Conor McGregor found guilty of 2018 sexual assault in civil lawsuit in Ireland
Building on unparalleled nuclear experience, James Owen to lead Fuse's strategy to build technology solutions for sustainable, clean, reliable energy SAN LEANDRO, Calif. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fuse , a leading nuclear fusion company dedicated to accelerating the world's transition to fusion energy while safeguarding humankind, today announced the appointment of Los Alamos National Laboratory's (LANL) Chief Engineer for Nuclear Weapons, James Owen , as President of Fuse Federal, the company's wholly-owned subsidiary focused on U.S. government business. " James Owen's unparalleled background in nuclear engineering and his leadership at Los Alamos National Lab make him the ideal person to spearhead our federal business," said JC Btaiche, Founder and CEO of Fuse. "His experience and unique background at LANL will be invaluable as we strive to solve one of humanity's grandest challenges: fusion energy." At Los Alamos , Owen was responsible for the oversight of all weapons engineering activities in support of the Lab's national security mission to ensure America's nuclear deterrent remains effective and secure. Notably, Owen led and delivered four stockpile modernization programs while sustaining the United States' legacy deterrent through surveillance, weapons response, and more. Owen oversaw six divisions at Los Alamos with over 1,300 staff members and an annual budget of $1 billion dollars . LANL's heritage stretches back to the Manhattan Project, and now Owen will be working on what many consider humanity's next Manhattan Project: unlocking clean and abundant fusion energy. As President of Fuse Federal, Owen will leverage his extensive experience in nuclear technologies to lead the company's efforts in providing critical products and testing services for components of the nuclear stockpile and other defense infrastructure. He will focus on expanding the company's radiation services, a critical component of nuclear fusion energy, for government customers while also contributing to Fuse's overall strategy for commercializing fusion energy technology as a source of clean energy. Owen will join Fuse's executive team to drive the expansion of fusion and pulsed power products and services for the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and other customers. Owen expressed enthusiasm about joining Fuse: "Since beginning as a summer student in 1988, I have been privileged to work with the most amazing people on the most important mission for the nation," Owen said. "And I am looking forward to working on one of the most difficult yet important technological challenges facing humanity and our planet – fusion energy." The Honorable Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, Fuse board member and former Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security, added: "Fuse will provide critically needed and groundbreaking technologies to the national security ecosystem and will support a clean energy future. I am thrilled that James Owen , a pioneer in the nuclear security community has joined the Fuse team, bringing invaluable experience and expertise which will enable the nuclear enterprise to accelerate and execute important missions." About Fuse Fuse is a California -based nuclear fusion company dedicated to accelerating the world's transition to fusion energy while safeguarding humankind. Through its subsidiary, Fuse Federal, the company provides essential radiation services to U.S. government agencies, supporting critical defense and energy initiatives. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/los-alamos-chief-engineer-joins-nuclear-fusion-startup-fuse-to-lead-federal-business-302313709.html SOURCE Fuse Energy Technologies CorporationJayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. trained and went through the NFL draft process together on the way to becoming two of the five quarterbacks taken in the top 10. After going off the board earlier with the second pick by the Washington Commanders, Daniels has been their starter all season and one of football's breakout stars . Penix, taken eighth in a move coach Raheem Morris joked “shocked the world," waited behind Kirk Cousins until usurping the veteran and making his first pro start last week. On Sunday night, they'll face off in the league's first prime-time showdown of rookie QBs selected in the first round, and the spotlight is bright with significant playoff implications at stake. “I'm happy for him — he waited his time,” Daniels said of Penix. “He's a phenomenal player in my eyes, and I'm excited to be able to match up against him.” Daniels and the Commanders (10-5) are in the playoffs with a win. They might already be in before kickoff if Tampa Bay loses at home to Carolina, though the Buccaneers are 8-point favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook. Washington is favored by 4 against the Falcons (8-7), who are vying with the Bucs for the NFC South title and a home playoff game and also in contention with the Commanders and others for the conference's wild-card spots. “The reality is that you fight, you fight, you fight and you put yourself in a position to go out there and win your division,” Penix said. "You put yourself in a chance to get yourself to qualify for extra play. We’re right in the mix of doing that, and we’ve got to go do it and finish.” Daniels, who threw five touchdown passes to beat Philadelphia last week and end the Eagles’ winning streak at 10 games, is the prohibitive favorite to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Penix completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards in a rout of the New York Giants that included two touchdowns by Atlanta's defense and two on the ground from running back Bijan Robinson. “I was really pleased with his composure, his poise, his ability to click through progressions,” Morris said. "Realistically, it was a pretty clean game at the quarterback position. I’m very pleased with what he did and how he did it and the support that he had around him.” Washington's Dan Quinn is facing the Falcons as a head coach for the first time since they fired him in 2020. He was replaced then on an interim basis by Morris, who was an assistant on his staff in Atlanta the entire time Quinn was in charge, including the run to the Super Bowl in the 2016 season. “It’s always fun to play against your friends, your confidants, your