The Magic are off to a great start this season, as Orlando is 16-9 in its first 25 games and one of the four best teams in the Eastern Conference. However, the Magic have had success despite injuries, as star forward Paolo Banchero has missed most of the year with a torn oblique. Without Banchero, Wagner has stepped up and led the team to its winning record. However, on Friday night against the 76ers, Wagner suffered the same fate as Banchero, as he injured his oblique that will sideline him for an extended period of time. Here is what you need to know about Wagner's injury. SN's NBA HQ: Live NBA scores | Updated NBA standings | Full NBA schedule How long is Franz Wagner out? The Magic announced that Wagner suffered a torn oblique on Friday night, and the forward will be out indefinitely. Orlando will reevaluate Wagner in four weeks to determine his progress from the injury and how he has responded to treatment. It is unclear exactly when Wagner suffered the injury against the Sixers, as he played 38 minutes in the game while totaling 30 points, five rebounds and five assists. Franz Wagner stats Games 25 Points per game 24.4 Rebounds per game 5.6 Assists per game 5.7 Field goal percentage 46.5% Three-point percentage 32.1% Wagner's 24.4 points per game trail only Banchero's 29 points per game for the team lead, but Banchero produced his number in just five games compared to 25 for Wagner. His 5.7 assists is also the team lead, while his 5.6 rebounds is fourth on the team. Wagner is in his fourth season in the NBA, and he has steadily improved in each of the four years while with the Magic. That led to Orlando signing Wagner to a five-year, $224 million extension in the offseason to lock him in for the forseeable future.
Now that Christmas is over, families are bracing for the hefty costs that come with outfitting children for the new academic year. From clothing and supplies to electronics and extracurricular activities, the price tag can quickly add up. However, there are several strategies that can help save money and ease the financial burden. Take Advantage of Sales and Discounts Retailers often offer back-to-school sales, especially in late summer. Look for discounts on clothing, shoes, and school supplies, both in-store and online. Many stores also run “buy one, get one free” promotions or offer student discounts. Be sure to shop early, as the best deals often appear in the weeks leading up to school. Buy in Bulk Stock up on items that are required in large quantities, such as notebooks, pens, and folders. Purchasing these supplies in bulk can result in significant savings. Additionally, consider sharing supplies with other families or pooling resources to take advantage of bulk pricing. Repurpose and Reuse Check if your child has leftover supplies from the previous year that are still in good condition. Backpacks, binders, and pens can be reused, which will save money. A fresh set of notebooks or a new lunchbox may be all that’s needed to give old supplies a new life. Shop at Discount Stores For essentials like uniforms, shoes, and backpacks, consider shopping at discount stores or thrift shops. You can often find high-quality items at a fraction of the cost of brand-name retailers. Embrace Digital Learning For students in need of laptops or tablets, consider buying refurbished models or taking advantage of school or government programs offering discounted technology. By being strategic and planning ahead, families can significantly reduce back-to-school expenses while still providing everything students need to succeed.AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FTC Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FTCI), a leading provider of solar tracker systems, today announced that it has closed a previously announced private placement of senior secured promissory notes (the “Notes”) in an aggregate principal amount of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) and warrants (the “Warrants”). The offering closed on December 4, 2024. The Notes bear interest at a rate of 11% per annum if payable in cash or, at the Company’s option, 13% per annum if paid-in-kind and will mature on December 4, 2029. The Warrants are exercisable for five (5) years to purchase an aggregate of 1,750,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price of $0.10, subject to adjustment under certain circumstances described in the Warrants. The Company is utilizing the proceeds of the offering for balance sheet support, growth acceleration and general corporate purposes. About FTC Solar Inc. Founded in 2017 by a group of renewable energy industry veterans, FTC Solar is a leading provider of solar tracker systems, technology, software, and engineering services. Solar trackers significantly increase energy production at solar power installations by dynamically optimizing solar panel orientation to the sun. FTC Solar’s innovative tracker designs provide compelling performance and reliability, with an industry-leading installation cost-per-watt advantage. FTC Solar Contact: Bill Michalek Vice President, Investor Relations FTC Solar T: (737) 241-8618 E: IR@FTCSolar.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but rather are based on our current expectations and projections regarding our business, operations and other factors relating thereto. Words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions and as such are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. In addition, this press release contains statements about third parties and their commercial activity. We have not independently verified or confirmed such statements and have instead relied on the veracity of information as provided to us by such third parties related to such statements. You should not rely on our forward-looking statements or statements related to third parties or their commercial activities as predictions of future events, as actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements or statements related to third parties or their commercial activities because of several factors, including those described in more detail above and in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the section entitled “Risk Factors” contained therein. FTC Solar undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or statements related to third parties or their commercial activities contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations, except as required by law.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot hailed “special” Mohamed Salah after seeing him fire the Premier League leaders to the brink of victory at Newcastle. The Reds ultimately left St James’ Park with only a point after Fabian Schar snatched a 3-3 draw at the end of a pulsating encounter, but Salah’s double – his 14th and 15th goals of the season – transformed a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead before the Switzerland defender’s late intervention. The 32-year-old Egypt international’s future at Anfield remains a topic of debate with his current contract running down. Asked about Salah’s future, Slot said: “It’s difficult for me to predict the long-term future, but the only thing I can expect or predict is that he is in a very good place at the moment. “He plays in a very good team that provides him with good opportunities and then he is able to do special things. “And what makes him for me even more special is that in the first hour or before we scored to make it 1-1, you thought, ‘He’s not playing his best game today’, and to then come up with a half-hour or 45 minutes – I don’t know how long it was – afterwards with an assist, two goals, having a shot on the bar, being a constant threat, that is something not many players can do if they’ve played the first hour like he did. “That is also what makes him special. If you just look at the goals, his finish is so clinical. He’s a special player, but that’s what we all know.” Salah did indeed endure a quiet opening 45 minutes by his standards and it was the Magpies who went in at the break a goal to the good after Alexander Isak’s stunning 35th-minute finish. Slot said: “The shot from Isak, I don’t even know if Caoimh (keeper Caoimhin Kelleher) saw that ball, as hard as it was.” Salah set up Curtis Jones to level five minutes into the second half and after Anthony Gordon has restored the hosts’ lead, levelled himself from substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 68th-minute cross. He looked to have won it with a fine turn and finish – his ninth goal in seven league games – seven minutes from time, only for Schar to pounce from a tight angle in the 90th minute. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was delighted with the way his team took the game to the Reds four days after their disappointing 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. Howe, who admitted his surprise that VAR official Stuart Attwell had not taken a dimmer view of a Virgil van Dijk shoulder barge on Gordon, said: “It’s mixed emotions. “Part of me feels we should have won it – a big part of me – but part of me is pleased we didn’t lose either because it was such a late goal for us. “Generally, I’m just pleased with the performance. There was much more attacking output, a much better feel about the team. “There was much better energy, and it was a really good performance against, for me, the best team we’ve played so far this season in the Premier League, so it was a big jump forward for us.”Bynum shot 7 of 9 from the field and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line for the Miners (6-2). Otis Frazier III added 18 points while going 6 of 9 from the floor, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the line while he also had five assists. Kevin Kalu had 13 points and shot 5 of 6 from the field and 3 for 3 from the line. The Redhawks (3-6) were led in scoring by Paris Dawson, who finished with 18 points and two steals. Seattle U also got 14 points and eight rebounds from Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe. John Christofilis had 13 points. UTEP took the lead with 18:55 left in the first half and never looked back. The score was 48-23 at halftime, with Frazier racking up 12 points. UTEP extended its lead to 77-49 during the second half, fueled by a 7-0 scoring run. Bynum scored a team-high 12 points in the second half as their team closed out the win. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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Veralto Co. ( NYSE:VLTO – Get Free Report ) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, December 19th, RTT News reports. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of 0.11 per share on Friday, January 31st. This represents a $0.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.43%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 31st. This is a positive change from Veralto’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.09. Veralto has a dividend payout ratio of 11.7% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Research analysts expect Veralto to earn $3.71 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.44 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 11.9%. Veralto Trading Down 0.7 % Shares of VLTO stock opened at $103.12 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.87, a current ratio of 2.13 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. Veralto has a fifty-two week low of $73.91 and a fifty-two week high of $115.00. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $105.12 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $105.55. The stock has a market cap of $25.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.83, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.30 and a beta of 0.91. Analyst Ratings Changes Several research analysts have recently weighed in on VLTO shares. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on shares of Veralto in a research note on Thursday, December 12th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $125.00 target price for the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their target price on Veralto from $108.00 to $111.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on Veralto from $119.00 to $117.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Veralto from $117.00 to $119.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, September 30th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Veralto currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $109.50. View Our Latest Stock Report on Veralto Insider Buying and Selling In other Veralto news, SVP Surekha Trivedi sold 752 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, November 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.91, for a total value of $77,388.32. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 10,413 shares in the company, valued at $1,071,601.83. This represents a 6.74 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink . Also, CEO Jennifer Honeycutt sold 13,190 shares of Veralto stock in a transaction on Monday, September 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $110.15, for a total value of $1,452,878.50. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 138,546 shares in the company, valued at approximately $15,260,841.90. This trade represents a 8.69 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold 14,695 shares of company stock valued at $1,615,017 over the last 90 days. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders. Veralto Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Veralto Corporation provides water analytics, water treatment, marking and coding, and packaging and color services worldwide. It operates through two segments, Water Quality (WQ) and Product Quality & Innovation (PQI). The WQ segment offers precision instrumentation and water treatment technologies to measure, analyze, and treat water in residential, commercial, municipal, industrial, research, and natural resource applications through the Hach, Trojan Technologies, and ChemTreat brands. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Veralto Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Veralto and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
In the third in our series of new CCPA regulations from California, we look at obligations for conducting risk assessments under CCPA. CCPA had called on the California agency to promulgate rules to address such assessments, and when they would be needed. This new proposal retains much of what was proposed in 2023, but does make some modifications: Scope : As previously proposed, a company would need to conduct a risk assessment if they are doing something that could “present a significant risk” to individuals. This has not changed, although some of the examples and situations outlined in the rule have been modified. As currently proposed, this would include (1) selling or sharing personal information, (2) processing sensitive personal information, or (3) using automated decisionmaking technologies in a way that would result in a significant decision (as discussed in our earlier post in this series). The updated version also simplifies requirements for conducting risk assessments for automated decision making technology. Timing and Retention : As proposed, the risk assessment will need to be conducted before beginning the process. I.e., engaging in the activity outlined above. This obligation has not changed from the prior proposal. However, there is now a timing obligation for current activities. Namely, that companies would need to conduct risk assessments within two years of the rules going into effect. Also new is that the assessment would need to be reviewed -and if needed, updated- every three years. Retained from the prior version is an obligation to update the assessment immediately if there has been a material change to the processing activity. As proposed, the assessment must be kept for five years (this has also not changed from the prior proposal). Submissions : Risk assessments will need to be submitted to the California agency under the proposed rule. Under the new proposed rules, the first must be done within two years of the effective date of the rules and then annually thereafter. Unchanged from the prior version is that as part of the submission companies will need to include a “certificate of conduct.” They can then include an “abridged” or full copy of the assessment. (The possibility of providing the full risk assessment is new, the prior proposal contemplated having business submit only an abridged version.) Process : As was included in the previous version of the rules, the proposed rules require those whose job duties relate to the activities being assessed to participate in the risk assessment. These might include external employees as well as internal ones. The purpose of the assessment is to analyze whether the risks to individuals outweighs the benefits to them. In recognition that the assessment process outlined in the rule is very similar to that contained under other laws, the proposal permits using an assessment that was conducted for compliance with another law, if it “meets all of the requirements” of the regulations. Contents : In line with both the previous version of the rules, the proposed rules call for the risk assessment to identify -with specificity- the purpose for processing information and the categories of information to be processed. It would also need to outline the steps the company has taken to “maintain the quality” of the information being processed by automated decisionmaking technology or artificial intelligence tools. Other contents include how long the company will keep the information and the approximate number of people whose information will be processed. It must also include the benefits to the business, negative impacts on individuals, and safeguard measures. Under the new proposed rules, companies would also need to include a description of how disclosures will be made to individuals. Putting It Into Practice: These proposed rules contain a retroactive component and would apply to activity currently in place. Thus, as we await a final version of the rules regarding risk assessments, companies who are engaging in activities that might fall within scope may wish to begin the assessment process. Listen to this postPITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby broke Mario Lemieux’s Pittsburgh franchise career record for assists on Michael Bunting’s power-play goal and the Penguins beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Sunday night. Crosby has 1,034 assists, good for 12th in NHL history. Only three players — Ray Bourque, Wayne Gretzky and Steve Yzerman — have more assists with a single team. The 37-year-old Crosby has played 1,310-regular-season games. Lemieux played 915. Philip Tomasino added the deciding power-play goal in the third for Pittsburgh, which has 14 goals with the man advantage in its last 13 games. Anthony Beauvillier also scored to help the Penguins win for the seventh time in their last eight home games. Alex Nedeljkovic made 29 saves in his first start since Dec. 17. Kris Letang missed the game because of a lower-body injury, and defenseman Nathan Clurman made his NHL debut. Anders Lee scored two third-period goals for the Islanders, who fell behind 3-0 before their rally fell short. Marcus Hogberg stopped 38 shots during his first start since April 28, 2021. Islanders: Have lost five of their last eight games after splitting the back-to-back, home-and-home series with Pittsburgh. Penguins: Rebounded from a 6-3 road loss against the Islanders 24 hours ago. Pittsburgh has won 10 of 15 after losing eight of its previous 10 games. Crosby was behind the net when he sent a backhand feed to Bunting, who buried his seventh power-play goal behind Hogberg at 1:36 of the second period, giving the Penguins a 2-0 lead. Both teams play again Tuesday. Pittsburgh visits Detroit, while the Islanders begin a home-and-home series at Toronto. AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis.