Elon Musk Seeks to Incorporate SpaceX Facility as a City Called 'Starbase, Texas'By REBECCA SANTANA WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has promised to end birthright citizenship as soon as he gets into office to make good on campaign promises aiming to restrict immigration and redefining what it means to be American. But any efforts to halt the policy would face steep legal hurdles. Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen. It’s been in place for decades and applies to children born to someone in the country illegally or in the U.S. on a tourist or student visa who plans to return to their home country. It’s not the practice of every country, and Trump and his supporters have argued that the system is being abused and that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen. But others say this is a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, it would be extremely difficult to overturn and even if it’s possible, it’s a bad idea. Here’s a look at birthright citizenship, what Trump has said about it and the prospects for ending it: During an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Trump said he “absolutely” planned to halt birthright citizenship once in office. “We’re going to end that because it’s ridiculous,” he said. Trump and other opponents of birthright citizenship have argued that it creates an incentive for people to come to the U.S. illegally or take part in “birth tourism,” in which pregnant women enter the U.S. specifically to give birth so their children can have citizenship before returning to their home countries. “Simply crossing the border and having a child should not entitle anyone to citizenship,” said Eric Ruark, director of research for NumbersUSA, which argues for reducing immigration. The organization supports changes that would require at least one parent to be a permanent legal resident or a U.S. citizen for their children to automatically get citizenship. Others have argued that ending birthright citizenship would profoundly damage the country. “One of our big benefits is that people born here are citizens, are not an illegal underclass. There’s better assimilation and integration of immigrants and their children because of birthright citizenship,” said Alex Nowrasteh, vice president for economic and social policy studies at the pro-immigration Cato Institute. In 2019, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that 5.5 million children under age 18 lived with at least one parent in the country illegally in 2019, representing 7% of the U.S. child population. The vast majority of those children were U.S. citizens. The nonpartisan think tank said during Trump’s campaign for president in 2015 that the number of people in the country illegally would “balloon” if birthright citizenship were repealed, creating “a self-perpetuating class that would be excluded from social membership for generations.” In the aftermath of the Civil War, Congress ratified the 14th Amendment in July 1868. That amendment assured citizenship for all, including Black people. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” the 14th Amendment says. “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” But the 14th Amendment didn’t always translate to everyone being afforded birthright citizenship. For example, it wasn’t until 1924 that Congress finally granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. A key case in the history of birthright citizenship came in 1898, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Wong Kim Ark, born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the states. The federal government had tried to deny him reentry into the county after a trip abroad on grounds he wasn’t a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act. But some have argued that the 1898 case clearly applied to children born of parents who are both legal immigrants to America but that it’s less clear whether it applies to children born to parents without legal status or, for example, who come for a short-term like a tourist visa. “That is the leading case on this. In fact, it’s the only case on this,” said Andrew Arthur, a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports immigration restrictions. “It’s a lot more of an open legal question than most people think.” Some proponents of immigration restrictions have argued the words “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the 14th Amendment allows the U.S. to deny citizenship to babies born to those in the country illegally. Trump himself used that language in his 2023 announcement that he would aim to end birthright citizenship if reelected. Trump wasn’t clear in his Sunday interview how he aims to end birthright citizenship. Asked how he could get around the 14th Amendment with an executive action, Trump said: “Well, we’re going to have to get it changed. We’ll maybe have to go back to the people. But we have to end it.” Pressed further on whether he’d use an executive order, Trump said “if we can, through executive action.” He gave a lot more details in a 2023 post on his campaign website . In it, he said he would issue an executive order the first day of his presidency, making it clear that federal agencies “require that at least one parent be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident for their future children to become automatic U.S. citizens.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next National Politics | In promising to shake up Washington, Trump is in a class of his own National Politics | Election Day has long passed. In some states, legislatures are working to undermine the results National Politics | Trump attorney Alina Habba, a Lehigh University grad, to serve as counselor to the president National Politics | With Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight Trump wrote that the executive order would make clear that children of people in the U.S. illegally “should not be issued passports, Social Security numbers, or be eligible for certain taxpayer funded welfare benefits.” This would almost certainly end up in litigation. Nowrasteh from the Cato Institute said the law is clear that birthright citizenship can’t be ended by executive order but that Trump may be inclined to take a shot anyway through the courts. “I don’t take his statements very seriously. He has been saying things like this for almost a decade,” Nowrasteh said. “He didn’t do anything to further this agenda when he was president before. The law and judges are near uniformly opposed to his legal theory that the children of illegal immigrants born in the United States are not citizens.” Trump could steer Congress to pass a law to end birthright citizenship but would still face a legal challenge that it violates the Constitution. Associated Press reporter Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.
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Gurugram cyber cops nab man running illegal SIM card racket from TNFresh off its biggest win of the season, Penn State plays its first true road game Tuesday when it visits Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. Aces will be wild for the Nittany Lions (8-1, 1-0 Big Ten) and the Scarlet Knights (5-4, 0-1) as Penn State's Ace Baldwin Jr. will square off against Ace Bailey of Rutgers. Baldwin is the Nittany Lions' leading scorer at 15.1 points per game and dishes out 8.1 assists -- fourth in the nation entering Monday's action. He registered 17 points and six assists Thursday in an 81-70 victory over then-No. 8 Purdue in a game where Penn State led by as many as 27. Freddie Dilione V chipped in 14 points for the Nittany Lions, who had not defeated a Top 10 team since 2019. "A win like that's a statement win," Dilione said. "I just think it's going to put everybody on notice. We're just a walkover team. We're always going be the underdogs, and that's our mentality. We've just got to come in every game and just punch everybody in the mouth." Penn State must be careful not to suffer a letdown against a talented Rutgers squad led by freshmen Dylan Harper (23.1 points per game) and Bailey (17.9). The duo combined for 30 points in the Scarlet Knights' last game -- an 80-66 setback at Ohio State. The defeat was the fourth in the last five games for Rutgers, which plays seven of its next eight in New Jersey. "We've got to get better," Scarlet Knights coach Steve Pikiell said. "We got to get some more consistency out of a lot of things, especially our defense. Can't give up 80 points on the road and expect to win in this league." In last season's meeting with Penn State, it was offense that was Rutgers' biggest issue. The Scarlet Knights shot just 1-of-17 from 3-point range and 34 percent overall in a 61-46 home defeat. "(It's about) finding ways of how to bounce back as a team and staying together," Harper said. "Even though we lose, we're still going to find a way." --Field Level MediaFor the first time in over two years, the Dallas Cowboys (5-7) will play a game inside AT&T Stadium with the retractable roof open. The roof will be opened for Monday night’s Week 14 home contest against the Cincinnati Bengals (4-8), Jon Machota of The Athletic revealed on social media hours before kickoff. Sunny, 69 degrees in Arlington, TX Roof open for Monday Night Football: Cowboys vs. Bengals pic.twitter.com/1YCZld0Hvl AT&T Stadium is one of five NFL stadiums with a retractable roof. Yet, it hasn’t been open for a Cowboys game since Oct. 30, 2022, a day game against the Chicago Bears (4-9). That was supposed to change when Dallas played on Monday Night Football in Week 11 versus the Houston Texans (8-5). But as the Cowboys were in the process of opening the roof about three hours before kickoff, a piece of sheet metal and some additional small debris fell onto the field . No one was injured. Cowboys going roof open for Week 14 vs. Bengals While assessing the situation, another piece of loose metal was seen stuck in a catwalk. It had to be bolted down before the game and the Cowboys decided to play with the roof closed. Team owner Jerry Jones said the wind gusts that started early afternoon in Arlington and got stronger throughout the day played a role in the piece of sheet metal falling. The Cowboys are 12-11 in their 16 years at AT&T Stadium when the roof and retractable end zone doors are open. They are 2-5 all time with the roof open and doors closed. Dallas is looking for its third consecutive win after a 3-7 start to the season. This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.
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Shares of Stellantis N.V. STLA traded lower on Monday. In a move that has investors concerned and confused, CEO Carlos Tavares has resigned. This comes as a surprise because two months ago he said that he would retire in 2026. As you can see on the chart, shares have dropped over 40% this year. However, a potential bottom may be forming, making it our Stock of the Day. Markets don't like uncertainty. This means that nervous investors will probably continue to sell and put pressure on the shares. This could continue to force them lower. Yet, experienced traders can identify key price levels, creating opportunities to profit. Read Also: Stellantis Market Value Halves In 2024: Why CEO Tavares’ Exit Could Take Things From Bad To Worse They know that when a stock heads lower and reaches a support level there is a good chance the selloff ends. They also know that stocks tend to rally after they drop to support. As you can see on the chart, the $11.50 level supported Stellantis in June and July. There is a good chance this level will become support once again. Support levels can remain intact because of “seller's remorse.” Some traders and investors sold when the shares hit support, but when the stock quickly moved higher, many regretted their decision to sell. Some decided to buy back their shares—if they could acquire them at the same price they were sold. So, when the stock eventually reversed and returned to the selling price, they placed buy orders. This large concentration of buy orders caused support to form at the same price that had previously been support. This has happened at the $11.50 level for STLA. Stocks often rally after reaching support, and that could be the case here, presenting potential profit opportunities in the coming days. This typically occurs when investors and traders who established the support through buy orders become nervous, knowing the sellers will move to the highest bidder. They don't want to miss out, so they increase their bid prices. Other nervous buyers see this and do the same. This can result in a snowball effect, forcing the shares into an uptrend. It may be too soon to take a position in Stellantis, but some savvy traders will be looking for a rally and an opportunity to profit if the stock reaches the important support level and potentially reverses. Read Next: S&P 500 At 6,666 In 2025? Bank Of America Predicts ‘Another Good Year For Equities’ Photo: MikeDotta/Shutterstock.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara released a statement Friday slamming the "100% false" media reports that suggested he had thrown his final pass for the Hawkeyes. McNamara has been sidelined since sustaining a concussion during the Oct. 26 win against Northwestern. Backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan has started the last two games for the Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) but is out with an ankle injury for Saturday's game at Maryland (4-6, 1-6). Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said earlier this week that Jackson Stratton will be the likely starter against the Terrapins if McNamara is unavailable. McNamara's cloudy status prompted speculation on a podcast this week that he was "not mentally ready to play." The podcast hosts from the Des Moines Register and The Athletic also suggested that McNamara -- who played three years at Michigan (2020-22) before transferring to Iowa -- is not "fit to play quarterback in the Big Ten right now." "We don't want to bury his career yet, but it does seem like that interception against Northwestern was his last snap as a Hawkeye," Leistikow said. McNamara, who passed for 1,017 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games this season, released a statement updating his current status. "My status is the same as it's always been -- a proud member of this football team," he said. McNamara said he has not yet been cleared to play. He said he was cleared to practice on Sunday but suffered an "adverse reaction" and was unable to practice this week and therefore unable to travel with the team to Maryland. "I have been working with the University of Iowa doctors and trainers, a concussion specialist focused on vision training, as well as engaging in hyperbaric treatments as frequently as possible," McNamara said. "I have every intention to play versus Nebraska next Friday night and I am confident that my teammates will return from Maryland with a win." Including his time with the Wolverines, McNamara has completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 4,703 yards with 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 34 games. --Field Level Media10 hospitalized after suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in Ottawa's east end
