Dwayne Johnson has said fans should feel free to sing in the cinema, as he attended the UK premiere of Moana 2. "Especially if you love music, that's the fun part," the US star, aka The Rock, told BBC News on the red carpet. Auli'i Cravalho and Johnson are reprising their roles as the voices of Moana and Maui respectively in the film, a sequel to 2016's musical adventure. Recently, there has been a debate on social media around whether people should sing along in cinemas, sparked by the release of Wicked a few days ago. Some have argued fans should be able to express their enjoyment as they like, while others say singing ruins other people's experiences. Johnson, however, made his views on cinema etiquette clear. “Sing! You’ve paid your hard earned money for a ticket, and you've gone into a musical, and you’re into it. Sing," he said. The original film followed an adventurous Polynesian teenage girl who sets on a mission across the ocean to save her people. Moana 2 reunites Moana and Maui three years later for a new voyage alongside a crew of “unlikely seafarers”, Disney has said. On Sunday evening, London's Leicester Square was transformed into a Polynesian island, complete with palm trees, a beach, and dancers. And, while the weather was distinctly untropical, scores of fans turned up hoping to catch a glimpse of Cravalho and Johnson. Cravalho, who was just 16 when she made her acting debut as Moana, has since starred in films including 2024's Mean Girls as well as appearing on stage. But she said she was still "so excited" to be returning to the role of Moana. “I think Moana is at the forefront of a conversation where the word princess and the word hero are now interchangeable," she told BBC News. "She is strong, she is brave, she is not afraid to grab a demigod by the ear. She looks strong as well, at the helm of her ship." Johnson, a 52-year-old ex-wrestler, voices the part of gregarious demigod Maui in the animation. When asked about the similarities between the two roles, he said there is a clear difference. “Maui [is] actually is a demigod," he said. "The difference is wrestlers think that they’re demigods, but they’re not. I know that because I was one of them," he said with a laugh. Johnson, who is also starring as Maui in the upcoming live-action Moana remake, said that his three daughters "love" seeing him take on the role. "Because they see themselves in Moana, they feel they’re represented and they feel a sense of representation from the film too," he said. Cravalho, meanwhile, said that when she was cast as Moana, she "never could have expected... just how impactful this character would be". "I knew it would change my life, but it seems to have also changed many other people’s lives as well," she said. "So sometimes when I meet kids who are at that really special age, I feel like Santa, where they look at me and say, 'You’re Moana!' And they believe it! And it warms my heart.” Many fans of the film, who were children when the original was released eight years ago, will now be teenagers or adults. Disney will therefore be hoping the film appeals both to the nostalgia audience as well as a new generation of children. But it faces tough competition, coming just days after Wicked was released. The original Moana made $687m (£540m) at the box office worldwide, and scored two Oscar nominations. It was the most streamed movie of 2023 in the US, according to Disney. A sequel was previously in development as a Disney+ series, but the company surprised fans in February when it revealed it would take the film to cinemas instead. Songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda - who was nominated for an Oscar for the original - has not returned to work on the music for the sequel. Instead, the songs have been created by four composers, including songwriting duo Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, who rose to fame in 2022 after creating an unofficial Bridgerton musical on TikTok.Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now OCVarsity’s list of the top committed high school football recruits as of Monday, Dec. 2. The early signing period for seniors (Class of 2025) begins Wednesday, Dec. 4. SENIORS (Class of 2025) Name, high school, position, height, weight, college Benjamin Alefaio, Orange Lutheran, S, 6-1, 195, Arizona State Dash Beierly, Mater Dei, QB, 6-1, 215, Washington Phillip Bell III, Mission Viejo, WR, 6-2, 195, Ohio State Sebastien Boydell, Corona del Mar, TE, 6-5, 220, Fresno State Quaid Carr, Servite, RB, 6-0, 190, Washington Steve Chavez, Orange Lutheran, RB, 6-0, 215, San Jose State Logan Christensen, JSerra, S, 6-0, 185, UNLV Jordon Davison, Mater Dei, RB, 6-0, 205, Oregon Daryus Dixson, Mater Dei, CB, 6-1, 180, Penn State Sean Embree Jr., Santa Margarita, WR, 6-4, 170, Washington State Ulavai Fetuli, La Habra, 6-5, 240, TE/DE, BYU Jake Flores, JSerra, OL, 6-6, 285, Washington Lee Fuimaono, San Clemente, ATH, 6-1, 215, Arizona State Julius Gillick, Edison, RB, 5-11, 210, Montana Zach Giuliano, Corona del Mar, TE, 6-6, 230, Stanford Xzavior Guess, El Modena, QB, 6-0, 168, UC Davis Leo Hannan, Servite, QB, 6-4, 220, Michigan State JJ Hanne, Santa Margarita, DL, 6-5, 280, Georgia Marcus Harris, Mater Dei, WR, 6-0, 180, Oklahoma Tyler Hennessy, Orange Lutheran, WR, 5-11, 175, UC Davis AJ Ia, Orange Lutheran, TE, 6-5, 240, Arizona State Carter Jones, Crean Lutheran, LB, 6-0, 205, Arizona Gavin Jones, Servite, OL, 6-7, 300, New Mexico State Edward Khutsishvili, Esperanza, TE, 6-4, 215, UC Davis Jackson Kollock, Laguna Beach, QB, 6-4, 225, Minnesota TJ Lateef, Orange Lutheran, QB, 6-2, 205, Nebraska Dijon Lee Jr., Mission Viejo, CB, 6-3, 190, Alabama Jacob Martin, Edison, 6-2, 185, WR/DB, Idaho State Chuck McDonald III, Mater Dei, CB, 6-1, 190, Alabama Jireh Moe, Orange Lutheran, DL, 6-0, 280, San Jose State Vander Ploog, Troy, TE, 6-6, 215, Oregon Weston Port, San Juan Hills, LB, 6-2, 220, UCLA Cole Principe, Orange Lutheran, OL, 6-3, 295, Rice Abduall Sanders Jr., Mater Dei, LB, 6-1, 225, Alabama Matai Tagoa’i, San Clemente, LB, 6-4, 190, USC Semi Taulanga, Mater Dei, DL, 6-1, 300, Utah Sione Tohi, Mater Dei, OL, 6-4, 320, Arizona Daniel Tuliau, JSerra, OL, 6-3, 280, San Jose State Elijah Vaikona, Santa Margarita, OL, 6-8, 360, USC Arion Williams, Orange Lutheran, OL, 6-, 275, Washington State Chris Williams, San Juan Hills, CB, 6-0, 175, Northern Arizona Jaden Williams, Mission Viejo, DE, 6-4, 250, Boise State Nasir Wyatt, Mater Dei, LB, 6-3, 215, Oregon JUNIORS (Class of 2026) Name, high school, position, height, weight, college Ja’Myron Baker, Los Alamitos, WR, 6-1, 170, USC Trey Brown, Tustin, WR/DB, 6-0, 170, Kansas Jayden Crowder, Santa Margarita, CB, 5-11, 165, Cal Kodi Greene, Mater Dei, OL, 6-6, 285, Oregon Chris Henry Jr., Mater Dei, WR, 6-5, 205, Ohio State Jonah Smith, Santa Margarita, WR, 6-0, 175, UCLA Vance Spafford, Mission Viejo, WR, 5-11, 175, Georgia SOPHOMORES (Class of 2027) Name, high