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jili889 FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Cam Miller threw three touchdown passes, ran for another and second-seeded North Dakota State blew past a 14-point deficit to beat 15th-seeded Abilene Christian 51-31 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. The Bison (11-2), in the FCS playoffs for a 15th straight season and winner of nine FCS titles, will host seventh-seeded Mercer in the quarterfinals. Abilene Christian (9-5) took a 17-3 lead on a 13-yard TD pass from Maverick McIvor to J.J. Henry, a 90-yard run by Sam Hicks and a Ritse Vaes 29-yard field goal early in the second quarter. The Bison then took over, starting with Jackson Williams’ 100-yard kickoff return to start a run of 31 consecutive points, 17 coming in the second quarter for a 20-17 halftime lead. The scoring streak ended when Nehemiah Martinez’s 53-yard return helped set up Hicks’ 3-yard score to get the Wildcats within 34-24. But the Bison matched that TD on their ensuing drive on Miller’s 36-yard connection with Bryce Lance to cap their 21-point third quarter. Again, the Wildcats got within 10 early in the fourth quarter on Rovaughn Banks Jr.’s 2-yard TD run. But NDSU’s Marcus Gulley returned an interception 37 yards to the ACU 9 and the Crosa kicked a field goal and Logan Kopp followed with a 31-yard pick-6. Miller was 20 of 29 for 274 yards passing. McIvor threw for 153 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Hicks ran for 153 yards on 16 carries. ACU, champion of the United Athletic Conference, was in its first FCS playoffs since joining the classification in 2013, and beat Northern Arizona in its first-round game. Crosa has made his 262nd career PAT to pass NDSU’s Cam Pederson (2015-18) and set an FCS record. ___ AP college football: and . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter:

Police: Chicago house party shooting kills 3, wounds 5

Demand for live Christmas trees remains strongBy ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Related Articles National News | Ex-FBI informant accused of lying about the Bidens is indicted on federal tax charges National News | Bird flu virus was found in raw milk. What to know about the risks National News | Ransomware attack on software supplier disrupts operations for Starbucks and other retailers National News | Spirit posts $308.2M quarterly net loss, raises red flags about future National News | Man found guilty of holding down teen while he was raped at a youth center in 1998 Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.

Libra - (23rd September to 22nd October) Weekly Horoscope Prediction says, you should never give up Be a patient listener and this can have positive results in the love affair. Handle every professional challenge. Financial status is good for investments. Settle the issues in the love affair and be a good lover. At the office, accomplish all tasks but beware of office politics. Despite you receiving good wealth, you must control the expenditure. The health is also in good shape. Libra Love Horoscope This Week You may get into trouble in the love life with your casual attitude. Be on time for a date and your lover will value your commitment. Express the feelings to the crush and some Libras will be successful in getting the support of parents for marriage. Do not let any disagreement turn into a spat that may lead to a disastrous situation. Married Libra females may conceive this week. Those who are in long-distance relationships need to spend more time to strengthen the bonding. Libra Career Horoscope This Week Office politics is not your cup of tea. Overcome the challenges and ensure you do not compromise on the quality. Some professional relationships will suffer a setback, especially in business profiles that may impact office life. Be cool even in a crisis and also ensure you maintain harmony within the team. Those who aspire to get admission to a foreign university will have a reason to smile. Businessmen will also see opportunities to expand the trade to new areas. Libra Money Horoscope This Week Consider safe money decisions and ensure you have prosperity as the partner. Pick the second part of the week to resolve the monetary issue with the friend. Traders handling leather, furniture, pharmaceuticals, and electronic products will see good returns. You may also choose to invest in the stock market or the realty business. Entrepreneurs will get all pending dues and they may also consider further business expansions this week. Libra Health Horoscope This Week Do not compromise on the diet. The plate should be filled with pulses and nuts. No major health issue will trouble you. However, minor issues such as coughing, sneezing, throat infection, and viral fever may be there. Pregnant Sagittarius females must be careful while boarding a train or while riding a two-wheeler. Libra Sign Attributes Strength: Idealist, Socially presentable, Aesthetic, Charming, Artsy, Generous Weakness: Uncertain, Lazy, Non-interventionist Symbol: Scales Element: Air Body Part: Kidneys & Bladder Sign Ruler: Venus Lucky Day: Friday Lucky Color: Brown Lucky Number: 3 Lucky Stone: Diamond Libra Sign Compatibility Chart Natural affinity: Gemini, Leo, Sagittarius, Aquarius Good compatibility: Aries, Libra Fair compatibility: Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio, Pisces Less compatibility: Cancer, Capricorn By: Dr. J. N. Pandey Vedic Astrology & Vastu Expert Website: www.astrologerjnpandey.com E-mail: djnpandey@gmail.com Phone: 91-9811107060 (WhatsApp Only)By ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.

