in the soul, I think.”The Latest: UnitedHealthcare shooting suspect contests his extradition back to New York Manhattan police have obtained a warrant for the arrest of 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione , suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . Canadian Press Dec 10, 2024 1:31 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Suspect Luigi Mangione is taken into the Blair County Courthouse on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa. (Benjamin B. Braun/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP) Manhattan police have obtained a warrant for the arrest of 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione , suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson . Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, while carrying a gun, mask and writings linking him to the ambush. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Here's the latest: The White House condemns the ‘horrific’ killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre says “violence to combat any sort of corporate greed is unacceptable” and the White House will “continue to condemn any form of violence.” She declined to comment on the investigation into the Dec. 4 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson or reports that writings belonging to the suspect, Luigi Mangione, said insurance companies care more about profits than their customers. “This is horrific,” Jean-Pierre said of the fatal shooting of Thompson as he walked in Manhattan. Mangione leaves the courthouse He didn’t appear to say anything as deputies led him to a waiting car outside. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issues a statement on the shooting “I’m deeply grateful to the men and women of law enforcement whose efforts to solve the horrific murder of Brian Thompson led to the arrest of a suspect in Pennsylvania,” Gov. Hochul said in the statement. “I am coordinating with the District Attorney’s Office and will sign a request for a governor’s warrant to ensure this individual is tried and held accountable. Public safety is my top priority and I’ll do everything in my power to keep the streets of New York safe.” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will issue a governor’s warrant for Mangione so he can stand trial in NY That’s according to a spokesperson for the governor who said Gov. Hochul will do it as soon as possible. From wealth and success to murder suspect, the life of Luigi Mangione took a hard turn Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. ▶ Read more about Luigi Mangione Pennsylvania prosecutor will work with NY officials to return suspect Peter Weeks, the Blair County district attorney, says he’ll work with New York officials to try to return suspect Luigi Mangione there to face charges. Weeks said the New York charges are “more serious” than in Blair County. “We believe their charges take precedent,” Weeks said, promising to do what’s needed to accommodate New York’s prosecution first. Weeks spoke to reporters after a brief hearing at which a defense lawyer said Mangione will fight extradition. The defense asked for a hearing on the issue. In the meantime, Mangione will be detained at a state prison in western Pennsylvania. What New York officials will do to bring Mangione back there Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said Tuesday it will seek a Governor’s warrant to secure Mangione’s extradition to Manhattan. Under state law, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul can issue a warrant of arrest demanding Mangione’s return to the state. Such a warrant must recite the facts necessary to the validity of its issuance and be sealed with the state seal. It would then be presented to law enforcement in Pennsylvania to expedite Mangione’s return to New York. District attorney says Mangione contesting extradition will create ‘extra hoops’ to jump through But Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks says it won’t be a substantial barrier to returning Mangione to New York. He noted that defendants contest extradition “all the time,” including in simple retail theft cases. In court, Mangione said he understood his rights Dickey, his defense lawyer, questioned whether the second-degree murder charge filed in New York might be eligible for bail under Pennsylvania law, but prosecutors raised concerns about both public safety and Mangione being a potential flight risk, and the judge denied it. Mangione will continue to be housed at a state prison in Huntingdon. Defense lawyer Thomas Dickey told the court Mangione wants a hearing on the extradition issue He has 14 days to challenge the detention. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have a month to seek a governor’s warrant out of New York. Mangione’s demeanor in court Mangione, wearing an orange jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion, but was quieted by his lawyer. Suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO is contesting his extradition back to New York Luigi Mangione, 26, has also been denied bail at a brief court hearing in western Pennsylvania. He has 14 days to challenge the bail decision. An account on X that appears to belong to Mangione was still up as of Tuesday That’s with some intervention from owner Elon Musk. The account, which hasn’t posted since June, was briefly suspended by X. But after a user inquired about it in a post Monday, Musk responded “This happened without my knowledge. Looking into it.” The account was later reinstated. Other social media companies such as Meta have removed his accounts. According to X rules, the platform removes “any accounts maintained by individual perpetrators of terrorist, violent extremist, or mass violent attacks, as well as any accounts glorifying the perpetrator(s), or dedicated to sharing manifestos and/or third party links where related content is hosted.” Mangione is not accused of perpetrating a terrorist or mass attack — he has been charged with murder — and his account doesn’t appear to share any writings about the case. Mangione shouted and struggled with officers as he arrived in court He shouted something that was partly unintelligible, but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He’s there for an arraignment on local charges stemming from his arrest Monday. Mangione arrives at court in Pennsylvania He was dressed in an orange jumpsuit as officers led him from a vehicle into the courthouse. Local defense lawyer Thomas Dickey is expected to represent the 26-year-old at a Tuesday afternoon hearing at the Blair County Courthouse. Dickey declined comment before the hearing. Mangione could have the Pennsylvania charges read aloud to him and may be asked to enter a plea. They include possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. In New York, he was charged late Monday with murder in the death of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson. Bulletin says Mangione likely motivated by anger toward ‘parasitic’ health insurance companies Mangione likely was motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain with corporate greed, said a a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s hand-written notes and social media postings. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. Police say they found ‘written admissions about the crime’ in Luigi Mangione’s belongings A felony warrant filed in New York cites Altoona Officer Christy Wasser as saying she found the writings along with a semi-automatic pistol and an apparent silencer. The filing echoes earlier statements from NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny who said Mangione had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America.” Mangione is now charged in Pennsylvania with being a fugitive of justice. McDonald’s customer: ‘My one friend thought he looked like the shooter’ A customer at the McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where Mangione was arrested said one of his friends had commented beforehand that the man looked like the suspect wanted for the shooting in New York City. “It started out almost a little bit like a joke, my one friend thought he looked like the shooter,” said the customer, who declined to give his full name, on Tuesday. “It wasn’t really a joke, but we laughed about it,” he added. Manhattan prosecutors have obtained a warrant for Mangione’s arrest The warrant on murder and other charges is a step that could help expedite his extradition from Pennsylvania. In court papers made public Tuesday, a New York City police detective reiterated key findings in the investigation he said tied Mangione to the killing, including surveillance footage and a fake ID he used to check into a Manhattan hostel on Nov. 24. Police officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, found that ID when they arrested Mangione on Monday. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione doesn’t yet have a lawyer who can speak on his behalf, court officials said. Pennsylvania authorities release photos of Luigi Mangione at McDonald’s and in cell Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and ski cap. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. The suspect’s cousin, a Maryland lawmaker, is postponing a fundraiser Mangione’s cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione, announced Tuesday morning that he’s postponing a fundraiser planned later this week at the Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore, which was purchased by the Mangione family in 1986. “Because of the nature of this terrible situation involving my Cousin I do not believe it is appropriate to hold my fundraising event scheduled for this Thursday at Hayfields,” Nino Mangione said in a social media post. “I want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. My family and I are heartbroken and ask that you remember the family of Mr. Thompson in your prayers. Thank you.” The search for the suspect involved dogs, drones and scuba divers Officers used New York City’s muscular surveillance system . Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door to door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later , those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian’s instincts. A customer at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos New York police had publicized. Suspect is expected to be eventually be extradited to New York He remains jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late Monday evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. It’s unclear whether Luigi Nicholas Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday’s arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.” The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Health Key details about the man accused of killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO Dec 10, 2024 1:49 PM Parents plead guilty in 2021 death of burned, emaciated toddler in Calgary Dec 10, 2024 1:16 PM Bringing awareness to Black Canadian men's health important to Ogbongbemiga Dec 10, 2024 1:11 PM
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The German Embassy in Nigeria has announced the upcoming visit of Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, from December 10 to 12, 2024 to Abuja and Lagos. In Lagos, he will engage with business representatives, visit a start-up hub, and meet with members of Nigeria’s cultural sector and civil society. According to the statement by the embassy, the visit aims to strengthen the robust Nigeria-Germany relations and to express Germany’s appreciation of Nigeria. This visit follows the recent engagements between the two nations, including the visit of Olaf Scholz German Chancellor to Nigeria in October 2023 and the visit of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Germany in November 2023. President Steinmeier’s visit marks the third high-level exchange between the two countries since President Tinubu’s inauguration, highlighting the close ties and mutual interests shared by both nations. The statement notes that the visit also signifies a commitment to working together as strategic partners, given that both countries are the strongest economies and the most populous nations on their respective continents. The state reads: “German Embassy in Nigeria is pleased to announce the visit of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, His Excellency Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Nigeria on the 10th to 12th of December 2024. “The visit aims to underline the strength of Nigeria-Germany relations and to mark Germany’s appreciation of Nigeria. “This high frequency of visits is proof of the close relations between both countries and the serious interest of Germany in Nigeria. It is also evidence of a willingness to work together as strategic partners – an obvious fit, as both countries share striking commonalities, including being the strongest economy and the most populous country on their respective continents”. “President Steinmeier will be accompanied by a business delegation of CEOs and high-ranking board members of some of Germany’s most successful companies in the fields of IT, hightech and energy – an indication of the rising interest of German businesses in opportunities to invest in Nigeria”. During his visit, President Steinmeier will meet with President Tinubu and the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), His Excellency Dr. Alieu Omar Touray. During his Lagos trip, he will meet with Dr. Nike Okundaye, popularly known as Mama Nike, of the Nike Art Gallery, and Prof. Wole Soyinka, the renowned author and Nobel Laureate for Literature. There will also be an opportunity to tour the city of Lagos to gain insights into the urban development of this megacity, including its environmental and social challenges. The President of the Federal Republic of Germany serves as the Head of State, representing Germany both domestically and internationally. His role is largely ceremonial, focusing on mediation and communication, rather than day-to-day politics. This visit is expected to further strengthen the important bilateral relations between Germany and Nigeria.'It's really hard': Town still without grocery store after harrowing fireEmployee-directed giving program, Making Change, brings joy to furry friends this giving season FAIRFAX, Va., Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 'Tis the season of giving, and MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: MNSB & MNSBP), the financial holding company for MainStreet Bank , is spreading holiday cheer by making a significant impact on the lives of animals in the local community. Through a combination of corporate giving and employee volunteerism, the bank is actively supporting local animal rescues and organizations, ensuring a brighter holiday for those with paws, claws, and whiskers. This year, MainStreet Bank employees embraced the season by participating in two volunteer events at local animal shelters. Adding to the festive spirit, 10% of all donations from the bank's unique employee-directed giving program, Making Change , have been dedicated to providing comfort and care to animals in need. MainStreet Bank launched the Making Change program in the spring of 2023. Making Change empowers every full-time employee to direct $1,000 in donations to a local cause close to their heart. This innovative approach allows smaller organizations, often overlooked in traditional corporate giving programs, to receive much-needed support, especially during the holiday season. "Making Change goes beyond traditional corporate giving by empowering our employees to be the philanthropists," said Jeff Dick , Chairman and CEO of MainStreet Bancshares Inc. and MainStreet Bank. "This grassroots approach mirrors how MainStreet Bank prioritizes customers who desire a more personalized banking relationship than larger banks can offer." One example of this holiday spirit in action is an $11,000 contribution to Friends of Homeless Animals in Aldie, Virginia. This no-kill shelter provides a safe haven and lifelong care for cats and dogs facing a variety of challenges on an expansive 40-acre property. Inspired by the organization's dedication, a MainStreet Bank employee not only made a personal donation but also rallied colleagues to join in a group donation, bringing holiday joy to the animals by covering nearly half of the organization's annual pet food budget. Further demonstrating their commitment to animal welfare, MainStreet Bank partnered with Friends of Homeless Animals and Homeward Trails Animal Rescue in Fairfax Station for employee volunteer days. Homeward Trails, also a recipient of a Making Change donation, focuses on rescuing cats and dogs from under-resourced shelters throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, ensuring they too experience the warmth of the season. Since its inception in the spring of 2023, the Making Change program has donated $27,000 to local animal organizations, including: "Our employees love that they can make a direct impact on the lives of animals," says Trish Smith, MainStreet Bank's Chief Human Resources Officer. "Making Change gives them a chance to give back to their community in a way that truly aligns with their values, and that's something we're incredibly proud of this holiday season." BACKGROUND: MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: MNSB & MNSBP), is a small-cap financial holding company trading in the Nasdaq Capital Market index. The financial holding company owns 100% of MainStreet Bank, a business-focused community bank headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. The Bank engages a branch-lite model with six full-service financial centers in Herndon, Fairfax, McLean, Leesburg, Clarendon, and Washington, D.C. MainStreet Bank has 55,000 free ATMs and a fully integrated online and mobile banking solution. The Bank is not restricted by a conventional branching system, as it can offer business customers the ability to Put Our Bank in Your Office®. With robust and easy-to-use online business banking technology, MainStreet has "put our bank" in well over 1,000 businesses in the metropolitan area. In 2021, the Board and management decided to make an investment in technology that would best serve clients requiring Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS). The Avenu BaaS solution was officially released into service on October 1, 2024. The ability to digitally offer banking services in a safe and compliant manner allows the Company to reach new customer deposit segments, diversify revenue streams and generate additional income. The BaaS market is currently underserved, and the opportunities for a well-developed solution are robust. The Avenu business model is in line with the Company's physical branch-lite strategy. MainStreet Bank has a robust line of business and professional lending products, including government contracting lines of credit, commercial lines and term loans, residential and commercial construction, and commercial real estate. MainStreet Bank is an SBA Preferred Lender. From sophisticated cash management to enhanced mobile banking and instant-issue Debit Cards, MainStreet Bank is always looking for ways to improve our customer's experience. MainStreet Bank was the first community bank in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area to offer a full online business banking solution. MainStreet Bank was also the first bank headquartered in the Commonwealth of Virginia to offer CDARS – a solution that provides multi-million-dollar FDIC insurance. Further information on the Bank can be obtained by visiting its website at mstreetbank.com . MainStreet Bank provides a full-stack embedded banking solution that connects fintech partners and their apps directly and seamlessly to the purpose-built Avenu core. Avenu's clients are fintechs, social media solutions, application developers, money movers, and entrepreneurs. They all have one thing in common: They are in search of a reliable partner to help innovate how money moves—solving real-world issues and helping communities thrive. MainStreet Bank is that reliable partner dedicated to providing a best-in-class solution to sustain long-term business relationships. MainStreet Bancshares, Inc. has an investment grade rating of "A" from Egan-Jones Rating Company. This release contains forward-looking statements, including our expectations with respect to future events that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "expect," "plan," "project," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "pursuant," "target," "continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations include: fluctuation in market rates of interest and loan and deposit pricing, adverse changes in the overall national economy as well as adverse economic conditions in our specific market areas, future impacts of pandemic outbreaks, maintenance and development of well-established and valued client relationships and referral source relationships, and acquisition or loss of key production personnel. We caution readers that the list of factors above is not exclusive. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and we may not undertake steps to update the forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of any circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements are made. In addition, our past results of operations are not necessarily indicative of future performance. Contact: Debra Cope Director of Corporate Communications Desk (703) 481-4599 Mobile (202) 468-3814 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mainstreet-bank-spreads-holiday-cheer-with-pawsitive-impact-on-local-animals-302321265.html SOURCE MainStreet Bancshares, Inc.
Cerity Partners LLC Purchases 11,305 Shares of Sun Communities, Inc. (NYSE:SUI)SpaceX in discussions over share sale at $350 bln valuation- Bloomberg
During the presidential campaign, Democrats argued that the so-called “Deep State,” the term many Republicans have given to overreaching federal bureaucrats, was a myth. But some of the protective efforts being made to forestall the incoming Donald Trump administration suggest otherwise. The latest eyebrow-raiser, as reported by Bloomberg News, is the deal made with the American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing some 42,000 Social Security Administration workers, that was signed by an exiting Biden administration commissioner, Martin O’Malley. Simply put, the bargain enshrined the ability to work some or all days at home, as per the workers’ current deals, through 2029. Whatever you may think of the new Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy-led effort to stem government waste, to be known as the “Department of Government Efficiency,” or DOGE, here’s an early window into how difficult their task is likely to be, given the forces favoring the status quo. Musk and Ramaswamy have said they plan to force more federal employees back into the office and let any attrition save the taxpayers money. It’s also revealing when it comes to one of the biggest problems with public-sector unions: the lack of motivation on the part of managers on the other side of the table to do anything but accede to their demands. We are, of course, seeing this play out in Chicago when it comes to Mayor Brandon Johnson, so far unwilling to buck or even push back on any of the absurd wants of the Chicago Teachers Union. We’re not against working from home, per se. Many jobs can be done from a computer in the kitchen, and we support employer flexibility, not least as a way to both reduce costs and retain talented employees. But jobs beholden to the public purse merit more scrutiny and are more ripe for abuse. And we think even Democrats should see the fundamental unfairness of hobbling a new, democratically elected administration in this way, for its entire duration. Imagine if the shoe were on the other foot; Democrats would be howling. No doubt other unions are pushing for the same treatment. Representing the desires of their workers is a union’s job. Fine. But it’s also the job of commissioners and the like to represent taxpayers’ interests and the will of the American people. They just elected a president who campaigned on reining in excessive government spending. To bake in every cost for reasons as flimsy as in this particular case represents a kind of advance sabotage. Surely those who take over the Social Security Administration deserve a modicum of flexibility. A chance to improve things that, yes, might include asking some folks to come into the office more. Or not. This is like an outgoing CEO preventing a successor from making any changes. For their entire tenure. Outgoing Biden officials should not sign long-term deals deliberately targeting a new administration that has yet to have the chance to do anything. That’s unethical and, frankly, undemocratic from a party that claims to be the great defender of democracy. — Chicago Tribune
Magic's Franz Wagner sidelined by torn obliqueProvides 2000 A15 Hydro Bitcoin mining machines in initial order Continues global expansion with addition of new customer SINGAPORE , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN) ("Canaan" or the "Company"), a leading high-performance computing solutions provider, today announced that Canaan Creative Global Pte. Ltd. ("CCG"), a wholly owned Singapore subsidiary of the Company, has entered into a purchase agreement with AGM Group Holdings Inc. ("AGMH"), an integrated technology company specializing in fintech software services and production of high-performance hardware and computing equipment, for its Avalon A15 HydU 370T ("A15 Hydro") mining machines. As part of the agreement, Canaan will initially provide 2,000 Bitcoin mining machines to AGMH. The Company has also agreed to provide its customer with an option to acquire approximately 30,000 additional BTC mining units, potentially providing AGMH with a combined power capacity not exceeding 300 megawatts. The Avalon Miner A15 Hydro enhances the miner's performance and lifespan while reducing energy consumption and noise pollution, aligning with Canaan's ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy. About Canaan Inc. Established in 2013, Canaan Inc. (NASDAQ: CAN), is a technology company focusing on ASIC high-performance computing chip design, chip research and development, computing equipment production, and software services. Canaan has extensive experience in chip design and streamlined production in the ASIC field. In 2013, Canaan's founding team shipped to its customers the world's first batch of mining machines incorporating ASIC technology in bitcoin 's history under the brand name Avalon. In 2019, Canaan completed its initial public offering on the Nasdaq Global Market. To learn more about Canaan, please visit https://www.canaan.io/ . Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward−looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward−looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the business outlook and quotations from management in this announcement, as well as Canaan Inc.'s strategic and operational plans, contain forward−looking statements. Canaan Inc. may also make written or oral forward−looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on Forms 20−F and 6−K, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Canaan Inc.'s beliefs and expectations, are forward−looking statements. Forward−looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward−looking statement, including but not limited to the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development, financial condition and results of operations; the expected growth of the bitcoin industry and the price of bitcoin ; the Company's expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of its products, especially its bitcoin mining machines; the Company's expectations regarding maintaining and strengthening its relationships with production partners and customers; the Company's investment plans and strategies, fluctuations in the Company's quarterly operating results; competition in its industry; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to the Company and cryptocurrency . Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and Canaan Inc. does not undertake any obligation to update any forward−looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Investor Relations Contacts Canaan Inc. Xi Zhang Email: IR@canaan-creative.com ICR, LLC. Robin Yang Tel: +1 (347) 396-3281 Email: canaan.ir@icrinc.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canaan-inc-signs-agreement-with-agm-group-holdings-inc-302330362.html SOURCE Canaan Inc.