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The closer a Prince Rupert woman looked at the deer in her yard, the stranger things became for her. “It was the first time I’ve seen anything like that; it was pretty bizarre,” said Joan Dudoward. Dudoward is a senior residing on 11th Avenue East in Prince Rupert. A flash of movement caught her eye as she scrubbed her breakfast plates on a typical Wednesday morning. Peeking out the window above her sink, she gasped— a majestic buck with massive antlers stood gracefully in her yard. “As soon as I noticed the huge buck, I ran and grabbed my camera to photograph it. I’ve been taking photos since I was a teenager...I photograph everything,” she said. She says he cozied up to lie on the grass and stayed for about half an hour. “He was wiggling his ears so I zoomed in and noticed a tag clipped on him,” she said. “I thought, why is this dear clipped? I got very concerned.” Dudoward, driven by her curiosity, noted that one side of the clip was labelled “BC WILDLIFE 06-529,” while the other read “CALL RAP: 877-952-7227.” It was suspicious because the number displayed is very similar but different from the official number of B.C.’s Conservation Officer Service, which is 1-877-952-7277. Also, the legitimate acronym for their hotline, Report All Poachers and Polluters, is “RAPP,” not “RAP,” as indicated on the tag. She called the number on the neon green tag to inquire about the buck, but reached a woman who spoke to her very hurriedly, she said. The woman, who identified herself as Jessica, wanted to send Dudoward a “free medical alert device” that she could wear around her neck. “We’re very excited to tell you about a special promotion for select callers,” Dudoward recalls the woman saying. She was then asked questions such as her age to check eligibility. Jessica then explained that as a senior, the device would help her in emergencies, such as falls, by alerting her immediate contacts. To proceed with delivery, she said she needed some personal information from Dudoward, such as her address. Then, Dudoward was abruptly transferred to another agent who continued the call. But when she tried to ask her about the buck and why the agency had clipped its number on his ear, they wouldn’t respond but instead continued to promote their products “That’s just cruelty to animals. They are targeting seniors for sure, and hurting the deer in the process,” said Dudoward. She wondered how they must have handled the wild animal to dart him. She questioned, “Did they sedate him? What exactly happened there?” She was absolutely shocked. Dudoward couldn’t comprehend why B.C. Wildlife, a legitimate organization, would have put this company’s number on the buck's ear. The incident reminded her of this continued pattern of companies attempting to target elderly and vulnerable individuals. “I also have my mother’s old number, and it gets scam calls all the time,” she said. “How can they do that? Especially to seniors. They are trying to decide if they should pay the rent or get medication,” said Dudoward in frustration. She proceeded to contact the legitimate conservation officer’s number, who, like the local RCMP, didn’t pay much heed to her situation, she said. The next day, Dudoward called the agency’s number on the tag again, and the conversation took a completely different turn. Now, the agent asked if she was 18 and was promoting products aimed at youth. They informed her that she needed to pay $3 through a call paywall to proceed to the next step, during which she would be directed to the free products for which she was eligible. “The message keeps changing; this is so strange,” said Dudoward. The Northern View investigated the call and found that it was an intricately designed AI automated voice call. The system guides the caller through different phases by detecting both their spoken responses and the number keys they press. Contrary to Dudoward’s initial belief, it wasn’t a live human speaking to her, but a pre-recorded one. In fact, similar cases of fraud involving medical alert devices have happened in the U.S. before, prompting the New York State Department of State and the Minnesota Attorney General to issue cautionary alerts for consumers regarding these “robocalls.” The authorities advised seniors to immediately hang up, not press any keys when prompted, and avoid sharing personal information. “Fraud is the number one crime against older Canadians. Though people of all ages can be victims of fraud, older people get targeted more than others,” states the Canadian Government on its website. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) says that there have been 40,623 reports of fraud this year up to Oct. 31, resulting in a loss of $503 million. Vishing is a social engineering technique that uses voice communication technology. It involves fraudulent phone calls to trick the victim into revealing personal data. The CAFC advises caution during phone calls. They urge people not to hesitate to say no if something feels off and not to feel pressured by urgency or time limits. They also encourage taking enough time to research before sharing personal information. The Northern View contacted the B.C. Wildlife Federation for a comment regarding the tag on the buck. “The Conservation Officer Service darted this deer Nov. 5 to remove wires wrapped around its antlers. The tag is legitimate, but unfortunately has the wrong number on it for RAPP. The new versions of the tag have the correct number and COS will stop using these older tags,” said Jesse Zeman, executive director at B.C. Wildlife Federation. Although the exact cause of this mistake is unclear, anyone who suspects fraud should contact CAFC at 1-888-495-8501 or their local police.This year brought many surprises and not all of them were pleasant ones. or signup to continue reading In the automotive space there were also plenty of things that happened in 2024 in Australia, and 2025 doesn't look like being any different. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, here's a rundown of what each member of the editorial was surprised about in 2024. Styling is entirely subjective, but I thought the direction Kia went in for styling the Tasman was ambitious and brave to a degree. But it was more of a surprise with the drivetrain they chose to go with. It enters the segment significantly under its main rivals and doesn't offer a compelling on-paper reason to buy it ahead of those rivals. Perhaps Kia is going with a value proposition and will price the Tasman in line with some of the value Chinese propositions. But then the interior tech level and finish suggests it's going for a premium approach. It'll be interesting to see how it pans out, because the ute segment is very different to what it was when Kia would have commenced product planning for Tasman. When the Volkswagen Polo Classic sedan controversially became the first Chinese-made model to arrive in Australia in 2004, who would have predicted that five major Chinese auto brands would be popular here within just two decades? And when Great Wall Motors (now GWM) became the first Chinese carmaker to set up shop in the local auto market in 2009, who would have been unsurprised by the presence of at least 10 Chinese car brands here little more than 15 years later? The rate at which Chinese auto brands have arrived Down Under this year has been literally awesome – and frightening for many legacy carmakers – even given Australia's geographical proximity to the world's largest auto market, and its suitability as a testbed for ambitious Chinese auto exporters in terms of this market's safety, technology and emissions requirements. If carmakers can be profitable in a car market as mature and competitive as Australia's, it's likely to be successful in other larger Western countries, except perhaps in a tariff-protected US market under Trump. SAIC is China's largest carmaker and its biggest brand, MG, was relaunched in Australia in 2016 (two years after SAIC sister brand LDV), before becoming China's major export auto brand in 2019, cracking the list of top-10 brands here in 2021 and placing seventh in last year's record new-vehicle market. Since MG reincarnated itself here just eight years ago, GWM has launched its Tank sub-brand, Chery has reintroduced itself and announced its Jaecoo sister brand, and BYD has captured a solid foothold since arriving here in earnest in late 2022. And while Polestar has joined fellow Geely brands Volvo and Lotus on sale here (followed this month by Zeekr), Chinese-produced Teslas have also become Australia's top-selling EVs. So far there's no sign of the FAW Group or Dongfeng in Australia, but the final member of China's big-four carmakers, Changan, is also landing here this month via the Deepal brand, courtesy of Subaru and Peugeot distributor Inchcape. Other Chinese brands confirmed to target the best-selling Tesla Model Y with all-new mid-sized electric SUVs within weeks include Xpeng, Skywell, Leapmotor (via Jeep parent Stellantis), followed by Geely, which may also bring its Radar/Riddara and Lynk&Co sister brands. Foton will relaunch itself here in early 2025 with two big new utes, and there's also GAC Motor brand Aion, and perhaps Nio and Chery's Jetour as well. Of course, while BYD boldly claims it will eventually outsell Toyota in Australia, and MG plans to be a top-three auto brand here, some Chinese brands could well disappear from the local market as quickly as they appeared here. But many of them will go on to become household names – just as Korean marques like Hyundai and Kia have, and before them Japanese brands led by Toyota. It still boggles my mind that there are vocal factions in Australia that are very anti-PHEV, since on paper they're a great middle ground for local car buyers looking to step into electrification. With the right consumer education and more choice, PHEVs have the potential to do a lot of good Down Under and become a mainstay option in the local auto market, in the same way they have become in Europe. However, the EV-angelists and greenwashing governing bodies wanting to appear more progressive than they really are continue to poo-poo the powertrain technology as if it has no benefit at all. Have they forgotten that a big part of the substantial increase in EV sales (and PHEV sales, to an even greater extent) in recent years has been due to government incentives at both the state and federal level? Rather than forcing consumers to jump directly from ICE to EV overnight, we should be incentivising the majority to move more progressively across to HEVs and PHEVs (and EVs, where appropriate), because when used as intended they can have a bigger impact on overall emissions reductions, while putting less pressure on infrastructure and eliminating range anxiety. For me personally, I'm much closer to buying a PHEV as my next car rather than an EV. I knew more Chinese brands would come to Australia. It seemed entirely inevitable, as they continue to be frozen out of the US market and earlier this year the European Union increased tariffs. Competing in Australia now seems to be a feather in Chinese brands' caps – if you can make it here, you've shown you likely have product that meets tough safety standards and which can hold its own against a legion of more established brands in an extremely competitive market. What I wasn't expecting was the sheer number of brands announcing their entry into Australia. Geely, for example, wants to throw yet another brand into the mix here with its namesake marque. Chinese big four player Changan had unusually stayed out of Australia all this time, only to announce a play at our market with its Deepal EV brand, distributed via Inchcape. This came shortly after the same distributor announced it was bringing back the Foton brand. What we end up having is a dizzying number of Chinese brands coming here. It's hard to keep track of them all, and while some are coming through established distributors, others are arriving through new importers, which is making things even more interesting. Let's see what shakes out in 2025. Hybrid vehicle sales hitting the afterburner in Australia isn't something many expected to happen, but looking back it was probably the most inevitable and logical outcome. We've been told for years that fully-electric vehicles (EVs) and even plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) would be the way forward, but Australian buyers are now being offered more conventional hybrid models than ever before, and they're buying them in droves. Plugless hybrids now account for almost 15 per cent of new car sales in Australia. While this is largely due to Toyota clearing its order backlogs, traditional hybrid powertrains are now more widely available across a wide spectrum of the market. This could be the shot in the arm Australia needs to reduce its overall transport emissions, and the encouragement some car companies require to start bringing more efficient vehicles to local showrooms. We all knew the wouldn't be cheap and the infamous 'Toyota tax' is always pretty hefty, but my socks were blown off when this pricing news dropped. At $155,990 before on-roads, the Tundra is the most expensive full-sized pickup available in Australia before you start looking at heavy-duty options like the and / variants, some of which require a heavy vehicle license. And it makes the Tundra the most expensive Toyota model ever sold in Australia. I know Toyota needs to recoup the cost of local right-hand drive development and conversion by Walkinshaw, but in the US the equivalent Tundra Limited i-Force Max pickup starts at US$58,005 (~A$90,500). Well, this certainly wasn't on my bingo card. Japanese giant Toyota will join the Australian Supercars Championship grid from 2026, pitting the up against American muscle in Australia's biggest motorsport category. While the homegrown series is best known for fostering the rivalry between Ford and Holden (now Chevrolet), it's not unheard of for manufacturers to come from further afield – who can forget the domination of the Nissan Skyline GTR, otherwise known as 'Godzilla', in the 1990s? More recently, European players Mercedes-Benz and Volvo both tried their hand at the Supercars formula. However, after Ford and Chevrolet were announced as the brands to debut under the latest Gen3 regulations back in 2020, the manufacturer rumour mill went quiet. It was widely accepted that