NRL Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Brisbane’s signing of Ben Hunt has been hailed as the recruitment coup that has put the Broncos firmly in contention to win next year’s premiership. Brent Read and Peter Badel analyse what the purchase of Hunt means to Brisbane’s title hopes and the ramifications for other Broncos stars. 1. MAM’S INSURANCE PLAN The NRL is yet to hand down a decision on Ezra Mam’s immediate playing future but a stint on the sidelines is inevitable given the gravity of the incident and the police charges that followed. The Broncos now have a player capable of filling the void. Not just any player either - Hunt played well enough this season to be selected in the Australian squad for the Pacific Championships, although he couldn’t force his way into the side. He fell out of favour at the Dragons towards the end but he never lost the support of Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga. Ezra Mam’s immediate playing future remains uncertain. Picture: Scott Davis/NRL Imagery. Ben Hunt could fill the potential five-eighth void for Brisbane. Picture: Matt King/Getty Images Playing five-eighth isn’t his natural habitat - he has started there just 10 times in his club career - but Hunt is a wily fox who has been around long enough to adjust his game and work in tandem with No.7 Adam Reynolds. There isn’t much the pair haven’t seen on a football field. The 34-year-old Hunt - he will turn 35 just weeks into next year’s competition - and the 34-year-old Reynolds will represent one of the oldest halves pairing in rugby league history. They may have slowed down, but they are still lightning between the ears and the Broncos are counting on their rugby league nous holding the fort until Mam returns. He's coming home. Details ðŸ“2 https://t.co/ERAlTyLhqK pic.twitter.com/go2ANKjcf1 — Brisbane Broncos (@brisbanebroncos) November 26, 2024 2. UP AND ADAM Adam Reynolds managed only 13 games last season and when he was absent, the Broncos were lost. It’s not just what Reynolds brings in terms of his playmaking and kicking game, but also his leadership. Reynolds is the Broncos talisman. A calming and serene voice amid the mayhem that rugby league often brings. Hunt’s arrival gives the Broncos an insurance policy for Adam Reynolds. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images The concern for the Broncos is that Reynolds’ fragility cost them in 2024 and Hunt’s arrival will give them a high-class insurance policy capable of slipping into the No.7 jersey and controlling a game. Significantly, when Reynolds played 23 games in 2023, the Broncos made it all the way to the grand final. Last season, they fell flat on their face. Jock Madden has been a solid deputy and did an admirable job when Reynolds was sidelined, but he may now consider his options given he has two years left on his contract - the same time frame as Hunt has signed for. Young half Coby Black, who has been earmarked for greatness, could be one of the big beneficiaries of the Hunt signing. He now gets the opportunity to learn what it takes to be an NRL-calibre playmaker off two of the best in the business. 3. PREMIERSHIP PUNCH The NRL is now on notice. Hunt’s acquisition makes the Broncos a bona fide contender to win next year’s premiership. Within minutes of Hunt’s signing being announced, bookmakers slashed Brisbane’s odds of ending Penrith’s golden dynasty in 2025. Ben Hunt’s arrival at Brisbane has significantly pushed their premiership credentials. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images Before the Hunt heist, the Broncos opened premiership betting at $17 with TAB. After Brisbane finalised a two-year deal, the Broncos surged in betting markets at $8, moving into third favouritism behind last year’s grand finalists Melbourne ($3.75) and Penrith ($4.50). Hunt has never won a premiership ring in his decorated 334-game career but it’s less about his personal playing record and more about his influence on the collective Broncos machine. Even allowing for last year’s 12th placing, few would question Brisbane have the roster, on paper, to be a top-four team. Make the top four and a title challenge becomes a serious proposition. Getting an Origin and Test player for $550,000 a season under the salary cap is as shrewd as it gets for any club, particularly at this stage of the pre-season. Depth is crucial in this competition and Hunt’s arrival gives Brisbane a formidable look in the spine. A Big Four of Reynolds, Mam, Reece Walsh and Hunt gives the Broncos a playmaking spine few clubs in the league can match. 4. FOLLOW THE LEADER Hunt’s signing bolsters Brisbane’s leadership group. Prior to Reynolds’ arrival from South Sydney, the Broncos had a fully-fledged captaincy crisis, to the point where the club hired a consultancy firm to help develop the next wave of leaders. Pat Carrigan is a brilliant deputy and it is only a matter of time before he succeeds Reynolds, but in Hunt, the Broncos have snared a 16-year NRL greenhorn with a remarkable record of durability. If Reynolds is injured next year, Hunt can step up not only as a playmaker, but a potential captain who can add value to Brisbane’s leadership group alongside Carrigan, Payne Haas and Kotoni Staggs. Ben Hunt can be a leader for the Broncos on and off the field. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images Hunt has played 20 or more games in 12 of his 16 seasons. Rarely does he suffer a major injury. Off the field, he is a cheeky knockabout who is adored in representative teams because of his competitive fire and team-first ethos to play any role at any time. There is no hubris or ego with Hunt, who will gladly help mentor Brisbane’s younger players. When he scored the famous series-winning try for Queensland in 2022, Hunt was mobbed by Maroons players because of his popularity. 5. HOOKING GOOD Hunt’s arrival will have ramifications not only for Brisbane’s halves, but their dummy-half region, and there is every chance heads could roll at hooker. The Broncos are already overloaded with No.9 options. Billy Walters, the son of former Broncos coach Kevin, inked a two-year extension in April and is contracted to the Broncos until the end of 2026. Billy Walters’ No.9 jersey could be in jeopardy with the arrival of Ben Hunt. Picture: Adam Head Brisbane’s other rakes, Tyson Smoothy, Cory Paix and rising star Blake Mozer, are off-contract at the end of next season. For 2025 at least, there is now a fifth option in the versatile Hunt, who will most likely move to hooker when five-eighth Ezra Mam is cleared to return to action to partner Adam Reynolds in the halves. Hunt’s signing means someone must go under the salary cap. Paix is on around $350,000 this season and his price tag puts him in the firing line, particularly if he isn’t playing NRL, while Smoothy could also be squeezed out to allow the progression of Mozer. If Reynolds retires at the end of next year, Hunt could return to the No.7 starting slot for 2026, when Walters will be off-contract and Mozer should be ready to step up as the chief No.9 at age 22. 6. CENTRES OF ATTENTION Brisbane’s bean counters will have to work their salary-cap magic to keep backline stars Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs. Hunt’s signing takes another $550,000 chunk out of the salary cap at a time when the Broncos face a potential $1.5 million outlay to keep Cobbo and Staggs, who are both off-contract next year. Cobbo, a free agent, has already attracted interest from three NRL rivals, while Staggs would have no shortage of suitors if he tested his value on the open market. Brisbane had around 18 per cent of their salary cap this season invested in their spine and the purchase of Hunt will impose cap pressures that could force Cobbo or Staggs out of the Broncos. Broncos bosses remain confident Staggs and Cobbo will both stay for 2026 and beyond. If Hunt achieves his final frontier and brings a premiership back to the Broncos, his purchase will be vindicated, even if there could be collateral damage along the way. More Coverage Red Hill return: Ben Hunt to finish career at Broncos Peter Badel and Brent Read NRL transfer tracker: Every signing, player linked with your club Staff writers Originally published as Ben Hunt analysis: Five-eighth, hooker, utility - how new signing fits in Brisbane Broncos system Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories NRL The 2015 grand final fan sledge that still ‘triggers’ Ben Hunt In a wide-ranging interview, Ben Hunt has opened up on his Broncos return, his excitement of linking up with Reece Walsh, and the 2015 grand final sledge that still gets to him. Read more NRL Tigers over Chooks, Manly? NRL punters’ shock premiership call Despite claiming the past three successive wooden spoons - winning just 14 from 72 games since the start of 2022 – Wests Tigers have received plenty of market support following a brutal Benji Marshall call. Read more

Dec 3 (Reuters) - After a Delaware judge last January struck down CEO Elon Musk’s $56 billion pay package, Tesla’s board of directors faced a choice. The board could have reopened the complex process of negotiating a compensation deal with Musk, this time with guardrails in place to assure the plan would be deemed fair to all of Tesla’s shareholders despite Musk’s sway over the company. That option, as the electric vehicle maker eventually told shareholders in a proxy filing , opens new tab last April, had distinct disadvantages. It would have been time-consuming and potentially very expensive: Tesla told shareholders that it believed the company would have faced an accounting charge of more than $25 billion if it had adopted a new compensation package that granted Musk the stock options he had been promised in the pay plan rescinded by Delaware Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick. A newly negotiated plan, Tesla (TSLA.O) , opens new tab said in the proxy filing, might also have adverse tax consequences for both Musk and the company. The board's other choice was simply to ask shareholders to vote again on the pay package they had previously approved in 2018, but this time with beefed up disclosures, including the full text of McCormick’s opinion concluding that directors had breached their duties when they approved the deal for Musk. A new vote, Tesla said in the April proxy filing, would “cure” the court’s criticism and would “extinguish claims for a breach of fiduciary duty.” This so-called “ratification” of the previous shareholder vote had obvious advantages for the company, as Tesla told shareholders in the proxy statement. It was quick, which meant Musk would soon have a new pay package after working for six years without compensation. It also gave shareholders a voice. And it could save Tesla from shelling out billions of dollars in fees to the plaintiffs' lawyers who had challenged Musk’s pay, the company told shareholders, because those lawyers could no longer argue that they had saved Tesla billions of dollars by blocking the transfer of valuable options to Musk. Tesla acknowledged in its proxy filing that its ratification theory was “novel” and that Delaware courts might not agree with the company’s assessment of the theory’s viability and its impact on the case. But Tesla’s board told shareholders that its one-woman special independent committee had concluded — without even bringing in a compensation consultant — that ratification was the better course. The board told shareholders in the April proxy materials that it agreed. So, apparently, did shareholders, who voted resoundingly in favor of reconfirming Musk’s 2018 pay package at Tesla’s annual meeting in June. Tesla subsequently pointed to the second vote in filings asking McCormick to revise her original opinion because shareholders had once again approved Musk’s pay deal, this time in a fully informed vote. Tesla also said shareholder lawyers were entitled to no more than $54.5 million for their efforts. Tesla, in essence, wagered that it would rather test its novel ratification theory in Delaware courts than restart the process of setting Musk’s compensation. It lost that bet on Monday, when McCormick denied , opens new tab Tesla’s request for modification of her original opinion in light of the shareholder vote in June. McCormick concluded that Tesla’s theory — that a do-over vote by shareholders can effectively undo a judge’s post-trial court ruling — has no basis in common law, Delaware procedural rules, Delaware case law or even Delaware policy. The judge also said that even if Tesla’s board was right about the ratifying effect of shareholders’ second vote approving Musk’s pay package, that re-vote was tainted by the proxy statement’s overly confident depiction of the impact of the vote. Tesla said in a post on X that it plans to appeal McCormick’s new and original rulings to the Delaware Supreme Court, as my Reuters colleagues Tom Hals and Jon Stempel reported on Monday. So there is still a chance that Tesla’s ratification theory will ultimately prevail. There's also still a chance that Delaware's justices will overturn McCormick’s original holding that the board breached its duty in negotiating the 2018 compensation plan with Musk. (I received no response to my email query to Tesla and defense counsel from Cravath, Swaine & Moore and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan.) Nonetheless, after reading McCormick’s decision, I wondered whether Tesla and its CEO would have been better off if Tesla’s board had opted for renegotiation rather than pushing for McCormick to endorse its novel ratification theory. Remember, Tesla's directors did not need much convincing to reject that course based on accounting and tax considerations. But four law professors told me on Tuesday that if Tesla had reopened negotiations, it would probably have been able to formulate a new Musk compensation plan that could withstand court scrutiny. The professors — Stephen Bainbridge of the University of California at Los Angeles, Eric Talley of Columbia University, Ann Lipton of Tulane University and retired professor Charles Elson of the University of Delaware — said Tesla’s board would have needed to abide by standard corporate procedures, including the creation of a genuinely independent committee to negotiate with Musk. If the board had set up those guardrails, Talley said by email, it could have justified even a retroactive package that rewarded Musk for working without pay since 2018. “Keeping Elon happy (and not vengeful) at Tesla could easily provide a rational basis for making a retrospective award,” Talley said. He and Bainbridge noted an additional wrinkle: If Tesla’s board had waited until the company’s reincorporation in Texas to reset Musk’s compensation, the company might not have had to worry about all of Delaware’s rules for transactions involving a controlling shareholder. It’s not even clear, Bainbridge said, that Texas courts would deem Musk, who does not own a majority of Tesla’s shares, to be a controlling shareholder. “It would have been much cleaner to simply wait to do this after the move to Texas,” Bainbridge said. “It would have been better to start from scratch.” Read more: Delaware judge rejects Musk's $56 billion Tesla pay - again What is next for Musk after judge rules against him in Tesla pay case? Judge voids Elon Musk's 'unfathomable' $56 billion Tesla pay package Sign up here. Reporting By Alison Frankel Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab Thomson Reuters Alison Frankel has covered high-stakes commercial litigation as a columnist for Reuters since 2011. A Dartmouth college graduate, she has worked as a journalist in New York covering the legal industry and the law for more than three decades. Before joining Reuters, she was a writer and editor at The American Lawyer. Frankel is the author of Double Eagle: The Epic Story of the World’s Most Valuable Coin.Global stocks mostly rose Tuesday, with US and German indices posting records, as markets weighed Chinese stimulus hopes, political tensions in France and the US interest-rate outlook. Germany's blue-chip DAX stock index jumped above 20,000 points for the first time and Paris rebounded even as France braced for new political turmoil. In New York, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq narrowly rose to finish at records, while the Dow pulled back. Oil prices jumped more than two percent following reports that crude exporters were near an agreement to extend production limits. A closely-watched labor market report showed an increase in US job openings in October, but also a decline in new job postings during the month, a less upbeat sign. Samuel Tombs, chief US economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the data overall provides "good grounds" for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates again this month. Still, the choppiness of Tuesday's trading session in New York points to reticence among US investors following a series of post-election records that many pundits believe have left stocks overvalued. "There wasn't a lot of conviction behind the upside moves," said Briefing.com . "The overall vibe in the market was more negative." Stocks in Paris edged higher even as France headed into a new political crisis as opposition lawmakers vowed to topple the minority government of Prime Minister Michel Barnier in a no-confidence vote after just three months in office. Germany's DAX, meanwhile, scored a fresh milestone, defying multiple headwinds battering Europe's biggest economy. The German economy, hit hard by a manufacturing slowdown and weak demand for its exports, has struggled in 2024. Yet the DAX has advanced in large part because companies in the index do heavy business abroad. In addition, the euro's recent weakness has boosted Germany's export-oriented companies, while easing interest rates both in the eurozone and the United States have also helped sentiment. Investors greeted a Bloomberg report that China's top leaders, including President Xi Jinping, would hold a two-day economic work conference next week to outline their targets and stimulus plans for next year. The report followed manufacturing activity data on Monday that suggested China's economic struggles may be coming to an end, but investors are looking for Beijing to step up support for the economy. The news helped push Hong Kong and Shanghai stock markets higher despite Washington announcing new export restrictions taking aim at Beijing's ability to make advanced semiconductors. The moves step up existing US efforts to tighten curbs on exports of state-of-the-art AI chips to China. Beijing hit back by saying it would restrict exports to the United States of some key components in making semiconductors. Oil prices jumped ahead of a meeting Thursday of members of the OPEC oil cartel and its allies "The forecast is that they will announce an extension until the end of the first quarter of 2025, and this should help put a floor under prices," said Trade Nation analyst David Morrison. New York - Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 44,705.53 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 6,049.88 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.4 percent at 19,480.91 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 8,359.41 (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 7,255.42 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.4 percent at 20,016.75 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.9 percent at 39,248.86 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 1.0 percent at 19,746.32 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.4 percent at 3,378.81 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0511 from $1.0498 on Monday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2673 from $1.2655 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 149.53 yen from 149.60 yen Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.94 from 82.95 pence Brent North Sea Crude: UP 2.5 percent at $73.62 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: UP 2.7 percent at $69.94 per barrel burs-jmb/dw

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MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media , leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law. The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts. The legislation was passed with 102 votes in favor to 13 against. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced. Opposition lawmaker Dan Tehan told Parliament the government had agreed to accept amendments in the Senate that would bolster privacy protections. Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver’s licenses. The platforms also could not demand digital identification through a government system. “Will it be perfect? No. But is any law perfect? No, it’s not. But if it helps, even if it helps in just the smallest of ways, it will make a huge difference to people’s lives,” Tehan told Parliament. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the Senate would debate the bill later Wednesday. The major parties’ support all but guarantees the legislation will be passed by the Senate where no party holds a majority of seats. Lawmakers who were not aligned with either the government or the opposition were most critical of the legislation during debate on Tuesday and Wednesday. Criticisms include that the legislation had been rushed through Parliament without adequate scrutiny, would not work, would create privacy risks for users of all ages and would take away parents’ authority to decide what’s best for their children. Critics also argue the ban would isolate children, deprive them of positive aspects of social media, drive children to the dark web, make children too young for social media reluctant to report harms they encountered and take away incentives for platforms to make online spaces safer. Independent lawmaker Zoe Daniel said the legislation would “make zero difference to the harms that are inherent to social media.” “The true object of this legislation is not to make social media safe by design, but to make parents and voters feel like the government is doing something about it,” Daniel told Parliament. “There is a reason why the government parades this legislation as world-leading, that’s because no other country wants to do it,” she added. T he platforms had asked for the vote on legislation to be delayed until at least June next year when a government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies made its report on how the ban could been enforced. Rod Mcguirk, The Associated PressQuinton Byfield scores in 200th career game as Kings hold off Kraken