school, position, height, weight, college Brady Edmunds, Huntington Beach, QB, 6-5, 215, Ohio State Khalil Terry, Tustin, S, 6-0, 180, Michigan State Please send football recruiting news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com or @ocvarsityguy on X and Instagram Related ArticlesAbortion has become slightly more common despite bans or deep restrictions in most Republican-controlled states, and the legal and political fights over its future are not over yet. It's now been two and a half years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and opened the door for states to implement bans. The policies and their impact have been in flux ever since the ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Here's a look at data on where things stand: Overturning Roe and enforcing abortion bans has changed how woman obtain abortions in the U.S. But one thing it hasn't done is put a dent in the number of abortions being obtained. There have been slightly more monthly abortions across the country recently than there were in the months leading up to the June 2022 ruling, even as the number in states with bans dropped to near zero. “Abortion bans don’t actually prevent abortions from happening,” said Ushma Upadhyay, a public health social scientist at the University of California San Francisco. But, she said, they do change care. For women in some states, there are major obstacles to getting abortions — and advocates say that low-income, minority and immigrant women are least likely to be able to get them when they want. For those living in states with bans, the ways to access abortion are through travel or abortion pills. As the bans swept in, abortion pills became a bigger part of the equation. They were involved in about half the abortions before Dobbs. More recently, it’s been closer to two-thirds of them, according to research by the Guttmacher Institute. The uptick of that kind of abortion, usually involving a combination of two drugs, was underway before the ruling. But now, it's become more common for pill prescriptions to be made by telehealth. By the summer of 2024, about 1 in 10 abortions was via pills prescribed via telehealth to patients in states where abortion is banned. As a result, the pills are now at the center of battles over abortion access. This month, Texas sued a New York doctor for prescribing pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. There's also an effort by Idaho, Kansas and Missouri to roll back their federal approvals and treat them as “controlled dangerous substances,” and a push for the federal government to start enforcing a 19th-century federal law to ban mailing them. Clinics have closed or halted abortions in states with bans. But a network of efforts to get women seeking abortions to places where they're legal has strengthened and travel for abortion is now common. The Guttmacher Institute found that more than twice as many Texas residents obtained abortion in 2023 in New Mexico as New Mexico residents did. And as many Texans received them in Kansas as Kansans. Abortion funds, which benefitted from “rage giving” in 2022, have helped pay the costs for many abortion-seekers. But some funds have had to cap how much they can give . Since the downfall of Roe, the actions of lawmakers and courts have kept shifting where abortion is legal and under what conditions. Here's where it stands now: Florida, the nation’s third most-populous state, began enforcing a ban on abortions after the first six weeks of pregnancy on May 1. That immediately changed the state from one that was a refuge for other Southerners seeking abortion to an exporter of people looking for them. There were about 30% fewer abortions there in May compared with the average for the first three months of the year. And in June, there were 35% fewer. While the ban is not unique, the impact is especially large. The average driving time from Florida to a facility in North Carolina where abortion is available for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is more than nine hours, according to data maintained by Caitlin Myers, a Middlebury College economics professor. The bans have meant clinics closed or stopped offering abortions in some states. But some states where abortion remains legal until viability – generally considered to be sometime past 21 weeks of pregnancy , though there’s no fixed time for it – have seen clinics open and expand . Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico are among the states with new clinics. There were 799 publicly identifiable abortion providers in the U.S. in May 2022, the month before the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade. And by this November, it was 792, according to a tally by Myers, who is collecting data on abortion providers. But Myers says some hospitals that always provided some abortions have begun advertising it. So they’re now in the count of clinics – even though they might provide few of them. How hospitals handle pregnancy complications , especially those that threaten the lives of the women, has emerged as a major issue since Roe was overturned. President Joe Biden's administration says hospitals must offer abortions when they're needed to prevent organ loss, hemorrhage or deadly infections, even in states with bans. Texas is challenging the administration’s policy and the U.S. Supreme Court this year declined to take it up after the Biden administration sued Idaho. More than 100 pregnant women seeking help in emergency rooms and were turned away or left unstable since 2022, The Associated Press found in an analysis of federal hospital investigative records. Among the complaints were a woman who miscarried in the lobby restroom of Texas emergency room after staff refused to see her and a woman who gave birth in a car after a North Carolina hospital couldn't offer an ultrasound. The baby later died. “It is increasingly less safe to be pregnant and seeking emergency care in an emergency department,” Dara Kass, an emergency medicine doctor and former U.S. Health and Human Services official told the AP earlier this year. Since Roe was overturned, there have been 18 reproductive rights-related statewide ballot questions. Abortion rights advocates have prevailed on 14 of them and lost on four. In the 2024 election , they amended the constitutions in five states to add the right to abortion. Such measures failed in three states: In Florida, where it required 60% support; in Nebraska, which had competing abortion ballot measures; and in South Dakota, where most national abortion rights groups did support the measure. AP VoteCast data found that more than three-fifths of voters in 2024 supported abortion being legal in all or most cases – a slight uptick from 2020. The support came even as voters supported Republicans to control the White House and both houses of Congress. Associated Press writers Linley Sanders, Amanda Seitz and Laura Ungar contributed to this article.