mentors — whatever you want to look at it as — that we’ve been able to grow up with throughout this whole process,” said Morris, who was an assistant in Washington from 2012-14 under Mike Shanahan and interviewed for the Commanders job last winter. “Dan coaching me in college," Morris added, "and then having a chance to work together and then having a chance to really follow the same path to the National Football League and then to now being in a fortunate position to be head coaches in this awesome league and having a chance to compete against each other at a very high level with high stakes on the line in prime time and all of those things — I just enjoy those moments of being able to go against guys that you care about.” Morris said conversations from their close working relationship, which dates to their time together at Hofstra, are on a break right now. “Obviously you swap texts on normal weeks,” Morris said. “I won’t talk to him this week. I’ll ban him. I’ll block him on the phone.” Penix's results would have been even more impressive if not for some drops by receivers. Ray-Ray McCloud and Drake London had miscues on Atlanta’s opening drive. Tight end Kyle Pitts bobbled a pass later that led to Penix's interception. Serving as scout-team QB while Cousins was the starter , Penix had little practice time with the first-string offense before last week. As a left-hander, Penix gives receivers a different look, but perhaps the biggest adjustment was the added zip on his passes when compared with Cousins. “We kind of talked about that,” Morris said. “We figured that would happen. ... We talked about the reps with these guys, not having as many. So, things like that are going to happen. But I do like the fact that we’re able to keep playing and pushing and watch the guys get better and better as we went. The Commanders are expected to get two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen back after surgery in October to repair a torn pectoral muscle initially looked to be season-ending . “We know the caliber of Jon and what he can bring,” Quinn said. “He’s strong. He’s tough. So when that does happen, that’ll be something that will definitely bring energy to our defense.” Allen had 15 tackles and two sacks in five-plus games before getting injured at Baltimore on Oct. 13. After ranking last in the league with 10 sacks through the first 11 games, Atlanta’s long-struggling pass rush has enjoyed a dramatic surge. The Falcons have at least three in four consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league, with 16 total over this stretch. Arnold Ebiketie recorded his fifth sack and recovered a fumble against the Giants, and Kaden Elliss had a strip sack. Elliss also has five sacks and has dropped opposing QBs in four consecutive games: the longest streak by a Falcons defender since Patrick Kerney's five in a row in 2001. AP Sports Writer Charles Odum contributed. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLBoise State's legacy includes winning coaches and championship moments
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke coach Manny Diaz says quarterback Maalik Murphy will face discipline “internally” after extending both of his middle fingers skyward in celebration after throwing a long touchdown pass early in the weekend win against Virginia Tech . Diaz said Monday that Murphy's exuberant gesture, caught on the ACC Network national broadcast, was directed at offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer in the booth after a bit of practice “banter” from a few days earlier. Diaz said the Texas transfer just let his excitement get away from him but still called it “unacceptable in our program." “There was a practice in the middle of last week when we throwing post after post after post, and we weren't completing them,” Diaz said. “And it was again and again and again and again. And at the end of that, there was a remark made in jest that, ‘If you throw a post for a touchdown in the game, then you can flick me off,’ from Coach Brewer.” Murphy's gesture came after he uncorked a deep ball from deep in Duke's own end and caught Eli Pancol perfectly in stride across midfield, with Pancol racing untouched for an 86-yard score barely 2 minutes into the game. As he began skipping downfield to celebrate, Murphy chest-bumped teammate Star Thomas and then extended both arms in the air with his middle fingers raised. Brewer said Monday he missed the gesture in real time, but then saw it on a replay moments later. “Some things you say on the field when you're coaching obviously isn't meant to be taken literally when you're trying to get after somebody in that world,” Brewer said. Murphy threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions in the 31-28 win for the Blue Devils (8-3, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who close the regular season at Wake Forest. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballThe slump in the number of people heading to the shops during Boxing Day sales signals a return to declining pre-pandemic levels, an analyst has said. Boxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first “proper Christmas” period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found £4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: “We’ve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. “Figures have come out that things have stabilised, we’re almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.” There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: “It’s the shift to online shopping, it’s the convenience, you’ve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: “We see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so they’ve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they don’t really need to go out again until later on in that week. “We did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.” Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and “a lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own home”, she said. She added: “I feel like it’s becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.” Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend £236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still £50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store – an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. “This year, we’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.” Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.
Global Blue Group Holding Stock Drops Despite Solid Q2 Earnings Report: Retail’s Exuberant
President-elect Donald Trump promised Tuesday that he would “vigorously” enforce the death penalty following President Joe Biden’s decision to grant clemency to 37 death row inmates. “As soon as I am inaugurated, I will direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue the death penalty to protect American families and children from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters,” Trump wrote Tuesday on Truth Social. “We will be a Nation of Law and Order again!” Biden commuted death sentences Monday for 37 criminals convicted for brutal murders, reclassifying their sentences to life without parole. Biden said that he could not in good conscience “stand back and let a new administration resume executions” he halted. (RELATED: Victims’ Families And Friends Slam Biden For ‘Heartless Decision’ To Shield Child Murderer, Cop Killer From Death Row) “Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss,” Biden said in a statement . “But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level.” Inmates whose sentences were commuted include Jorge Aviia-Torrez, who murdered two young girls and a 20-year old female naval officer. Kathleen Zellner, who represented the father of one of the girls Torrez killed, told the DCNF Biden’s decision was “carried out recklessly and for the President’s own political agenda against the incoming administration.” Anthony Battle, who murdered a prison guard while he was facing a life sentence for murdering his wife, also had his sentence commuted. (RELATED: Murderers, Rapists And Robbers: Biden Goes On Commutation Spree For Christmas) Family and friends of victims slammed Biden’s decision Monday, accusing Biden of not considering them in the decision. “Joe Biden’s decision is a clear gross abuse of power,” Heather Turner, whose mother was killed by an inmate on death row, wrote on Facebook. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.” Trump also wrote Tuesday that Biden’s decision “makes no sense.” “Relatives and friends are further devastated,” he said on Truth Social. “They can’t believe this is happening!” All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org .
t seems to be a tradition between the NFL quarterbacks to give something back to the most underrated players on the field; the OL. Earliert this hollidays we have seen gifts like the one from Brock Purdy to his teammates, even when he still has a rookie contract. He give a , which social media started making jokes and comparissons with other QBs gifts around the X-mas season. Justin Herbert tired of the Chargers? Chargers fans, known for their passionate support, were disappointed when quarterback allegedly displayed less than generous tipping behavior. This perceived stinginess sparked a wave of playful posts in online comment sections, with fans jokingly questioning and playfully accusing him of 'penny-pinching.' For the last weeks, they have been plenty of temas that have been related to the young QB, Oregon alumni. One of them the who need to fill out the position with a true winner.
LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Tyrese Hunter scored 17 of his 26 points after halftime to lead Memphis to a 99-97 overtime win against two-time defending national champion and second-ranked UConn on Monday in the first round of the Maui Invitational . Hunter shot 7 of 10 from 3-point range for the Tigers (5-0), who were 12 of 22 from beyond at the arc as a team. PJ Haggerty had 22 points and five assists, Colby Rogers had 19 points and Dain Dainja scored 14. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke coach Manny Diaz says quarterback Maalik Murphy will face discipline “internally” after extending both of his middle fingers skyward in celebration after throwing a long touchdown pass early in the weekend win against Virginia Tech . Diaz said Monday that Murphy's exuberant gesture, caught on the ACC Network national broadcast, was directed at offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer in the booth after a bit of practice “banter” from a few days earlier. Diaz said the Texas transfer just let his excitement get away from him but still called it “unacceptable in our program." “There was a practice in the middle of last week when we throwing post after post after post, and we weren't completing them,” Diaz said. “And it was again and again and again and again. And at the end of that, there was a remark made in jest that, ‘If you throw a post for a touchdown in the game, then you can flick me off,’ from Coach Brewer.” Murphy's gesture came after he uncorked a deep ball from deep in Duke's own end and caught Eli Pancol perfectly in stride across midfield, with Pancol racing untouched for an 86-yard score barely 2 minutes into the game. As he began skipping downfield to celebrate, Murphy chest-bumped teammate Star Thomas and then extended both arms in the air with his middle fingers raised. Brewer said Monday he missed the gesture in real time, but then saw it on a replay moments later. “Some things you say on the field when you're coaching obviously isn't meant to be taken literally when you're trying to get after somebody in that world,” Brewer said. Murphy threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions in the 31-28 win for the Blue Devils (8-3, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), who close the regular season at Wake Forest. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
F1 expands grid, adds Cadillac brand and new American team for '26TEXAS, USA — When Nathan Hecht ran for the Texas Supreme Court in 1988, no Republican had ever been elected to the state’s highest civil court. His election foreshadowed a coming transformation of the court, civil legal procedure and Texas itself. Hecht is the longest tenured Supreme Court justice in Texas history. He won six reelections and led the court as chief justice for more than a decade. He heard more than 2,700 oral arguments, authored 7,000 pages of opinions, and retires now not because he’s had enough, but because state law requires him to. Late on a Friday afternoon, just two weeks before he hung up his robe, he was still in his office, his mind mired in the work that was left to be done. “This is always a really busy time for us, because the opinions are mounting up to be talked about,” he said. “It’ll be busy next week.” Hecht began as a dissenter on a divided court, his conservative positions on abortion, school finance and property rights putting him at odds with the Democratic majority and some moderate Republicans. But as Texas Republicans began dominating up and down the ballot, his minority voice became mainstream on one of the country’s most conservative high courts. In his administration of the court, Hecht has been a fierce advocate for the poor, pushing for more Legal Aid funding, bail reform and lowering the barriers to accessing the justice system. “If justice were food, too many would be starving,” Hecht told lawmakers in 2017. “If it were housing, too many would be homeless. If it were medicine, too many would be sick.” Hecht’s departure leaves a vacancy that Gov. Greg Abbott , a former justice himself, will get to fill. He may elevate a current justice or appoint someone new directly to the chief justice role. Whoever ends up in the top spot will have to run for reelection in 2026. In his typical understated manner, so at odds with the bombast of the other branches of government, Hecht told The Texas Tribune that serving on the court has been the honor of his life. “I have gotten to participate not only in a lot of decisions shaping the jurisprudence of the state, but also in trying to improve the administration of the court system so that it works better and fosters public trust and confidence,” he said. “So I feel good about the past,” he said. “And I feel good about the future.” A ‘sea change’ Born in Clovis, New Mexico, Hecht studied philosophy at Yale before getting his law degree from Southern Methodist University. He clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and returned to Texas, where his reputation preceded him. As a young lawyer, Tom Phillips, a former chief justice and now a partner at Baker Botts, reached out to a Dallas law firm that had promised to hire him the next chance they got. “I called them a few months later and said, ‘So I assume you never got a vacancy,’” Phillips recalls. “And they said, ‘Well, we did, but we had a chance to hire Nathan Hecht, so you’ll understand why we went ahead and did that.’” Hecht was appointed to the district court in 1981 and quickly made a name for himself, pushing the court to modernize their stenography practices and taking the unusual step of writing opinions as a trial judge. He was elected to the court of appeals in 1986, and ran for Texas Supreme Court two years later. This race came at a low point for Texas’ judiciary, after a string of scandals, ethics investigations, eyebrow-raising rulings and national news coverage made several sitting Supreme Court justices household names — and not in a good way. Seeing an opportunity, Hecht challenged one of the incumbents, a Democrat who’d been called out in a damning 60 Minutes segment for friendly relationships with lawyers who both funded his campaigns and argued before the court. Hecht teamed up with Phillips and Eugene Cook, two Republicans who had recently been appointed to the court, and asked voters to “Clean the Slate in ’88,” separating themselves from the Democrats by promising to only accept small donations. “Party politics were changing in the state at the same time, but the broader issue on our court at the time was to ensure that judges were following the law,” Hecht said. “That was a driving issue.” Since Phillips and Cook were incumbents, Hecht was the only one who had to take on a sitting Supreme Court justice. And he won. “It really was a sea change in Texas political history,” Phillips said. “He was the first person ever to do that in a down ballot race, to defeat a Democrat as a Republican.” Political changes Republican dominance swept through the Supreme Court as swiftly as it did Texas writ large. The last Democrat would be elected to the court in 1994, just six years after the first Republican. But even among Bush-era Republicans filling the bench, Hecht’s conservatism stood out. In 2000, he wrote a dissent disagreeing with the majority ruling that allowed teens in Texas to get abortions with a judge’s approval if their parents wouldn’t consent, and a few years earlier, ruled in favor of wealthy school districts that wanted to use local taxes to supplement state funds. His pro-business bent stood out next to the court’s history of approving high dollar payouts for plaintiffs. Alex Winslow, the executive director of Texas Watch, a consumer advocacy group, told the New York Times in 2005 that Hecht was “the godfather of the conservative judicial movement in Texas.” “Extremist would be an appropriate description,” Winslow said. “He’s the philosophical leader of the right-wing fringe.” The only other justice who regularly staked out such a conservative position, according to the New York Times, was Priscilla Owen, who President George W. Bush appointed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2005. Hecht and Owen, who now goes by her maiden name, Richmond, wed in 2022 . Wallace Jefferson, Hecht’s predecessor as chief justice, said Hecht’s sharp intellect and philosophical approach to the law improved the court’s opinions, even when he ultimately didn’t side with the majority. “He was a formidable adversary,” said Jefferson, now a partner at Alexander Dubose & Jefferson. “You knew that you would have to bring your best approach and analysis to overcome Nathan’s approach and analysis ... You had to come prepared and Nathan set the standard for that.” Hecht briefly became a national figure in 2005 when he helped Bush’s efforts to confirm Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court. As her longtime friend, Hecht gave more than 120 interviews to bolster Miers’ conservative credentials, jokingly calling himself the “PR office for the White House,” Texas Monthly reported at the time . This advocacy work raised ethical questions that Hecht fought for years, starting with a reprimand from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Hecht got that overturned. The Texas Ethics Commission then fined him $29,000 for not reporting the discount he got on the legal fees he paid challenging the reprimand. He appealed that fine and the case stretched until 2016 , when he ultimately paid $1,000. Hecht has largely stayed out of the limelight in the decades since, letting his opinions speak for themselves and wading into the political fray mostly to advocate for court reforms. While Democrats have tried to pin unpopular COVID and abortion rulings on the justices in recent elections, Republicans continue to easily win these down-ballot races. Hecht is aware of the perception this one-party dominance creates, and has advocated for Texas to turn away from partisan judicial elections. In his 2023 state of the judiciary address , Hecht warned that growing political divisions were threatening the “judicial independence essential to the rule of law,” pointing to comments by both Democratic politicians and former President Donald Trump. But in an interview, Hecht stressed that most of the cases the Texas Supreme Court considers never make headlines, and are far from the politics that dominate Austin and Washington. “There’s no Republican side to an oil and gas case. There’s no Democrat side to a custody hearing,” he said. “That’s the bread and butter of what we do, and that’s not partisan.” Hecht’s reforms Unlike its federal counterpart, the Texas Supreme Court is often a temporary port of call on a judge’s journey. Many, like Abbott, Sen. John Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett , leave for higher office. Others, like Owen and 5th Circuit Judge Don Willett, leave for higher courts. Most, like Phillips, leave for higher pay in private practice. But Hecht stayed. “I didn’t plan it like this,” Hecht said. “I just kept getting re-elected.” Hecht had been considering retirement in 2013, when Jefferson, the chief justice who replaced Phillips, announced he would be stepping down. “He wanted me to consider being his successor,” Hecht said. “So I did, and here I am. I didn’t say, ‘Let’s spend 43 years on the bench,’ but one thing led to another.” In 2013, Hecht was sworn in as chief justice by then-U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, another great dissenter whose views later became the majority. While the Texas Supreme Court’s political makeup has changed largely without Hecht’s input, the inner workings of the court have been under his purview. And that, many court watchers say, is where his greatest legacy lies. Hecht ushered in an era of modernization, both to the technology and the rules that govern justice in Texas. He led a push to simplify the appellate rules, removing many of the trapdoors and procedural quirks that led to important cases being decided on technicalities. The court scaled back how long cases could drag on by limiting discovery, including how long a deposition can go. And he ensured every case was decided before the term ended, like the U.S. Supreme Court. “I think people generally don’t understand the impact the rules can have on the equitable resolution of disputes, but they’re enormous,” Jefferson said. “Nathan recognized that at an early juncture in his career.” Hecht pushed Texas to adopt e-filing before many other states, which proved prescient when COVID hit. Hecht, who was then president of the national Conference of Chief Justices, was able to help advise other states as they took their systems online. Hecht also dedicated himself to improving poor Texan’s access to the justice system, pushing the Legislature to appropriate more funding for Legal Aid and reducing the barriers to getting meaningful legal resolutions. He helped usher through a rule change that would allow paraprofessionals to handle some legal matters like estate planning, uncontested divorces and consumer debt cases, without a lawyer’s supervision. “Some people call it the justice gap. I call it the justice chasm,” Hecht said. “Because it’s just a huge gulf between the people that need legal help and the ability to provide it.” Hecht said he’s glad this has been taken up as a bipartisan issue, and he’s hopeful that the same attention will be paid even after he leaves the court. “No judge wants to give his life’s energy to a work that mocks the justice that he’s trying to provide,” he said. “For the judiciary, this is an important issue, because when the promise of equal justice under law is denied because you’re too poor, there’s no such thing as equal justice under the law.” What comes next Despite the sudden departure of their longtime leader, the Texas Supreme Court will return in January to finish out its term, which ends in April. Among the typical parsing of medical malpractice provisions, oil and gas leases, divorce settlements and sovereign immunity protections, the high court has a number of more attention-grabbing cases on its docket this year. Earlier this year, the court heard oral arguments about the Department of Family and Protective Services’ oversight of immigration detention facilities, and in mid-January, they’ll consider Attorney General Ken Paxton’s efforts to subpoena Annunciation House, an El Paso nonprofit that serves migrants. They’ll also hear arguments over Southern Methodist University’s efforts to cut ties with the regional governing body of the United Methodist Church. Other cases will be added to the schedule before April. Phillips, who has argued numerous cases before the Texas Supreme Court since leaving the bench, said Hecht’s loss will be felt, but he expects the court to continue apace. “It’s not a situation like it might have been at some point in the past where if one justice left, nobody would know what to do next,” he said. “It’s an extremely qualified court.” As for Hecht, he’s tried to put off thinking too much about what comes next for him. He still has opinions to write and work to finish. He knows he wants to stay active in efforts to improve court administration nationally and in Texas, and he’s threatened his colleagues with writing a tell-all book, just to keep them on their toes. But beyond that, he’s waiting for the reality of retirement to sink in before he decides on his next steps. “We’ve got 3,200 judges in Texas, plus adjuncts and associate judges and others,” he said. “I really think it’s such a strong bench, and I am proud to have been a part of it. I look forward to helping where I can.” ___ This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Ndagoso decries poverty, insecurity in Nigeria
Jinnah and Iqbal: Bridging Islamic principles with progressive statecraft Jinnah adhered to Islamic principles to guide creation of welfare state, blending idealism with practicality Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah said on November 8, 1945, “Personally, I believe that in modern times, essential key industries ought to be controlled and managed by the state.” Jinnah envisioned a welfare state founded on Islamic principles, which emphasise social justice and equality. In Muslim Modernism: The Case for Naya Pakistan,«Nadeem Farooq Paracha argues that the progressive and modern elements of Islam, combined with political philosophy, resonate with modern skills and techniques. Muhammad Ali Jinnah adhered to Islamic principles to guide the creation of a welfare state, blending idealism with practicality. A welfare state undertakes all essential responsibilities for its citizens, ensuring that all are treated equally. Addressing the All-India Muslim League (AIML) Planning Committee in Delhi on November 5, 1944, he said, “It is not our purpose to make the rich richer and to accelerate the process of the accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few individuals. Our ideal should not be capitalistic but Islamic.” Jinnah speaks of the Islamic ideals, which mean basic social protections which Islam provides to its citizens. Mustafa Abdullah Kuyateha argues in “Islam and Social Welfarism: The Role of Islamic Social Interventions,” “The ‘theory of infaq’ emphasises spending one’s wealth and resources in the course of Allah.” This epitomises the Islam that Jinnah spoke about when he said that the Pakistan movement is not directed at making the rich richer but at fostering equality, with accumulation strictly banned. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah bridged idealism and practicality to achieve the goal of a welfare state. Recorded on February 26, 1948, in his speech to the people of America, Jinnah pointed out some basic social principles of Islam that would form the foundation of Pakistan. First, he believed that democracy is the basis of the Islamic political system. Social justice is the cornerstone of the Islamic welfare state, along with justice and fair play for everybody. Jinnah said, “In any case, Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. We have many non-Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Parsees, but they all are Pakistanis.” Jinnah stressed and focused on the practicality of Islam’s ideal principles. Even in the same speech, Jinnah said that the tenets of Islam, though 1300 years old, are still applicable. Muhammad Ali Jinnah believed that Pakistan would be a Muslim state guided by Islamic principles. Jinnah’s approach in this regard is ideal. However, when one studies Allama Iqbal’s explanation of a Muslim state, it becomes clear that Jinnah’s understanding of political Islam was closely aligned with the concept of a modernist or progressive state. This is because Allama Iqbal considered Ijtihad the essence of movement and reform. In Arshia Javed’s The Need of Ijtihad for Sustainable Development in Islam, it is stated, “Ijtihad is the key to providing an Islamic interpretation of modern developments and circumstances.” Allama Iqbal believed that without Ijtihad, the Muslim political system would stagnate and fail to meet modern challenges. In his book The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, Allama Iqbal emphasises the significance of Ijtihad in Islam. Muhammad Ali Jinnah echoed similar thought in his vision of political Islam for Pakistan. Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Quran 13:11). Allama Iqbal further elaborated, “The teaching of the Quran that life is a process of progressive creation necessitates that each generation, guided but unhampered by the work of its predecessors, should be permitted to solve its problems.” Pakistan is not merely a country but a vision or program that Jinnah aimed to direct toward a state that would revive the genuine principles of Islam. It is now upto new generations of politicians to turn his vision into reality.Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street Thursday, as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 fell less than 0.1% after spending the day wavering between small gains and losses. The tiny loss ended the benchmark index's three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.7%, and Amazon and Netflix each fell 0.9%. Tesla was among the biggest decliners in the S&P 500, finishing 1.8% lower. Some tech companies fared better. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.4%, Micron Technology added 0.6% and Adobe gained 0.5%. Health care stocks were a bright spot. CVS Health rose 1.5% and Walgreens Boots Alliance added 5.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 3%, Ross Stores added 2.3%, Best Buy rose 2.9% and Dollar Tree gained 3.8%. Traders are watching to see whether retailers have a strong holiday season. The day after Christmas traditionally ranks among the top 10 biggest shopping days of the year, as consumers go online or rush to stores to cash in gift cards and raid bargain bins. U.S.-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 16.4%, respectively. The Japanese automakers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. All told, the S&P 500 fell 2.45 points to 6,037.59. The Dow added 28.77 points to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq fell 10.77 points to close at 20,020.36. Wall Street got a labor market update. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week , though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labor Department reported. Treasury yields mostly fell in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.58% from 4.59% late Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar. Still, U.S. markets have historically gotten a boost at year’s end despite lower trading volumes. The last five trading days of each year, plus the first two in the new year, have brought an average gain of 1.3% since 1950. So far this month, the U.S. stock market has lost some of its gains since President-elect Donald Trump’s win on Election Day, which raised hopes for faster economic growth and more lax regulations that would boost corporate profits. Worries have risen that Trump’s preference for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , a bigger U.S. government debt and difficulties for global trade. Even so, the U.S. market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up 26.6% so far this year and remains near its most recent all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to next week, including updates on pending home sales and home prices, a report on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity. AP Business Writers Elaine Kurtenbach and Matt Ott contributed.
Trump calls meeting with Trudeau 'productive' after tariff threatWall Street drifts to a mixed close in thin trading day
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( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) NEW YORK, Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Lilium N.V. (“Lilium” or the“Company”) (OTCMKTS:LILMF) in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Lilium securities between June 11, 2024 and November 3, 2024, both dates inclusive (the“Class Period”). Investors have until January 6, 2025 to apply to the Court to be appointed as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. Click here to participate in the action. On October 24, 2024, before the market opened, Lilium disclosed that it had been unable to raise sufficient additional funds to continue the operations of the Company's principal operating wholly owned German subsidiaries. As a result, the managing directors of the subsidiaries determined that they are overindebted and are, or will, become unable to pay their existing liabilities. The Company disclosed that, subject to certain limited exceptions, the Company will lose control of the subsidiaries. On this news, Lilium's stock price fell $0.33, or 61.6%, to close at $0.21 per share on October 24, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. The Company's stock price continued to fall in the subsequent trading day, falling $0.06, or 28.8%, to close at $0.15 per share on October 25, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. Then, on November 4, 2024, before the market opened, the Company reported that, following the insolvency of the Company's subsidiaries, Lilium had not been able to raise sufficient additional funds to conduct its ongoing business consistent with past practice. The Company disclosed that“funding for the Company is not feasible.” As a consequence, the Company would be“obliged to file for insolvency.” On this news, Lilium's stock price fell $0.015, or 15.5%, to close at $0.083 per share on November 4, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. The Company's stock price continued to fall in the subsequent trading day, falling $0.031, or 36.97%, to close at $0.052 per share on November 5, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company's business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) Defendants overstated the progress of the Company's fundraising activities; (2) Defendants overstated the likelihood and/or feasibility of obtaining sufficient funding to continue operations; (3) Defendants failed to sufficiently disclose the imminent insolvency of the Company and its subsidiaries; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. If you purchased or otherwise acquired Lilium shares and suffered a loss, are a long-term stockholder, have information, would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Brandon Walker or Marion Passmore by email at ... , telephone at (212) 355-4648, or by filling out this contact form . There is no cost or obligation to you. About Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C.: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is a nationally recognized law firm with offices in New York, California, and South Carolina. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in commercial, securities, derivative, and other complex litigation in state and federal courts across the country. For more information about the firm, please visit . Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Contact Information: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Brandon Walker, Esq. Marion Passmore, Esq. (212) 355-4648 ... MENAFN26122024004107003653ID1109033708 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Walker's 20 help IU Indianapolis knock off Trinity Christian 106-49Trump calls meeting with Trudeau 'productive' after tariff threat
By Mike London mike.london@salisburypost.com SALISBURY — Carson’s boys basketball team won a coin flip with Salisbury for the No. 1 seed in the Dale’s Sporting Goods Christmas Classic. The Cougars (6-3) needed that break after losing back-to-back overtime road games in Cabarrus County in the days leading up to the flip. In both of those losses, they missed key free throws and allowed key 3-pointers late, but they are a very good team. Carson shoots the ball really well for a high school squad, so it’s always a shock when a Cougar misses a free throw. Sophomores Jacob Mills (17 points per game), CP Perry (16.9) and Drew Neve (16.4) all are quite special in different ways and all have produced 30-point games this season. Senior Jonah Drye isn’t as gifted as the sophomores — he doesn’t have Perry’s quickness, Neve’s size or Mills’ lift on his jumper — but he’s a rock-solid guard who scores 15 points per game, mostly on top of the wheel 3-pointers, and he knows how to play. Coach Brian Perry’s open auditions for the fifth, sixth and seventh Cougars went pretty well. Xavier Phillips can rebound and defend. Corbin Hales provides yet another shooter. Jaxson Martin has provided a lot of positive minutes. Still, the Cougars have their limitations. They can’t apply much defensive pressure and their 2-3 zone sometimes doesn’t provide enough stops. Foul trouble can be deadly for them, especially when the whistles are on the 6-foot-5 Neve, who is their only paint presence. As good as Carson is, and they look like a 20-game winner and a conference contender, second-seeded defending champ Salisbury (6-3), probably is the tournament favorite. The Hornets are really deep and really athletic. So what else is new? Salisbury coach Albert Perkins has been able to replace Juke Harris with Myles Smith, a high-flying, 6-foot-4 senior wing who will throw it down in a heartbeat and averages 21.8 points per game. He’s a transfer from Victory Christian. Junior Braylon Taylor has emerged as a terrific scorer (18.6). He’s made a major jump from last season. Perkins is still operating without stellar injured point guard Bryce Dalton, who was injured late in the football season, but he’s got enough strong, athletic bodies to mix and match and he can use a lot of combinations. The Hornets lost several high-level games early, but they’ve won their last five outings. They scored 100 in a blowout on Friday. Third-seeded North Rowan (3-2) was in line for the top seed before losing a one-point game at home to Lincoln Charter on Saturday. That one hurt. Like Salisbury, the Cavaliers have been elevated by a transfer. Emari Russell, who played for two 3A state champions at Central Cabarrus, has been as good as advertised and can do everything there is to do on a basketball court. He defends, he passes, he rebounds, he steals, he flies. He’s 5-foot-10, but he can dunk. Russell (22.8 points per game) scored 32 points on Saturday. North coach Jason Causby has a lot of other good players, including leaper Dyzarious Carpenter (18.0), who can score in flurries. Long sophomore Carter Williams (10.6) is emerging as a potential standout, and North has a nice supporting cast with strong JP Polk, quick Jo Jo Tarver, solid Jeremiah Alford and shooter Dillon Mosely. North has sufficient talent to win the tournament, but it’s a tough road as the 3 seed. Assuming they get past a dangerous West squad in the first round, the Cavaliers would have to beat 2 seed Salisbury just to get to the final. Fourth-seeded Central Davidson (5-4) provided the opposition for Salisbury in last season’s Moir championship game. The Spartans graduated serious talent, but they are still a solid, tenacious team. They proved that by winning 67-48 at North Rowan this season. Three of their losses were to 4As Davie (twice) and Grimsley. Fifth-seeded Mount Pleasant (4-4) is a surprisingly good rural 2A, and the matchup with Central Davidson could provide a fine first-round game. The Tigers gave Carson all the Cougars could handle in an early-season game. Cooper Perkins, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, is a scoring machine. Sixth-seeded West Rowan (1-6) has talent with shooters Brant Graham and Jalen Moten, long post man Josiah Young, tough athletes Evan Kennedy and Israel Ford and quick point guard Ja’mih Tucker, but coach Dadrian Cuthbertson is still trying to pull the Falcons, who lost by 28 at Concord on Friday, together. The schedule has been rugged, and it hasn’t been pretty so far. No one is averaging double figures, so the Falcons have been struggling to score 50. They’ve lost four in a row coming into the tournament. Their only win was against South Rowan. Seventh-seeded East Rowan (0-8) is playing young with an eye on 2025-26. Brody Thomas (10.1), Logan Bradley (10.0) and Brady Ailshie (7.6) are good players with bright futures, but there are going to be growing pains all season. The Mustangs have played a few strong games — they could’ve won at South Iredell on Friday — but they have been overmatched against tall, athletic teams. The Mustangs drew Salisbury in the first round. That’s not who East wanted to see. Salisbury beat East 80-38 recently. Eighth-seeded South Rowan (0-9) is just trying to keep moving forward. The Raiders have lost 54 in a row entering the tournament. They lost by 15 to West Rowan and by 20 to Northwest Cabarrus, but mostly it’s been one-sided blowouts. Athletic Jadon Moore, who has scored 18 twice and 16 twice, is the best player. Carter Rohletter and Corbin Goodman are streaky bombers who have their moments, and Brooks Overcash always battles like a cornered lion in the paint. Tristian Littlejohn’s return from a concussion will help some, but the Raiders won’t have a chance very often this season. Carson has only one won one Christmas tournament. That was in 2017. Tickets can be purchased online through each school’s TicketSpicket site or at the gate. $10/day, $25/tournament pass PASSES ACCEPTED: NCHSAA, NCCA Coaches Cards, Rowan County Gold Card, NC Officials Thursday, Dec. 26 — Boys First round Game 2 – 10:30 a.m. (3) North Rowan (3-2) vs. (6) West Rowan (1-6) Game 4 – 1:30 p.m. (2) Salisbury (6-3) vs. (7) East Rowan (0-8) Game 6 – 4:30 p.m. (1) Carson (6-3) vs. (8) South Rowan (0-9) Game 8 – 7:30 p.m. (4) Central Davidson (5-4) vs. (5) Mount Pleasant (4-4)