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DURANGO, Colo., Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc. (Nasdaq: RMCF) (the “Company”, “we”, or “RMCF”), an international franchisor and producer of premium chocolates and other confectionery products, including gourmet caramel apples, is pleased to announce the appointments of Melvin Keating and Al Harper to the Company’s Board of Directors, replacing Starlette B. Johnson and Charlson Arnold, effective November 26, 2024. “We’d like to thank both Starlette and Charles for serving on the Board,” stated Jeff Geygan, Interim CEO of RMCF. “At the same time, we are delighted to welcome Mel and Al as the newest members of our Board. Their knowledge and experience will bring great value as we look to return Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory to sustained growth and profitability.” Mr. Keating brings extensive experience in corporate leadership, investment advisory, and board service, having served on nearly 20 public company boards throughout his career including directorship for SPS Commerce, Vitamin Shoppe, Tower Jazz Semiconductor, and Crown Crafts, among others. He has held various leadership positions including President and CEO of Alliance Semiconductor Corp., where he successfully executed a complex corporate restructuring, and also served as a Strategy Consultant for Warburg Pincus Equity Partners. He currently serves as a director of Agilysys, Inc. Mr. Harper is a seasoned entrepreneur and leader with expertise spanning industries such as transportation, real estate, and entertainment. As the Owner and President of American Heritage Railways, Inc., he oversees operations for its subsidiaries including the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Mr. Harper is also one of the largest shareholders of RMCF, having recently purchased approximately one million shares of the Company (13% of common shares outstanding). About Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Inc. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Inc. is an international franchiser of premium chocolate and confection stores, and a producer of an extensive line of premium chocolates and other confectionery products, including gourmet caramel apples. Headquartered in Durango, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is ranked among Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 ® and Franchise Times’ Franchise 400 ® for 2024. The Company and its franchisees and licensees operate nearly 260 Rocky Mountain Chocolate stores across the United States, with several international locations. The Company's common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol "RMCF." Investor Contact Sean Mansouri, CFA Elevate IR 720-330-2829 RMCF@elevate-ir.comBoxing got its first AI judge for Tyson Fury fight – now AI ring girls are ready to rule The introduction of an AI judge has got the sporting world and beyond talking (Image: Getty Images ) The Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk rematch delivered everything and more - including the world's first AI boxing judge. The new technology was used for the first time for the fight. And while it had no official bearing on the outcome - the introduction of an AI judge has got the sporting world and beyond talking. But the AI revolution isn't going to stop there in boxing, according to a leading expert, who claims the sport should "brace" itself for the arrival of AI Ring Girls in the coming months. AI Influencers are becoming big business, racking up thousands of followers on Instagram, securing brand deals, and earning upwards of £20k per month on subscription platforms like Fanvue. The creator behind stunning AI Influencer, Lily Hayes, who boasts over 850k followers on Instagram, revealed Lily has... Kelly Williams
Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’During Donald Trump’s first term, U.S. tariffs on China increased from 3% in 2016 to 19% by the end of 2020. As a result, China’s share of the U.S. trade deficit dropped from 47% to 26%. However, it’s worth noting that America’s trade imbalance continued to rise, as production shifted to low-tariff countries such as Vietnam, Canada, and Mexico. When Biden came into office, the expectation was that he might roll back the China tariffs. He didn’t. In fact, the Biden administration ramped up the trade war quite a bit. In 2022, strict restrictions on U.S. technology exports to China were implemented. The primary target was advanced chips such as NVIDIA GPUs, which are critical for AI and other emerging technologies. The equipment used to manufacture such tech was also heavily restricted. This mostly affected ASML, a Dutch company responsible for making the machines that manufacture advanced semiconductors. Today, China is completely cut off from the most advanced chips and the ability to use foreign tech to build them. These restrictions have hampered China’s ability to build advanced AI data centers, and their problem will only get worse until the country can build up its own semiconductor industry to be competitive with the U.S. and Taiwan. Or until they can strike a deal to reopen access to the technology. Xi Strikes Back, Drone Wars Begin A few weeks ago China fired a salvo aimed squarely at key U.S. industries. The country heavily restricted exports to America of critical minerals and rare earth elements. Included in the list were antimony, graphite, gallium, and many more. These minerals are critical for manufacturing lithium batteries, weapons, semiconductors, fiber optic cable, and other high-tech necessities. And China dominates their production currently. This will become a significant issue as existing stocks start to run low. Additionally, in early 2025, China will begin severe export restrictions on drones and parts used to manufacture them. Skydio, the largest American drone manufacturer, has already begun a policy of rationing batteries to one per drone. The company’s CEO explained the situation in a blog post : “As a result of the sanctions, our battery supply will be reduced for the next few months which will impact our customers. We have always manufactured our drones in the U.S., and over the last few years, we invested massively in bringing up supply for drone components outside of China. Batteries are one of the few components we have not yet moved out of China. We have a substantial stock of batteries on hand, and our team was already developing alternative suppliers. But right now we don’t expect new sources to come online until the spring of next year.” Skydio supplies both the American and Ukrainian militaries. So this is clearly a strategic move by China. It will take time to build alternative supply lines in this area, and drones have become absolutely critical to modern warfare. And isn’t it interesting that all of this is happening while there’s an unprecedented number of mysterious drone sightings across the country? My guess is the U.S. government is demonstrating to adversaries that we have advanced drone programs too, and won’t be intimidated. But we’ll continue to monitor that story. Just Getting Started The trade war is getting hot, and Trump isn’t even in office yet. There are massive imbalances in global trade which must be dealt with. America has lost its manufacturing edge, and it’s probably not coming back without aggressive trade and monetary policies. If we simply let the status quo continue, it’s likely that China would continue to dominate global production. The CCP is subsidizing industries, and suppressing its currency, and as a result, has gained a significant advantage in manufacturing expertise. Trump’s task is to build back America’s industrial base by encouraging domestic production. In trade, he will need to carefully balance the carrot with the stick. We are too interdependent with China to simply cut things off completely. Yet the current situation is also unsustainable. Government should encourage U.S. production of critical items such as semiconductors and batteries while maintaining enough of a relationship with China that trade lanes stay open in the meantime. It comes down to putting the right incentives in place and spending wisely. Ultimately, rebuilding U.S. industry may also require a weaker dollar. With the dollar so expensive compared to other fiat currencies today, it’s difficult for our exporters to compete with China and others on price. It will be interesting to see what President Trump does in this area. President Trump will need to utilize every bit of his deal-making chops in this upcoming term. The future of the American economy depends greatly on the agreements which will be struck over the next 4 years.
Starmer to visit troops serving on Russian border in push for Ukraine supportCowboys star G Zack Martin doubtful to play vs. Commanders
Hail Flutie: BC celebrates 40th anniversary of Miracle in MiamiQuarterback Matthew Stafford suffered a “little” lateral ankle sprain in the Rams’ victory over the New Orleans Saints , but the injury is not expected to affect his preparation for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, coach Sean McVay said Monday. “Nothing that’s going to change his weekly rhythm as far as practice,” McVay said during a video conference, adding that Stafford ran Monday as part of the team’s day-after lifting program. “Got it banged up a little bit. He’s tough. He pushes through and he should be good to go.” Stafford was injured during the second quarter of Sunday’s 21-14 victory in New Orleans when he was taken to the ground while throwing an incomplete pass. Stafford limped immediately after the play but stayed in the game and passed for two second-half touchdowns. “I need to be faster,” he joked afterward, “and get away from those guys.” Receiver Demarcus Robinson , who caught a touchdown pass, suffered a hand avulsion, but with a protective pad he should be ready to play against the Bills, McVay said. Also on Monday, the Rams moved to bolster their secondary by claiming cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. off waivers from the Washington Commanders. Forbes, 23, was the 16th player chosen in the 2023 draft out of Mississippi State. As a rookie under former coach Ron Rivera, Forbes started six games and intercepted one pass. This season, under new coach Dan Quinn, Forbes played in six games and intercepted one pass. The Rams were familiar with Forbes from pre-draft evaluations and NFL game tape, McVay said. Forbes, 6 feet and 180 pounds, showed versatility, competitive toughness and ball skills, McVay said. To make room for Forbes, the Rams waived cornerback Charles Woods. Forbes is now part of a cornerback group that includes Darious Williams, Cobie Durant, Ahkello Witherspoon and Josh Wallace.
US News Today Live Updates: In today’s dynamic landscape, staying updated on the latest developments across the United States is essential. US News delivers the most impactful and current stories from coast to coast, covering a broad spectrum of topics, including politics, economic trends, healthcare, social issues, and cultural shifts. From significant government actions and economic shifts to breakthroughs in technology and the latest social debates, we provide real-time updates and thoughtful analysis to keep you informed. Our goal is to keep you connected to the stories that shape American life, ensuring you’re always in the know on the news that matters. US News Today Live: Panama President Jose Raul Mulino slams Donald Trump’s claims of Chinese control over Panama Canal(The Center Square) - California Gov. Gavin Newsom said if President-elect Donald Trump ends the $7,500 electric vehicle rebate program, he’ll get Californians to pay for new credits. However, the credits would not include Tesla, which is the most popular EV company and the only EV manufacturer in the state. This comes weeks after Newsom and his administration passed new refinery and carbon credit regulations that will add up to $1.15 per gallon of gasoline and require Californians with gasoline-powered cars to earn up to another $1,000 per year in pretax income to afford. “We will intervene if the Trump Administration eliminates the federal tax credit, doubling down on our commitment to clean air and green jobs in California,” said Newsom in a statement. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose rocket launches were recently blocked by a California regulatory board that cited his personal politics, shared his disapproval on his social media platform, X, after Newsom staff told Bloomberg that Tesla models would not qualify for California rebates. “Even though Tesla is the only company who manufactures their EVs in California,” said Musk. “This is insane.” Musk recently moved SpaceX and X out of California, citing a new law signed by Newsom banning parental notification for gender change requests from K-12 students. The credits would be paid for through California’s cap-and-trade program, which requires carbon emitters to purchase credits from the state — costs which are generally passed on to consumers in the form of more expensive gasoline, energy, and even concrete. Emitters buy a few billion dollars worth of credits from California each year, with the state’s $135 billion high speed rail project getting the lion’s share of the revenue. The California Resources Board — all but two of whose voting members are appointed by the governor — recently approved $105 billion in EV charging credits and $8 billion in hydrogen charging credits to be largely paid for by drivers of gas cars and diesel trucks. An investigation by The Center Square found the change was pushed by EV makers and the builders of EV charging systems. Buyers of EV chargers, who pay for the energy and own the charger, sign installation contracts that permanently give away their rights to government or other EV charging credits generated from fueling a vehicle with electrons instead of gasoline. These chargers are often bundled with the purchase of an EV, or covered entirely by utility or government rebates, meaning they are permanent, zero-or-low-cost revenue streams for the company collecting the credits. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.Trump 2.0 has a Cabinet and executive branch of different ideas and eclectic personalities
NEW YORK , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Why: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of ordinary shares of ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ: ASML) between January 24, 2024 and October 15, 2024 , both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important January 13, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. So what: If you purchased ASML Holding N.V. ordinary shares during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. What to do next: To join the ASML Holding N.V. class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31159 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for more information. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 13 , 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Why Rosen Law: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Details of the case: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the issues being faced by suppliers, like ASML, in the semiconductor industry were much more severe than defendants had indicated to investors; (2) the pace of recovery of sales in the semiconductor industry was much slower than defendants had publicly acknowledged; (3) defendants had created the false impression that they possessed reliable information pertaining to customer demand and anticipated growth, while also downplaying risk from macroeconomic and industry fluctuations, as well as stronger regulations restricting the export of semiconductor technology, including the products that ASML sells; and (4) as a result, defendants' statements about ASML's business, operations, and prospects lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the ASML Holding N.V. class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=31159 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asml-investors-have-opportunity-to-lead-asml-holding-nv-securities-fraud-lawsuit-302327940.html SOURCE THE ROSEN LAW FIRM, P. A.
North Korea’s Kim vows toughest anti-U.S. policy before Trump takes office
Propelling satellites with electricity and salt? No problem for this Parisian startupRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Democratic Gov.-elect Josh Stein announced his choices for a majority of his Cabinet positions Monday before he takes office next month, with two of the seven revealed department secretaries being holdovers from outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper's administration. The two current secretaries — Reid Wilson and Pamela Cashwell — have been appointed by Stein to lead departments new to them. Other Cabinet appointees include a top lieutenant for Stein while in his current job as attorney general. Stein’s transition office also said the Cabinet will include its first Latino and first Indian American secretaries in Gabe Esparza and Dr. Devdutta Sangvai, respectively. Wilson, at present the Natural and Cultural Resources Department secretary, is set to become the next head of the Department of Environmental Quality. And Cashwell, the current Department of Administration secretary, is Stein's choice to succeed Wilson. People are also reading... Stein, who defeated Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson last month, and his transition leadership team have been working to fill out positions in the next administration. A public inauguration ceremony for the governor and others elected to statewide executive branch positions is set for Jan. 11 in Raleigh. It’s anticipated that Stein will get officially sworn as governor earlier as the new year begins. His Cabinet appointees — likely 11 in all — will be subject to confirmation by the state Senate. Since a 2016 law that laid out the confirmation process, the Senate has rejected only one Cabinet appointee — Dionne Delli-Gatti as environment secretary in 2021. Wilson's long work history includes stints at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, and as national political director for the Sierra Club. Stein picked Sangvai as the Department of Health and Human Services secretary, which in part oversees Medicaid, mental health services and state-run hospitals. Sangvai, a Duke University medical school professor, recently served as Duke Regional Hospital president and is current president of the North Carolina Medical Board, which licenses and disciplines doctors. Esparza, a former U.S. Small Business Administration administrator and previous candidate for state treasurer from Charlotte, is in place to succeed Cashwell leading the Department of Administration. The department oversees many internal business affairs within government, including purchasing and contracting, the state’s motor fleet, and government buildings and property. Leslie Cooley Dismukes, the criminal bureau chief within Stein's state Department of Justice, is the governor-elect's choice to lead the Department of Adult Correction, which includes the state's prisons and probation and parole services. Dismukes was previously a criminal division chief for the U.S. attorney's office for eastern North Carolina. Other Stein Cabinet choices named Monday were McKinley Wooten Jr. leading the Department of Revenue and Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette leading the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Wooten has had a long state government career and is currently an assistant revenue secretary. Mallette has been a private attorney who graduated from the U.S Air Force Academy and served as an Air Force intelligence officer and prosecutor. Cabinet secretaries yet to be announced include those who would lead the commerce, public safety, information technology and transportation departments. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Robert Way I think it’s fair to say that investors in Alibaba Group Holding Limited ( NYSE: BABA ) have seen the stock go “nowhere” over the past month, as the market digested mixed signals from China’s policymakers. For China’s leading A Unique Price Action-based Growth Investing Service We believe price action is a leading indicator. We called the TSLA top in late 2021. We then picked TSLA's bottom in December 2022. We updated members that the NASDAQ had long-term bearish price action signals in November 2021. We told members that the S&P 500 likely bottomed in October 2022. Members navigated the turning points of the market confidently in our service. Members tuned out the noise in the financial media and focused on what really matters: Price Action. Sign up now for a Risk-Free 14-Day free trial! JR Research is an opportunistic investor. He was recognized by TipRanks as a Top Analyst. He was also recognized by Seeking Alpha as a "Top Analyst To Follow" for Technology, Software, and Internet, as well as for Growth and GARP. He identifies attractive risk/reward opportunities supported by robust price action to potentially generate alpha well above the S&P 500. He has also demonstrated outperformance with his picks. He focuses on identifying growth investing opportunities that present the most attractive risk/reward upside potential. His approach combines sharp price action analysis with fundamentals investing. He tends to avoid overhyped and overvalued stocks while capitalizing on battered stocks with significant upside recovery possibilities. He runs the investing group Ultimate Growth Investing which specializes in identifying high-potential opportunities across various sectors. He focuses on ideas that has strong growth potential and well-beaten contrarian plays, with an 18 to 24 month outlook for the thesis to play out. The group is designed for investors seeking to capitalize on growth stocks with robust fundamentals, buying momentum, and turnaround plays at highly attractive valuations. Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of AMZN, GOOGL, PDD either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.BOSTON (AP) — Two men, including a dual Iranian American citizen, have been arrested on charges that they exported sensitive technology to Iran that was used in a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops early this year and injured dozens of other service members, the Justice Department said Monday. The pair were arrested after FBI specialists who analyzed the drone traced the navigation system to an Iranian company operated by one of the defendants, who relied on technology funneled from the U.S. by his alleged co-conspirator, officials said. “We often cite hypothetical risk when we talk about the dangers of American technology getting into dangerous hands,” said U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy, the top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts. “Unfortunately, in this situation, we are not speculating.” The defendants were identified as Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, who prosecutors say works at a Massachusetts-based semiconductor company, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, who was arrested Monday in Italy as the Justice Department seeks his extradition to Massachusetts. Prosecutors allege that Abedininajafabadi, who also uses the surname Adedini and operates an Iranian company that manufactures navigation systems for drones, has connections to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. They allege that he conspired with Sadeghi to circumvent American export control laws, including through a front company in Switzerland, and procure sensitive technology into Iran. Both men are charged with export control violations, and Abedini separately faces charges of conspiring to provide material support to Iran. A lawyer for Sadeghi, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was arrested Monday in Massachusetts, did not immediately return an email seeking comment. U.S. officials blamed the January attack on the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes Kataib Hezbollah. Three Georgia soldiers — Sgt. William Jerome Rivers of Carrollton, Sgt. Breonna Moffett of Savannah and Sgt. Kennedy Sanders of Waycross — were killed in the Jan. 28 drone attack on a U.S. outpost in northeastern Jordan called Tower 22. In the attack, the one-way attack drone may have been mistaken for a U.S. drone that was expected to return back to the logistics base about the same time and was not shot down. Instead, it crashed into living quarters, killing the three soldiers and injuring more than 40. Tower 22 held about 350 U.S. military personnel at the time. It is strategically located between Jordan and Syria, only 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Iraqi border, and in the months just after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, and Israel’s blistering response in Gaza, Iranian-backed militias intensified their attacks on U.S. military locations in the region. Following the attack, the U.S. launched a huge counterstrike against 85 sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iran's Revolutionary Guard and Iranian-backed militia and bolstered Tower 22’s defenses. Tucker and Copp reported from Washington.
Blowout loss to Packers leaves the 49ers on the playoff brink
PRAGATI sped up 340 infra projects: OxfordNone