Stockholders Approved Merger on October 25, 2024 $2.50 Per Share Merger Consideration Unanimously Approved by SPAR Group Board of Directors AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SPAR Group, Inc. SGRP ("SGRP", "SPAR Group" or the "Corporation"), a provider of merchandising, marketing and distribution services, in response to media and investor inquiries, affirms intent to close the proposed acquisition (the "Proposed Acquisition") by Highwire Capital. As previously announced, SPAR Group entered into the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated August 30, 2024, by and among SGRP, Highwire Capital and Highwire Merger Co. I, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Highwire Capital, whereby SPAR Group is to be acquired by Highwire Capital in an all cash transaction. SPAR Group's stockholders approved the transaction in a special meeting conducted on October 25, 2024. "We remain committed to completing this transaction and delivering value to our shareholders," said Mike Matacunas, President and CEO of SPAR Group. "We are also excited about the performance of our business and the favorable response from clients, partners and employees to this merger." "Highwire Capital is committed to the completion of this transaction," said Rob Wilson, CEO of Highwire Capital. "We are addressing final lender requirements and expect to close soon. The commitment letter with our lenders, which had an expiration date of December 15, 2024, has been extended to January 15, 2025 to allow time for the completion of the remaining requirements." About Highwire Capital Highwire Capital transforms middle-market businesses by integrating innovative technologies with traditional operating models. By driving efficiency and fostering industry advancements, Highwire Capital revitalizes established entities into leading platforms for disruption and growth. About SPAR Group, Inc. SPAR Group is an innovative services company offering comprehensive merchandising, marketing and distribution solutions to retailers and brands. We provide the resources and analytics that improve brand experiences and transform retail spaces. We offer a unique combination of scale and flexibility with a passion for client results that separates us from the competition. Forward-Looking Statements This press release (this "Press Release") contains "forward-looking statements" within the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, made by, or respecting, the Corporation. Forward-looking statements include information concerning the Proposed Acquisition. "Forward-looking statements" are defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and other applicable federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations, as amended. All statements (other than those that are purely historical) are forward-looking statements. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "believe," "estimate," "anticipate," "continue," "plan," "project," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions also identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements made by the Corporation in this Press Release may include (without limitation) statements regarding: risks, uncertainties, cautions, circumstances and other factors ("Risks"). Those Risks include (without limitation): the impact of the news of the Proposed Acquisition or developments in it; the nature, cost and outcome of any legal proceedings related to the Proposed Acquisition; uncertainty of satisfaction of closing conditions respecting the Proposed Acquisition; the impact of the Corporation's continued strategic review process, or any resulting action or inaction, should the Proposed Acquisition not occur; the impact of selling certain of the Corporation's subsidiaries or any resulting impact on revenues, earnings or cash; the impact of adding new directors or new finance team members; the potential n continuing negative effects of the COVID pandemic on the business of the Corporation and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company"); the Corporation's potential non-compliance with applicable Nasdaq director independence, bid price or other rules; the Company's cash flow or financial condition; and plans, intentions, expectations, guidance or other information respecting the pursuit or achievement of the Corporation's corporate objectives. You should carefully review and consider the Company's forward-looking statements (including Risks and other cautions and uncertainties) and other information made, contained or noted in or incorporated by reference into this Press Release, but you should not place undue reliance on any of them. The results, actions, levels of activity, performance, achievements or condition of the Company (including its affiliates, assets, business, clients, capital, cash flow, credit, expenses, financial condition, foreign exchange, income, liabilities, liquidity, locations, marketing, operations, performance, prospects, revenues, sales, strategies, taxation or other achievement, results, Risks, trends or condition) and other events and circumstances planned, intended, anticipated, estimated or otherwise expected by the Company (collectively, "Expectations"), and our forward-looking statements (including all Risks) and other information reflect the Company's current views about future events and circumstances. Although the Company believes those Expectations and views are reasonable, the results, actions, levels of activity, performance, achievements or condition of the Company or other events and circumstances may differ materially from our Expectations and views, and they cannot be assured or guaranteed by the Company, since they are subject to Risks and other assumptions, changes in circumstances and unpredictable events (many of which are beyond the Company's control). In addition, new Risks arise from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company to predict these matters or how they may arise or affect the Company. Accordingly, the Corporation cannot assure you that its Expectations will be achieved in whole or in part, that it has identified all potential Risks, or that it can successfully avoid or mitigate such Risks in whole or in part, any of which could be significant and materially adverse to the Corporation and the value of your investment in the Corporation's common stock. These forward-looking statements reflect the Corporation's Expectations, views, Risks and assumptions only as of the date of this Press Release, and the Corporation does not intend, assume any obligation, or promise to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements (including any Risks or Expectations) or other information (in whole or in part), whether as a result of new information, new or worsening Risks or uncertainties, changed circumstances, future events, recognition, or otherwise. Media Contact: Investor Relations Contact: Highwire Capital Contact: Ronald Margulis Sandy Martin Ben Hudson RAM Communications Three Part Advisors Highwire Capital, LLC 908-272-3930 214-616-2207 ben@highwire.capital ron@rampr.com smartin@threepa.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
BETHESDA, Md. , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) ("AGNC" or the "Company") announced today that its Board of Directors has declared cash dividends on the outstanding depositary shares 1 of the following series of preferred stock for the fourth quarter 2024: Series of Preferred Stock Ticker Per Annum Dividend Rate Dividend Per Depositary Share 1 7.00% Series C Fixed-to-Floating Rate AGNCN 10.01991% 2 $0.64016 6.875% Series D Fixed-to-Floating Rate AGNCM 9.24091% 3 $0.59039 6.50% Series E Fixed-to-Floating Rate AGNCO 9.90191% 4 $0.63262 6.125% Series F Fixed-to-Floating Rate AGNCP 6.125 % $0.3828125 7.750% Series G Fixed-Rate Reset AGNCL 7.750 % $0.48438 1. Each depositary share represents a 1/1,000th interest in a share of preferred stock. 2. The Series C Depositary Shares accrue dividends at a floating rate equal to Three-Month CME Term SOFR plus 0.26161% plus 5.111%. The dividend rate for the dividend period ending January 14, 2025 is 10.01991% per annum. 3. The Series D Depositary Shares accrue dividends at a floating rate equal to Three-Month CME Term SOFR plus 0.26161% plus 4.332%. The dividend rate for the dividend period ending January 14, 2025 is 9.24091% per annum. 4. The Series E Depositary Shares accrue dividends at a floating rate equal to Three-Month CME Term SOFR plus 0.26161% plus 4.993%. The dividend rate for the dividend period ending January 14, 2025 is 9.90191% per annum. The dividend for each series of outstanding preferred stock is payable on January 15, 2025 to holders of record as of January 1, 2025 . For further information or questions, please contact Investor Relations at (301) 968-9300 or IR@AGNC.com . ABOUT AGNC INVESTMENT CORP. Founded in 2008, AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) is a leading investor in Agency residential mortgage-backed securities (Agency MBS), which benefit from a guarantee against credit losses by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae . We invest on a leveraged basis, financing our Agency MBS assets primarily through repurchase agreements, and utilize dynamic risk management strategies intended to protect the value of our portfolio from interest rate and other market risks. AGNC has a track record of providing favorable long-term returns for our stockholders through substantial monthly dividend income, with over $13 billion of common stock dividends paid since inception. Our business is a significant source of private capital for the U.S. residential housing market, and our team has extensive experience managing mortgage assets across market cycles. To learn more about The Premier Agency Residential Mortgage REIT , please visit www.AGNC.com , follow us on LinkedIn and X , and sign up for Investor Alerts . CONTACT: Investor Relations - (301) 968-9300 View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agnc-investment-corp-declares-fourth-quarter-dividends-on-preferred-stock-302329441.html SOURCE AGNC Investment Corp.
Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) Shares Sold by PNC Financial Services Group Inc.TURIN, Italy -- are facing elimination and Pep Guardiola now looks as vulnerable and troubled as any other manager who has suffered a seventh defeat in 10 games. Both statements would have seemed unthinkable just a month ago, but after Tuesday's loss against , the old certainties no longer apply. Second-half goals from and put Juventus on course for a playoff spot and left , a point clear of 25th place , currently below the cut-off point that will see teams drop out of the competition altogether. City face PSG in Paris in their next game and if they lose that, elimination from the Champions League will loom large. But while that prospect would be a humiliation for a club of City's stature and ambition -- they were Champions League winners in 2023 -- the biggest problem might just turn out to be Guardiola and whether we are witnessing the beginning of the end of his incredible eight-year reign in charge. Is Guardiola's position as City manager under threat after his team's unprecedented slump? It is highly unlikely that the club's hierarchy, who were in Turin led by chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak, would be so knee-jerk as to think about dismissing the most successful manager in City's history, a man who has delivered 18 trophies since 2016, but the faith and support of his bosses is not the issue. With Guardiola cutting an unusually restrained figure on the touchline during this game in Turin -- when he wasn't slumped in his seat he stood with his hands in his pockets, barely delivering instructions to his players -- the real question is how long he will be able to sustain himself in a role when nothing is working. Guardiola has never been just another manager, one of those guys who has good days and bad days and ultimately runs out of solutions when the problems begin to mount. Yes, he has had bad results in charge of , and City, but Guardiola has never been through the kind of crisis that all other managers endure. Until now. The gilded career that has been a tale of almost unbroken success since he won the Treble with Barcelona in his first season in 2008-09 has placed the 53-year-old above the trials and tribulations of his contemporaries, but now that he is having to deal with them himself. Guardiola is failing for the first time in his career. In Turin, he watched his team struggle to overcome a Juventus side that had gone into this game with just one win from their last six games and he did virtually nothing about it. He watched (33) and (34) run out of steam in midfield and left them toiling until waiting until the 87th minute to make his first change by introducing in favour of . , City's goal machine, once again failed to contribute anything in a game when he doesn't score -- he managed just 18 touches all night. But again, Guardiola was unable to make the crucial tweak in his selection or system to make the difference. When asked after the game whether he was now questioning himself, Guardiola conceded he was, but with an air of defiance rather than hinting at a lack of self-confidence. "Of course I question myself and I have my thoughts," Guardiola said. "I'm stable in good moments and bad moments. I try to find a way to do it." When pushed on whether he was now experiencing the toughest challenge of his career, Guardiola insisted it was not. "My biggest challenge is to get results to continue to work in the first seasons [at Barcelona]," Guardiola said. "It's life, it happens. Sometimes you have a bad period, but I'm going to insist until we're there." When Guardiola signed a two-year contract extension last month, he said that he had begun to view this season as his last at City.JRS stock hits 52-week high at $9.45 amid robust annual growth
If you're a Taylor Swift fan who has enjoyed watching livestream feeds from the superstar's Toronto Eras Tour show, you may have noticed that for the most part, the quality was better than on her previous tour dates. It's no coincidence: Rogers, the presenting sponsor of The Eras Tour in Canada, invested $8 million in inside Toronto's Rogers Centre ballpark. So can Vancouver fans expect the same? Yes, says a representative for the Canadian telecom giant. Rogers is working to enhance the 5G network and improve the fan experience at BC Place, and already its network team have been at work to make those upgrades. "We have done a full network redesign and installation of a new in-stadium network system to meet the anticipated demand for fans across three nights in Vancouver," says Rogers. Just how much data do Swifties use while at the Eras Tour? Rogers offered some staggering data in an October press release about the . "At the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, AT&T’s network handled a staggering 28.9 TB of data during the busiest day of Swift’s three-day tour stop there. To put that into perspective, if fans shared 200,000 photos or 400 hours of video, that would only chew up 1 TB of data." “Taylor fans use record amounts of data to livestream as well as share videos and photos from her shows, and this investment will ensure they have the best experience," noted Mark Kennedy, Chief Technology Officer, in that same press release. In Vancouver, more than just Swifties will benefit from the boost; BC Place is home to the Whitecaps and BC Lions, and hosts many high-profile special sporting and concert events. Fans around Vancouver may have already noticed a lot of billboards for the Eras Tour as well as Canada Line train wraps touting Rogers' sponsorship of the show. "Rogers is thrilled to be the presenting sponsor of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour in Canada. As Canada’s leading communications and entertainment company, we're all about bringing our customers the best entertainment experiences and Taylor is the best of the best," said Leann Yutuc, Senior Manager, Communications - West. To that end, for those still hoping to score tickets to the sold-out Vancouver shows - the very last three ever for Swift's Eras Tour - Rogers is still holding ticket contests. "We’ve had an amazing response to our Taylor Swift contests – we’ve seen more than 1 million entries from customers and fans," shared Yutuc. The company has been giving away 35 pairs of tickets every week since early August, with the closing on November 26. The last winners will be revealed on Nov. 26 and Dec. 3 (they've been calling it "Taylor Tuesday"). To date, there have been 107 winners from B.C., with 75 from the Lower Mainland. Rogers has also .
AGNC Investment Corp. Declares Fourth Quarter Dividends on Preferred StockLANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Ekeler was concussed in the final minute of the Washington Commanders’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Ekeler was concussed in the final minute of the Washington Commanders’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Ekeler was concussed in the final minute of the Washington Commanders’ loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Coach Dan Quinn said he and general manager Adam Peters got to visit with Ekeler before he went to the hospital. A team spokesperson said the decision to transport Ekeler was made out of an abundance of caution. Ekeler, 29, was injured when he was tackled by Damone Clark and Nick Vigil on a kickoff return with 9 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Ekeler remained down on the field for some time being attended to by medical personnel, and players from each team knelt around him with their helmets off. Lineman Andrew Wylie was also concussed and fellow running back Brian Robinson Jr. sprained an ankle in Washington’s third consecutive defeat. Ekeler is in his first season with the Commanders after spending his first nine years in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Advertisement
Revealed: How Premier League giants are exploiting a ticketing loophole in the rulebook - to the fury of their fans Man United fans held a protest outside Old Trafford before Sunday's match The club have cut concession ticket prices for children and pensioners LISTEN NOW: Manchester City correspondent Jack Gaughan joins It's All Kicking Off! to explain whether Pep Guardiola will have money to spend in January By ISAAN KHAN Published: 22:30, 2 December 2024 | Updated: 22:34, 2 December 2024 e-mail 2 View comments There are few issues that can unite football supporters from Manchester and Merseyside, but greedy Premier League clubs have managed to find one. If the bleak empty stadiums during the Covid pandemic taught us anything, it is that the presence of fans should be sacrosanct. Yet, amid the squeezing of every last penny out of the game, supporters are collateral damage — and they have had enough. Manchester United caused outrage last week after scrapping concessions for children and pensioners, while raising matchday ticket prices to a minimum of £66. Tottenham , who earn close to £6million in matchday revenue per game, will stop selling new senior concession season tickets next season. At West Ham , concession season tickets for Under 18s, Under 21s and Over 66s have been restricted to a small area towards the back of the London Stadium. Now there are fears that it is only a matter of time before other clubs follow suit — and that prospect led to Everton , Liverpool , Manchester City and United fans joining forces on Sunday . A few hundred United followers gathered in front of Old Trafford's United Trinity statue in support of a Football Supporters' Association campaign. They held up a 'Stop Exploiting Loyalty' banner, along with some Everton fans, before the teams faced off. They sang '£66, you're taking the p**s' and let off plumes of red smoke. Hundreds of Manchester United fans staged a protest before Sunday's game against Everton It was sparked by a ticket price hike and fans called on the club to 'stop exploiting loyalty' United have scrapped concessions for children and pensioners, while raising ticket prices Liverpool hosted Manchester City on the same day and banners were displayed there, too. United fan Martin Feely, 70, who has been going to Old Trafford for 61 years, can no longer afford to take his grandson. He said: 'This is totally out of order. I want to bring my grandson, but it's £66 for him — a nine-year-old. I've started to go to FC United with him because I can't afford to pay. If they're doing this now without consulting fans, what are they going to do next season? That worries me.' What makes United's decision all the more puzzling is that they are attracting the animosity and anger of fans for a miniscule gain. Take their total revenue in 2022-23: just 21 per cent was from matchday income. That includes ticket prices, food, drink and hospitality. The money gained by ditching concessions is a tiny percentage of what they make. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told Mail Sport: 'Their argument falls down. United say 97 per cent of matchday tickets have already been sold. That leaves three per cent, which is 2,250. Let's say 20 per cent are going to concessions, that's 450 tickets. They are charging an extra £30 a ticket, that's around an extra £16,000 a match, which is peanuts in comparison to the PR look, which is appalling. 'Ineos know that with such a big, varied fanbase they can sell to a different kind of market. What they are trying to do is nudge up on many different revenue streams. They know the easiest people to target are those with the quietest voices like the disabled, kids and the elderly.' It follows the club recently hiking the price of disabled parking by 20 per cent. Mail Sport has seen correspondence with one punter in which United's excuse was that disabled fans want to be treated equally and 'not as charity cases'. If 97 per cent of tickets have sold, United will make around £16,000 a match from increase One banner read: 'Local lad Sir Jim charges £66 for OAPs + juniors. Stop exploiting loyalty' But it is not just at United where fans are at their wit's end. Tottenham have increased their total matchday revenue to £117.6m, the second-highest of Premier League teams for 2022-23. But that has still not been enough to satisfy bosses. They claimed the decision to stop offering concessions for new season-ticket holders came after the number of senior season tickets rose to four times the number at their old White Hart Lane ground, before saying such an increase is 'not sustainable and will start to limit ticket choice for others'. Martin Cloake, of fans group Save our Seniors, said: 'Spurs' rationale of there being too many season-ticket holders who qualify for the senior concession rate, and that's not sustainable, basically means "fans are not dying off quickly enough to make the money we need to make". It's insulting and crass. Spurs haven't made a move against junior concessions. I suspect they are going to come for that next.' Premier League rules state clubs must offer concessionary tickets. But Mail Sport understands some teams have found a loophole by only offering them in a limited area. Nick Clarke, of Manchester City's Fans Foodbank Support Group, told Mail Sport last week: 'The issue is that clubs don't engage with fans — they treat us like s*** and know we can't do anything about it as we will keep coming back. They are pricing out generational fans from the communities they are based in. The fact we're willing to go to our biggest rival (Liverpool) and go in the away end to protest with them is something we haven't done before. We're all sick of it.' Season-ticket prices have also been on the rise for years. 17 Premier League sides hiked their cheapest adult season-ticket this season and, according to SeatPick, the average for 2024-25 is now £594, compared to £297 for Serie A, £225 for La Liga and £179 for the Bundesliga. Arsenal have the most expensive season ticket in Europe — their cheapest is £1,073, a 10 per cent increase from last season. That at least includes six cup matches, meaning each game costs £42. Tottenham's cheapest is £856 for 19 Premier League home games, or £45 per match. Most tickets cost far more. Attracting corporate fans and tourists is more preferable because they spend more. That is damaging the tradition of young people or families going to games. Cloake added: 'Clubs are rooted in communities — they mean something to people, they have tradition and history. That tradition of passing on to the next generation in a family is at threat. Families are literally being broken up by this. They can't go together.' It is not just at United where fans are frustrated - Tottenham have also increased their matchday revenue Attracting corporate fans and tourists is more preferable because they spend more on the club The outrage will rumble on, but fans are at breaking point and have shown they are powerful Amid the gloom, there is some hope. Arsenal last season proposed scrapping senior concessions, but after meeting the Arsenal Supporters' Trust, they ditched the plan. An AST spokesman said: 'The club have increased the number of concessions for children and adults in recent years and introduced a young adults category. 'Last year Arsenal proposed to remove all senior concessions. Following feedback, they chose not to. It shows good dialogue. If clubs aren't doing that, they should.' The outrage will rumble on, but one thing is clear — fans are at breaking point. Share or comment on this article: Revealed: How Premier League giants are exploiting a ticketing loophole in the rulebook - to the fury of their fans e-mail Add comment
Converge kicks off data privacy advocacy program for studentsAustin Ekeler was concussed late in the Commanders' loss and taken to hospital for evaluationCOLUMBUS, Ga. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac Incorporated AFL today announced that its Board of Directors has declared the first quarter dividend of $0.58 per share, payable on March 3, 2025 , to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 19, 2025 . This represents a 16.0% increase over the previously declared fourth quarter dividend. Commenting on the announcements, Aflac Incorporated Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel P. Amos said: "I am pleased with the Board's action to increase the first quarter 2025 dividend. We treasure our record of 42 consecutive years of dividend increases, and our dividend track record is supported by the strength of our capital and cash flows. As an insurance company, our primary responsibility is to fulfill the promises we make to our policyholders. At the same time, we are listening to our shareholders and understand the importance of prudent liquidity and capital management. We remain committed to maintaining strong capital ratios on behalf of our policyholders and balance this financial strength with tactical capital deployment." Aflac Incorporated AFL , a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for nearly seven decades to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan . In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products. 1 In Japan , Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol. Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability." 1 LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" to encourage companies to provide prospective information, so long as those informational statements are identified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningful cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements. The company desires to take advantage of these provisions. This document contains cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected herein, and in any other statements made by company officials in communications with the financial community and contained in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Forward-looking statements are not based on historical information and relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments. Furthermore, forward-looking information is subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties. In particular, statements containing words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "goal," "objective," "may," "should," "estimate," "intends," "projects," "will," "assumes," "potential," "target," "outlook" or similar words as well as specific projections of future results, generally qualify as forward-looking. Aflac undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements. The company cautions readers that the following factors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements: difficult conditions in global capital markets and the economy, including inflation defaults and credit downgrades of investments global fluctuations in interest rates and exposure to significant interest rate risk concentration of business in Japan limited availability of acceptable yen-denominated investments foreign currency fluctuations in the yen/dollar exchange rate differing interpretations applied to investment valuations significant valuation judgments in determination of expected credit losses recorded on the Company's investments decreases in the Company's financial strength or debt ratings decline in creditworthiness of other financial institutions the Company's ability to attract and retain qualified sales associates, brokers, employees, and distribution partners deviations in actual experience from pricing and reserving assumptions ability to continue to develop and implement improvements in information technology systems and on successful execution of revenue growth and expense management initiatives interruption in telecommunication, information technology and other operational systems, or a failure to maintain the security, confidentiality or privacy of sensitive data residing on such systems subsidiaries' ability to pay dividends to the Parent Company inherent limitations to risk management policies and procedures operational risks of third-party vendors tax rates applicable to the Company may change failure to comply with restrictions on policyholder privacy and information security extensive regulation and changes in law or regulation by governmental authorities competitive environment and ability to anticipate and respond to market trends catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, as a result of climate change, epidemics, pandemics (such as COVID-19), tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, war or other military action, terrorism or other acts of violence, and damage incidental to such events ability to protect the Aflac brand and the Company's reputation ability to effectively manage key executive succession changes in accounting standards level and outcome of litigation or regulatory inquiries allegations or determinations of worker misclassification in the United States Analyst and investor contact - David A. Young , 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667 or dyoung@aflac.com Media contact – Ines Gutzmer , 762.207.7601 or igutzmer@aflac.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aflac-incorporated-announces-16-0-increase-in-the-first-quarter-2025-dividend-302320084.html SOURCE Aflac Incorporated © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Should You Buy Super Micro Computer Stock After Its 1,480% Gain in 5 Years? Wall Street Has a Clear Answer for Investors.
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) will present at Citi's 2024 Global Healthcare Conference at 9:30 a.m. ET on Thursday , Dec. 5, 2024. Peter Griffith , executive vice president and chief financial officer at Amgen, Jay Bradner , executive vice president of Research and Development and chief scientific officer at Amgen, and Susan Sweeney , executive vice president of Obesity and Related Conditions at Amgen, will participate in a fireside chat at the conference. The webcast will be broadcast over the internet simultaneously and will be available to members of the news media, investors and the general public. The webcast, as with other selected presentations regarding developments in Amgen's business given by management at certain investor and medical conferences, can be found on Amgen's website, www.amgen.com , under Investors. Information regarding presentation times, webcast availability and webcast links are noted on Amgen's Investor Relations Events Calendar. The webcast will be archived and available for replay for at least 90 days after the event. About Amgen Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to help millions of patients in their fight against some of the world's toughest diseases. More than 40 years ago, Amgen helped to establish the biotechnology industry and remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what's known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline that builds on its existing portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and rare diseases. In 2024, Amgen was named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" by Fast Company and one of "America's Best Large Employers" by Forbes, among other external recognitions . Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average ® , and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index ® , which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also part of the Nasdaq-100 index. In 2023, Amgen was named one of "America's Greatest Workplaces" by Newsweek, one of "America's Climate Leaders" by USA Today and one of the "World's Best Companies" by TIME. For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube and Threads . Amgen Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements on the outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential collaborations, with any other company (including BeiGene, Ltd. or Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.), the performance of Otezla ® (apremilast) (including anticipated Otezla sales growth and the timing of non-GAAP EPS accretion), our acquisitions of Teneobio, Inc., ChemoCentryx, Inc., or Horizon Therapeutics plc (including the prospective performance and outlook of Horizon's business, performance and opportunities, any potential strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities expected as a result of such acquisition, and any projected impacts from the Horizon acquisition on our acquisition-related expenses going forward), as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or other widespread health problems on our business, outcomes, progress, and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. We or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. If we fail to meet the compliance obligations in the corporate integrity agreement between us and the U.S. government, we could become subject to significant sanctions. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico , and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public health threat, such as COVID-19, and the public and governmental effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for our manufacturing activities, the distribution of our products, the commercialization of our product candidates, and our clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material adverse effect on our product development, product sales, business and results of operations. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to collaborate with or acquire other companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations of companies or to support the products or technology we have acquired, may not be successful. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to realize any of the strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities arising from the Horizon acquisition, and such benefits, synergies or opportunities may take longer to realize than expected. We may not be able to successfully integrate Horizon, and such integration may take longer, be more difficult or cost more than expected. A breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach of our information technology systems could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business and operations may be negatively affected by the failure, or perceived failure, of achieving our environmental, social and governance objectives. The effects of global climate change and related natural disasters could negatively affect our business and operations. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks that affect our business. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all. CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks Elissa Snook , 609-251-1407 (media) Justin Claeys , 805-313-9775 (investors) View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amgen-to-present-at-citis-2024-global-healthcare-conference-302319891.html SOURCE AmgenScholastic Corporation Announces Third Quarter Dividend
The four-time Pro Bowl cornerback hasn't played because of a hamstring injury since Washington picked him up in a trade with New Orleans in early November, but was a full participant in practice Wednesday for the first time since the move. The Commanders play at the Saints on Sunday.Humacyte, Inc. ( NASDAQ:HUMA – Get Free Report )’s stock price was up 6% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $4.79 and last traded at $4.78. Approximately 920,995 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 67% from the average daily volume of 2,770,237 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.51. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of research firms have weighed in on HUMA. Benchmark boosted their price objective on Humacyte from $15.00 to $17.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 23rd. D. Boral Capital reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $25.00 target price on shares of Humacyte in a research note on Friday, December 20th. HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $15.00 price target (up previously from $12.00) on shares of Humacyte in a research note on Friday, December 20th. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $10.00 price target on shares of Humacyte in a research report on Friday, October 18th. Finally, TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $10.00 price objective on shares of Humacyte in a research report on Friday, October 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $13.71. View Our Latest Report on HUMA Humacyte Price Performance Insider Buying and Selling at Humacyte In other Humacyte news, CEO Laura E. Niklason sold 811,172 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $4.44, for a total value of $3,601,603.68. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 2,419,712 shares in the company, valued at $10,743,521.28. The trade was a 25.11 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website . Also, Director Brady W. Dougan sold 427,459 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $4.34, for a total value of $1,855,172.06. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 1,992,253 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,646,378.02. The trade was a 17.67 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold a total of 1,500,000 shares of company stock valued at $6,606,799 in the last three months. 11.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Humacyte A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in HUMA. nVerses Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Humacyte in the second quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Humacyte in the third quarter valued at $75,000. Principal Financial Group Inc. purchased a new stake in Humacyte during the 2nd quarter worth about $83,000. FORA Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Humacyte during the 3rd quarter worth about $96,000. Finally, Insigneo Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of Humacyte in the 3rd quarter valued at about $109,000. 44.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Humacyte ( Get Free Report ) Humacyte, Inc engages in the development and manufacture of off-the-shelf, implantable, and bioengineered human tissues for the treatment of diseases and conditions across a range of anatomic locations in multiple therapeutic areas. The company using its proprietary and scientific technology platform to engineer and manufacture human acellular vessels (HAVs) to be implanted into patient without inducing a foreign body response or leading to immune rejection. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Humacyte Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Humacyte and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Official highlights efforts by Asian states to challenge Boeing, Airbus monopoly
Penticton Vees captain commits to New York-based universityBengaluru techie suicide: Wife, in-laws seek anticipatory bailThe Detroit Lions will play without two high draft picks in rookie cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. while getting back veteran Emmanuel Moseley against the host Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Arnold was downgraded Saturday from questionable to out because of a groin injury. He was limited at practice on Thursday and participated in a full practice on Friday. The Lions drafted Arnold with the 24th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Arnold, 21, has started all 10 games and has 38 tackles and six passes defended. Rakestraw (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve after not practicing all week. He already had been ruled out for Sunday's game. Detroit picked Rakestraw in the second round (61st overall) out of Missouri. He has played in eight games and has six tackles. Rakestraw, 22, has played on 46 defensive snaps (8 percent) and 95 special teams snaps (42 percent). Moseley had full practice sessions all week and was activated from injured reserve on Saturday but was listed as questionable for Sunday. The 28-year-old is in his second season with Detroit and appeared in one game last season before going on IR in October 2023. He was placed on IR on Aug. 27 with a designation to return. Moseley played from 2018-22 for the San Francisco 49ers and had 162 tackles, four interceptions -- one returned for a touchdown -- and 33 passes defensed in 46 games (33 starts). Detroit elevated linebacker David Long on Saturday for game day. Long, 28, signed with the practice squad on Tuesday after the Miami Dolphins released him on Nov. 13. He had started six of eight games for the Dolphins this season and had 38 tackles. In other Lions news, the NFL fined wide receiver Jameson Williams $19,697 for unsportsmanlike conduct for making an obscene gesture during a touchdown celebration in last Sunday's 52-6 home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the NFL Network reported Saturday. Williams, 23, scored on a 65-yard pass from Jared Goff with 12:55 remaining in the third quarter. --Field Level MediaSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers returned to the state Capitol on Monday to begin a special session to protect the state's progressive policies ahead of another Trump presidency. The Democratic governor, a fierce critic of President-elect Donald Trump, is positioning California to once again be the center of a resistance effort against the conservative agenda. He is asking his Democratic allies in the Legislature, who hold supermajorities in both chambers, to approve additional funding to the attorney general's office to prepare for a robust legal fight against anticipated federal challenges. Democratic Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel on Monday introduced legislation to set aside $25 million for legal fees to respond to potential attacks by the Trump administration on state policies regarding civil rights, climate change, immigration and abortion access. “While we always hope to collaborate with our federal partners, California will be ready to vigorously defend our interests and values from any unlawful action by the incoming Trump Administration,” Gabriel said in a statement. California sued the first Trump administration more than 120 times to various levels of success. “We’re not going to be caught flat-footed,” Newsom said at a recent news conference. Trump often depicts California as representing all he sees wrong in America. Democrats, which hold every statewide office in California and have commanding margins in the Legislature and congressional delegation, outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 2-to-1 statewide. Trump called the Democratic governor “New-scum” during a campaign stop in Southern California and has relentlessly lambasted the Democratic stronghold over its large number of immigrants in the U.S. illegally, homeless population and thicket of regulations. Trump also waded into a water rights battle over the endangered delta smelt , a tiny fish that has pitted environmentalists against farmers and threatened to withhold federal aid to a state increasingly under threat from wildfires. He also vowed to follow through with his campaign promise of carrying out the mass deportation of immigrants without legal status and prosecuting his political enemies. Before the special session was set to begin, state lawmakers swore in more than two dozen new members and elect leaders for the 2025 legislative session. Hundreds of people also demonstrated around the Capitol on Monday to urge the Legislature to try to stop Trump's mass deportation plans . They carried banners that said “Not one cent for mass deportation” and “MAGA out of California.” “With the results of the presidential election, we need our state elected officials to use every tool and every resource they have available to them to protect our immigrant Californians,” protester Deborah Lee said. State Attorney General Rob Bonta said his office will protect the state’s immigration population, while Newsom last week unveiled a proposal to revive a rebate program for electric vehicle purchases if the incoming Trump administration eliminates a federal tax credit for people who buy electric cars. Newsom is also considering creating a backup disaster relief fund for the wildfire-prone state after Trump’s threats. Bonta announced legislation Monday aimed at bolstering reproductive rights in the state, including by allowing the attorney general to seek monetary penalties against local governments that infringe on those rights. The proposals are part of the state's efforts to safeguard against threats to abortion access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade . Republican lawmakers blasted Newsom and his Democratic allies over the special session. Rep. Vince Fong, who represents the state’s Central Valley farm belt, said California should work with the incoming Trump administration instead. “Gavin Newsom’s actions are tone-deaf to the concerns of Californians who disapprove of the direction of our state and country,” Fong said in a video on social media. Legislators also are expected to spend the year discussing ways to protect dozens of laws expected to be targeted by the Trump administration, including one that has made the state a sanctuary for people seeking abortions who live in states where such practices have been severely limited. California, the nation’s most populous state, was the first to mandate that by 2035 all new cars , pickup trucks and SUVs sold in California be electric, hydrogen-powered or plug-in hybrids. The state also extends state-funded health care to all low-income residents regardless of their immigration status. Newsom hasn't provided details about what actions the lawmakers will consider but said he wanted funding in place before Trump's inauguration day, Jan. 20. The state spent roughly $42 million in litigation costs during the first Trump administration, officials said. California is projected to face a $2 billion budget deficit next year, with bigger shortfalls ahead. Gabriel, who sued the first Trump administration in 2017 when it tried to end a program to shield young immigrants from being deported, said lining up the funding now is “a wise investment." California successfully clawed back $57 million between 2017 and 2018 after prevailing in a lawsuit to block the Trump administration from putting immigration enforcement conditions on certain federal law enforcement grants. Another legal victory over the citizenship question in the 2020 census forced the federal government to return $850,000 to the state, according to the attorney general's office. “We are positioned, if necessary, to be the tip of the spear of the resistance and to push back against any unlawful or unconstitutional actions by the Trump administration,” said Gabriel, who chairs the budget committee. During Trump’s first presidency, Democratic attorneys general banded together to file lawsuits over immigration, Trump’s travel ban for residents of Muslim countries, the environment, immigration and other topics. But Trump has one possible advantage this time around: He was aggressive in nominating conservative jurists to federal courts at all levels, including the Supreme Court. Associated Press journalists Haven Daley and Sophie Austin contributed to this report.
Gogglebox stars left devastated as they announce the death of ‘our princess’ as fans flood them with supportBETHESDA, Md. , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.12 per share of common stock for December 2024 . The dividend is payable on January 10, 2025 to common stockholders of record as of December 31, 2024 . For further information or questions, please contact Investor Relations at (301) 968-9300 or IR@AGNC.com . ABOUT AGNC INVESTMENT CORP. Founded in 2008, AGNC Investment Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) is a leading investor in Agency residential mortgage-backed securities (Agency MBS), which benefit from a guarantee against credit losses by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae . We invest on a leveraged basis, financing our Agency MBS assets primarily through repurchase agreements, and utilize dynamic risk management strategies intended to protect the value of our portfolio from interest rate and other market risks. AGNC has a track record of providing favorable long-term returns for our stockholders through substantial monthly dividend income, with over $13 billion of common stock dividends paid since inception. Our business is a significant source of private capital for the U.S. residential housing market, and our team has extensive experience managing mortgage assets across market cycles. To learn more about The Premier Agency Residential Mortgage REIT , please visit www.AGNC.com , follow us on LinkedIn and X , and sign up for Investor Alerts . CONTACT: Investor Relations - (301) 968-9300 View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agnc-investment-corp-declares-monthly-common-stock-dividend-of-0-12-per-common-share-for-december-2024--302329440.html SOURCE AGNC Investment Corp.
Audi Crooks' winning shot leads No. 8 Iowa State to 80-78 win over DrakeThe Stock Market Just Crossed a Threshold It's Never Reached Before -- and History Is Quite Clear What Happens Next