Supercars would remain a two-horse race... until a couple of months ago. Toyota's entry came out of nowhere, and it left us with more than a few questions. Why would Toyota jump into a declining race category when it already has extensive motorsport exposure Down Under? And why race the Supra, a model that's expected to be axed at least in its current form in the not-so-distant future? Those questions remain, but Toyota's leap of faith can only be a good thing for motorsport and the dominant auto brand's road-going performance vehicles in Australia. There was a lot of talk for a long time in the lead up to the Tasman's reveal in October, and plenty more after Kia's first ute broke cover. And the simplest way to describe its design is... surprising. I won't say it looks good, but it will certainly get people talking and set it apart from the competition. In a segment where most of the choices look pretty similar, Kia has at least managed to design something that's unique and will stand out in the real world, which isn't easy these days. I can vouch for that because I was able to instantly recognise a camouflaged Tasman on the Hume Freeway just last month, when I was equally surprised by just how massive it looks compared to regular traffic. While (single- and dual-cab) body options and (diesel) drivetrain choices will be less of a surprise, the biggest factor in whether the Tasman hits Kia's relatively conservative sales target (at least the one it's stated publicly) in Australia's sprawling ute landscape is likely to be price. But knowing Kia, it's likely to be sharp, and backed by a long warranty. As for the controversial styling, there will definitely be some fairly major tweaks to improve the Tasman's controversial appearance down the track, perhaps even before it's released here in mid-2025. As it stands though, it caught my attention in a way I didn't quite expect it to. Content originally sourced from: Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. 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One of the 39 people pardoned by President Joe Biden’s administration is a Utah woman who has turned her life around after struggling with substance abuse. Stevoni Doyle of Santaquin is a wife, mother and grandmother who also fosters animals and volunteers. "I'm a therapist with Wasatch Behavioral Health, with the jail transition program,” said Doyle. "If you would have asked me 20 years ago if I would be here today, I never would have imagined that,” said Doyle. She has come a long way. "In 2000, I was introduced to meth, and I instantly become addicted,” explained Doyle. “It was the one thing that I felt like just completed me. Within a year, I lost custody of my 4 kids to DCFS and I had racked up a bunch of charges." Doyle served time at the Utah State Prison and then at a federal prison in Arizona. There, she decided to make some changes. "I started to take accountability for my actions and realized that I didn’t want to live this lifestyle," she said. RELATED STORY | Biden commutes 1,500 sentences in largest single-day grant of clemency in modern history Doyle started helping people who were struggling with substance abuse and even went back to school to study social work. "I never thought I would graduate college, let alone get a master’s degree,” Doyle said. On Wednesday, she got a special phone call and was pardoned by President Biden. "I was like, no way, I can’t believe this is happening.” She said. "I won’t have to explain myself all the time. Even though I don’t have a problem sharing it, it’s part of my story, it’s part of who I am, it’s still nice to not have to do that." RELATED STORY | January 6 defendant tells Scripps News he may not accept a potential pardon from Trump This story was originally published by Mythili Gubbi at Scripps News Salt Lake City .'I really hope that our connection is not complete': Could South Bruce be home to a different nuclear waste project?
Councillor Susan Stevenson is speaking out against the findings of the latest Integrity Commissioner investigation into her conduct and social media posts about homelessness. Principles Integrity, a firm hired to act as the City of London’s Integrity Commissioner, has ruled that Stevenson’s persistent questioning of Deputy City Manager of Social and Health Development Kevin Dickins and an accompanying social media post that identified him by name, constitutes harassment and bullying. Deputy City Manager, Social and Health Development Kevin Dickins (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London) “It has been alleged that the Councillor demonstrates a pattern of behaviour that is inappropriate, unwarranted, unwelcome, unprofessional, not conducive to respectful Council and Staff relations, and is creating a toxic work environment for civic administration,” the Integrity Commissioner writes. “We find that the Councillor’s conduct constitutes harassment, bullying, and targeting, and that this pattern of behaviour is in contravention of the Code of Conduct,” the report concludes. It recommends council suspend Stevenson’s pay for 30 days. “I disagree with the findings,” Stevenson tells CTV News after the report was posted on the council agenda. “It's not clear where I crossed the line or how any of us (councillors) could avoid this going forward,” Stevenson adds. “And a month's pay? This could have a chilling effect on people who want to run for office, who want to make change.” A complaint was received on May 30, 2024 from Deputy City Manager of Social and Health Development, Kevin Dickins. Dickins alleged that Stevenson’s conduct towards administrative staff amounted to harassment and violated the Council Code of Conduct. Dickins’ complaint cited a specific incident on social media when Stevenson posted an altered quote from a CTV News article that added capital letters and emojis to suggest shock, chagrin, shame, and embarrassment. Social media post by Susan Stevenson on X (Source: Integrity Commissioner Report) In response, Dickins sent an email to Stevenson seeking an informal resolution: Hello councillor, Can you kindly keep my name off your social media platforms. I’m a member of your staff team. It’s not appropriate or welcomed. If you have questions or you have concerns please set up a meeting to discuss but I do not welcome it, should it not come down, or should it happen again, I will be filing a formal complaint. I’m (sic) my role, like yours I am often required to speak to media, while I can’t control what they publish, I do ask that as someone who is on the same team as I am refrain from using it in such an inappropriate manner and to position me in such a way personally. You’ll notice staff do not do this to any member of council. Your prompt attention to this is appreciated. On April 22, Stevenson replied by email: My social media post was a direct quote from the news article that I shared.... I’m not understanding what your complaint against me would be. I can assure you that I certainly did not intend to upset you in any way. In the report the Integrity Commissioner determined, “the Councillor editorialized the quote by the addition of provocative emojis; gratuitously included the staff member’s name (completely unnecessarily, if she had simply referenced the article), and unfairly implied that the views advanced were the staff member’s own, rather than reflecting the widely acknowledged prevailing view across the Province.” “I didn't think that was going to be either bullying, harassing, or targeting. It was an undecided matter of council, something that was going to be coming to us in a few months that's important to Londoners,” Stevenson explains. In addition the report states, “The post appeared to suggest that this individual was responsible for the continuing problem of encampments in the City. Naming the employee left him vulnerable to targeting by members of the public.” A photo of graffiti written in black marker on a streetlight pole is included in the report. Picture of graffiti on a streetlight pole (Source: Integrity Commissioner Report) It reads, “(Redacted) is responsible for 100s of homeless deaths.” The Integrity Commissioner also describes, “a clear pattern in which the Councillor takes the opportunity, even where an issue only relates tangentially to homelessness or shelters, to ask questions which allow her to repeat her concerns around the encampment issue. “I'm happy to keep (the) Deputy City Manager's names and all staff off my social media,” Stevenson concedes. “But to be less persistent in my questioning, I don't think I have since I got this complaint May 31.” The report findings include, “Although her words and tone may be moderated and sound respectful, the constant revisiting of the issue amounts to her harping on something that has been well-canvassed already.” It was posited that administrative staff experiencing repeated questions around the issue would interpret them as harassment. “We're governing a $1.4 billion budget, and I'm not going to apologize for asking questions about how that money is being spent or the services that are being offered when we're in a [homelessness] crisis that is increasingly getting worse,” Stevenson says. “A member of Council is entitled to ask probing questions and to seek relevant information in order to make informed decisions. The role of a member of Council includes that ability to ask questions but not to interrogate; to question the reasoning that supports a staff recommendation but not to publicly question staff’s motives or competence,” the Integrity Commissioner writes. Council will meet on December 17 to consider the report and potentially a punishment. Although the integrity commissioner recommends one month without pay, violating the code can result in punishments ranging from a formal reprimand up to three months without pay. This is the second time Stevenson’s social media posts have been found to have violated the Council Code of Conduct. In 2023, she received a formal reprimand from council for posting photos on social media of recognizable homeless individuals in a way that disregarded the impact the post could have on the individuals involved by linking them to criminality. Stevenson has filed a complaint to the Ontario Ombudsman about the 2023 Integrity Commissioner’s investigation, “I feel it was very personal. I don't feel it was fact based. And now you're going to say we can take away a councillor's ability to make their mortgage payment or do groceries for a month for something that's very unclear and subjective?” She has already decided to file a second complaint about the latest investigation. The city’s communications department says municipal staff can not speak to the Integrity Commissioner’s Report. CTV News has reached out directly to Dickens for comment but has not received a response. 2024-12-17 Submission - IC Report Re Councillor Stevenson by ctvnewslondon on Scribd Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. 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Nanaimo liquor store robbed at knifepoint, RCMP seek suspect Nanaimo RCMP have released a photograph of a suspect who allegedly robbed a liquor store in the city in an effort to garner new information from the public. B.C. girl inspired by Hollywood star to donate turkeys to local families in need When Maria-Clara Patrick first watched that video of Arnold Schwarzenegger, she assumed they had nothing in common. Stay ConnectedMacron names ally Bayrou as new PM as he aims to restore political stabilityARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fluence Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLNC) (“Fluence” or the “Company”), a global market leader delivering intelligent energy storage, operational services, and asset optimization software, today announced its intention to offer, subject to market and other conditions, $300.0 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2030 (the “Notes”) in a private offering that is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Fluence also expects to grant the initial purchasers of the Notes an option to purchase, for settlement within a period of 13 days from, and including, the date the Notes are first issued, up to an additional $45.0 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes. The Notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of Fluence, will accrue interest payable semi-annually in arrears and will mature on June 15, 2030, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. Before March 15, 2030, noteholders will have the right to convert their Notes in certain circumstances and during specified periods. From and after March 15, 2030, noteholders may convert their Notes at any time at their election until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date. Fluence will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of its Class A common stock (“Class A common stock”) or a combination of cash and shares of its Class A common stock, at Fluence’s election. The Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part (subject to certain partial redemption limitations), at Fluence’s option at any time, and from time to time, on or after December 20, 2027 and on or before the 50th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, but only if (i) the Notes are “freely tradable”, and all accrued and unpaid additional interest, if any, has been paid in full, as of the date of the related redemption notice, and (ii) the last reported sale price per share of Fluence’s Class A common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price for a specified period of time. The final terms of the Notes, including the interest rate, initial conversion rate and certain other terms of the Notes, will be determined at the pricing of the offering. If certain events that constitute a “fundamental change” occur, then, subject to a limited exception, noteholders may require Fluence to repurchase their Notes at a cash repurchase price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid special interest, if any, to, but excluding, the applicable repurchase date. In connection with the pricing of the Notes, the Company intends to enter into privately negotiated capped call transactions (the “capped call transactions”) with one or more of the initial purchasers and/or their respective affiliates and/or other financial institutions (the “counterparties”). The capped call transactions will cover, subject to customary adjustments, the number of shares of the Company’s Class A common stock that will initially underlie the Notes. The Company anticipates that the cap price of the capped call transactions will initially represent a premium over the last reported sale price of the Company’s Class A common stock on the pricing date of the offering of the Notes. The capped call transactions are generally expected to offset the potential dilution to the Class A common stock and/or offset any cash payments the Company is required to make in excess of the principal amount of converted Notes, with such offset subject to a cap, as the case may be, as a result of any conversion of the Notes. If the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional Notes, the Company expects to enter into additional capped call transactions with the counterparties. In connection with establishing their initial hedge of these capped call transactions, the Company has been advised that the counterparties (i) may enter into various over-the-counter cash-settled derivative transactions with respect to the Class A common stock and/or purchase the Class A common stock in secondary market transactions concurrently with, or shortly after, the pricing of the Notes; and (ii) may enter into or unwind various over-the-counter derivatives and/or purchase the Class A common stock in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the Notes. These activities could have the effect of increasing or preventing a decline in the price of the Class A common stock concurrently with or following the pricing of the Notes and under certain circumstances, could affect the ability to convert the Notes. In addition, we expect that the counterparties may modify or unwind their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivative transactions and/or purchasing or selling the Class A common stock or other securities of the Company in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the Notes and prior to maturity of the Notes (and are likely to do so (x) during any observation period related to a conversion of the Notes or following any redemption or fundamental change repurchase of the Notes, (y) following any other repurchase of the Notes if the Company unwinds a corresponding portion of the capped call transactions in connection with such repurchase and (z) if the Company otherwise unwinds all or a portion of the capped call transactions). The effect, if any, of these transactions and activities on the market price of the Class A common stock or the Notes will depend in part on market conditions and cannot be ascertained at this time, but any of these activities could adversely affect the value of the Class A common stock and the value of the Notes, and potentially the value of the consideration that a noteholder will receive upon the conversion of the Notes and could affect a noteholder’s ability to convert the Notes. Fluence intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from the offering to fund the cost of entering into the capped call transactions. If the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional Notes, Fluence expects to use a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of additional Notes to fund the cost of entering into additional capped call transactions. Fluence intends to transfer the remaining net proceeds of the offering directly to purchase an intercompany subordinated convertible promissory note issued by Fluence Energy, LLC, the proceeds of which Fluence Energy, LLC intends to use for working capital needs, upgrading one of its battery cell production lines from 305 amp hour cells to 530 amp hour cells, and general corporate purposes. The offer and sale of the Notes and any shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes have not been, and will not, be registered under the Securities Act or any other securities laws, and the Notes and any such shares cannot be offered or sold except to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A under the Securities Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, the Notes or any shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes or any such shares, in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any offers of the Notes will be made only by means of a private offering memorandum. There can be no assurances that the offering of the Notes will be completed as described herein or at all. About Fluence: Fluence Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLNC) is a global market leader delivering intelligent energy storage and optimization software for renewables and storage. The Company’s solutions and operational services are helping to create a more resilient grid and unlock the full potential of renewable portfolios. With gigawatts of projects successfully contracted, deployed and under management across nearly 50 markets, the Company is transforming the way we power our world for a more sustainable future. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, operational performance, anticipated growth and business strategy, future revenue recognition and estimated revenues, future capital expenditures and debt service obligations, projected costs, prospects, plans, and objectives of management for future operations, including, among others, statements regarding expected growth and demand for our energy storage solutions, services, and digital application offerings, relationships with new and existing customers and suppliers, introduction of new energy storage solutions, services, and digital application offerings and adoption of such offerings by customers, assumptions relating to the Company’s tax receivable agreement, expectations relating to backlog, pipeline, and contracted backlog, current expectations relating to legal proceedings, and anticipated impact and benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and related domestic content guidelines on us and our customers as well as any other proposed or recently enacted legislation, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you may identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “seeks,” “intends,” “targets,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “grows,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential”, “commits”, or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Accordingly, we caution you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions, and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Among those risks and uncertainties are market conditions and the satisfaction of the closing conditions related to the offering of the Notes and the consummation of the capped calls transactions. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, our relatively limited operating and revenue history as an independent entity and the nascent clean energy industry; anticipated increasing expenses in the future and our ability to maintain prolonged profitability; fluctuations of our order intake and results of operations across fiscal periods; potential difficulties in maintaining manufacturing capacity and establishing expected mass manufacturing capacity in the future; risks relating to delays, disruptions, and quality control problems in our manufacturing operations; risks relating to quality and quantity of components provided by suppliers; risks relating to our status as a relatively low-volume purchaser as well as from supplier concentration and limited supplier capacity; risks relating to operating as a global company with a global supply chain; changes in the cost and availability of raw materials and underlying components; failure by manufacturers, vendors, and suppliers to use ethical business practices and comply with applicable laws and regulations; significant reduction in pricing or order volume or loss of one or more of our significant customers or their inability to perform under their contracts; risks relating to competition for our offerings and our ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers; ability to maintain and enhance our reputation and brand recognition; ability to effectively manage our recent and future growth and expansion of our business and operations; our growth depends in part on the success of our relationships with third parties; ability to attract and retain highly qualified personnel; risks associated with engineering and construction, utility interconnection, commissioning and installation of our energy storage solutions and products, cost overruns, and delays; risks relating to lengthy sales and installation cycle for our energy storage solutions; risks related to defects, errors, vulnerabilities and/or bugs in our products and technology; risks relating to estimation uncertainty related to our product warranties; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; risks related to our current and planned foreign operations; amounts included in our pipeline and contracted backlog may not result in actual revenue or translate into profits; risks related to acquisitions we have made or that we may pursue; events and incidents relating to storage, delivery, installation, operation, maintenance and shutdowns of our products; risks relating to our impacts to our customer relationships due to events and incidents during the project lifecycle of an energy storage solution; actual or threatened health epidemics, pandemics or similar public health threats; ability to obtain financial assurances for our projects; risks relating to whether renewable energy technologies are suitable for widespread adoption or if sufficient demand for our offerings do not develop or takes longer to develop than we anticipate; estimates on size of our total addressable market; barriers arising from current electric utility industry policies and regulations and any subsequent changes; risks relating to the cost of electricity available from alternative sources; macroeconomic uncertainty and market conditions; risk relating to interest rates or a reduction in the availability of tax equity or project debt capital in the global financial markets and corresponding effects on customers’ ability to finance energy storage systems and demand for our energy storage solutions; reduction, elimination, or expiration of government incentives or regulations regarding renewable energy; decline in public acceptance of renewable energy, or delay, prevent, or increase in the cost of customer projects; severe weather events; increased attention to ESG matters; restrictions set forth in our current credit agreement and future debt agreements; uncertain ability to raise additional capital to execute on business opportunities; ability to obtain, maintain and enforce proper protection for our intellectual property, including our technology; threat of lawsuits by third parties alleging intellectual property violations; adequate protection for our trademarks and trade names; ability to enforce our intellectual property rights; risks relating to our patent portfolio; ability to effectively protect data integrity of our technology infrastructure and other business systems; use of open-source software; failure to comply with third party license or technology agreements; inability to license rights to use technologies on reasonable terms; risks relating to compromises, interruptions, or shutdowns of our systems; changes in the global trade environment; potential changes in tax laws or regulations; risks relating to environmental, health, and safety laws and potential obligations, liabilities and costs thereunder; failure to comply with data privacy and data security laws, regulations and industry standards; risks relating to potential future legal proceedings, regulatory disputes, and governmental inquiries; risks related to ownership of our Class A common stock; risks related to us being a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NASDAQ rules; risks relating to the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws; risks relating to our relationship with our Founders and Continuing Equity Owners; risks relating to conflicts of interest by our officers and directors due to positions with Continuing Equity Owners; risks related to short-seller activists; we depend on distributions from Fluence Energy, LLC to pay our taxes and expenses and Fluence Energy, LLC’s ability to make such distributions may be limited or restricted in certain scenarios; risks arising out of the Tax Receivable Agreement; unanticipated changes in effective tax rates or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of tax returns; risks relating to improper and ineffective internal control over reporting to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley Act; risks relating to changes in accounting principles or their applicability to us; risks relating to estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies; and the factors described under the headings Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what we anticipate. Many of the important factors that will determine these results are beyond our ability to control or predict. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. We qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this press release by these cautionary statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as otherwise required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict which will arise. In addition, we cannot assess the impact of each factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.
Kuwaiti leadership fetes Indian PMNEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell in morning trading Friday as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.4%, with more than 80% of stocks in the benchmark index losing ground. Still, the index is managing to hold onto a modest gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 402 points, or 0.9%, to 42,945 as of 10:41 a.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite fell 2%. Both the Dow and the Nasdaq are also holding on to weekly gains. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market Friday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia slumped 3.2%. Its enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes. Other Big Tech stocks losing ground included Microsoft, with a 2.2% decline. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 2.2% and Best Buy slipped 1.9%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. Energy was the only sector within the S&P 500 rising. It gained 0.5% as crude oil prices rose 0.8%. Investors don't have much in the way of corporate or economic updates to review as the market moves closer to another standout annual finish. The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. In Asia, Japan’s benchmark index surged as the yen remained weak against the dollar. Stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. Markets in Europe gained ground. Bond yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury remained at 4.59% from late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury slipped to 4.32% from 4.33% late Thursday. Wall Street will have more economic updates to look forward to next week, including reports on pending home sales and home prices. There will also be reports on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity.