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SANTA CRUZ, Calif. , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Santa Cruz County Bank (OTCQX: SCZC ), a top-rated community bank headquartered in Santa Cruz County , is pleased to announce that Alison Voorhees has joined as Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing. Ms. Voorhees is responsible for all aspects of marketing and maintains her office at the Bank's 75 River St., Santa Cruz, Ca. location. Ms. Voorhees has a more than 20-year marketing background with extensive experience in branding, rebranding and creative direction, business and creative writing, corporate and executive communications, strategic business and marketing campaigns, media partnerships and community relations. She is a Certified Financial Marketing Professional (CFMP), Certified Digital Marketing Professional and Professional Certified Marketer (PCM ® ) in Digital Marketing. Her attention to creative excellence includes internal and external communications, data storytelling, marketing technology and automation tools and overall brand and integrated marketing strategy with a multi-channel approach. Krista Snelling , Santa Cruz County Bank President and CEO, commented, "Alison brings a wealth of bank marketing experience and fresh perspectives to help us continue our mission of serving the community with excellence. We are confident that under her leadership our brand, built over the past two decades, will continue to flourish and evolve in exciting ways that remain true to our roots." Early in her career, Ms. Voorhees established herself as an effective campaign and event coordinator, a strategic business and marketing planner, a dedicated team leader and a committed community partner. Ms. Voorhees most recently ascended to the role of Vice President, Marketing Strategy Manager for Capital City Bank where she also previously served as Assistant Vice President, Advertising Manager and Public Relations Specialist. Prior to a career in banking, she worked in fundraising and special events for Orlando Ballet and Opening Nights Performing Arts as well as in sales and marketing support for Ben Nye Company. Of this new opportunity, Ms. Voorhees said, "Joining a talented team of leaders at such a beloved community banking institution is a dream move for my career. I am honored to be entrusted with taking up the marketing mantle to shape the future of the Santa Cruz County Bank brand and beyond." Ms. Voorhees holds a Master of Arts in Global Communications from the University of Southern California , a Master of Science in Global Media and Communications from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and English from Florida State University . She also obtained a graduate certificate in Publishing and Editing from Florida State University and a certificate in Principles and Practices for Advertising Ethics from the Institute for Advertising Ethics. An avid community volunteer in the arts, elder care, literacy, placemaking, workforce development and youth sports, Ms. Voorhees has relocated to Santa Cruz from Tallahassee, Fla. ABOUT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY BANK AND WEST COAST COMMUNITY BANCORP Founded in 2004, Santa Cruz County Bank is the wholly owned subsidiary of West Coast Community Bancorp, a bank holding company. The Bank is a top-rated, locally operated and full-service community bank headquartered in Santa Cruz, Ca. with branches located in Aptos , Capitola , Cupertino , King City , Monterey , Salinas , San Luis Obispo , Santa Cruz , Scotts Valley and Watsonville . Santa Cruz County Bank is distinguished from "big banks" by its relationship-based service, problem-solving focus and direct access to decision makers. The Bank is a leading SBA lender in Santa Cruz County and Silicon Valley. As a full-service bank, Santa Cruz County Bank offers competitive deposit and lending solutions for businesses and individuals; including business loans, lines of credit, commercial real estate financing, construction lending, asset-based lending, agricultural loans, SBA and USDA government guaranteed loans, credit cards, merchant services, remote deposit capture, mobile and online banking, bill payment and treasury management. True to its community roots, Santa Cruz County Bank has supported regional well-being by actively participating in and donating to local nonprofit organizations. Visit sccountybank.com for more information. Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties may include but are not necessarily limited to the successful integration with 1st Capital Bancorp post-merger, achieving the targeted cost savings and synergies within expected time-frames or at all, retaining employees and customers, fluctuations in interest rates (including but not limited to changes in depositor behavior in relation thereto), inflation, government regulations and general economic conditions, and competition within the business areas in which the Bank is conducting its operations, health of the real estate market in California, Bancorp's ability to effectively execute its business plans, and other factors beyond Bancorp and the Bank's control. Such risks and uncertainties could cause results for subsequent interim periods or for the entire year to differ materially from those indicated. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which reflect management's view only as of the date hereof. Bancorp undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. SOURCE Santa Cruz County Bank
NoneREDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Codexis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDXS), a leading provider of enzymatic solutions for efficient and scalable therapeutics manufacturing, today announced the approval of equity grants to five new employees as approved by the Compensation Committee of Codexis’ Board of Directors. The newly hired employees received equity awards consisting of an aggregate of (i) options to purchase 168,400 shares of Codexis common stock and (ii) 39,750 restricted stock units (RSUs) as inducement awards under the company’s 2024 Inducement Plan. The stock options have an exercise price equal to the closing price per share of Codexis’ common stock as reported by Nasdaq on the grant date, and vest over four years, with 25 percent of the shares vesting on the first anniversary of the vesting commencement date, and the remainder vesting ratably at the end of each subsequent month thereafter, subject to each employee’s continued service with Codexis through the applicable vesting dates. The RSUs will vest in equal annual installments on each anniversary of the grant date, until the third anniversary of such date, subject to each employee’s continued service with Codexis through the applicable vesting dates. Codexis is providing this information in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)4. About Codexis Codexis is a leading provider of enzymatic solutions for efficient and scalable therapeutics manufacturing that leverages its proprietary CodeEvolver ® technology platform to discover, develop and enhance novel, high-performance enzymes and other classes of proteins. Codexis enzymes solve for real-world challenges associated with small molecule pharmaceuticals manufacturing and nucleic acid synthesis. The Company is currently developing its proprietary ECO SynthesisTM manufacturing platform to enable the scaled manufacture of RNAi therapeutics through an enzymatic route. Codexis’ unique enzymes can drive improvements such as higher yields, reduced energy usage and waste generation, improved efficiency in manufacturing and greater sensitivity in genomic and diagnostic applications. For more information, visit https://www.codexis.com . For More Information Investor Contact Carrie McKim (336) 608-9706 ir@codexis.com Media Contact Lauren Musto (650) 421-8205 media@codexis.com
The Dolphins' Thanksgiving game gives team chance to conquer two foes: the Packers and the coldRonan O'Gara said he was "more than pretty happy" with his side's opening night victory away to Bath in the Champions Cup. The French side won 24-20, holding on in the second half after an opening 40 minutes which looked to have them cruising towards a bonus point win. La Rochelle led 21-6 at the break but added just three points in the second half as the English Premiership leaders fought back. "It's just about getting started and winning," said O'Gara told Premier Sports. "We can look at the content tomorrow, Monday, Tuesday and get better for Bristol. "Brilliant first half, shocking second half. But character from the boys because we could have buckled, but some young fellas put up their hands and we've got a good team spirit. I think the better team won tonight." La Rochelle scored three first half tries through Oscar Jegou, Reda Wardi and Tawera Kerr-Barlow. "We were very accurate," O'Gara said. "It's always really pleasing when you construct a maul like that and you score off it. Then you kind of bluff them into going off the top. Obviously, Tawera showed exceptional hands to be able to control the ball and run through. I suppose the thought process involved in that is interesting. "Our first try was obviously just battering away near the line. So 21 points, which was good. And then we started the second half really poorly. "Backed up errors, discipline, scrum count. Lineout struggled a little bit, but then we got four (match) points, and in these conditions that's great because you can defend like dogs and we defended really well at the end." La Rochelle, struggling in the Top 14 this season, face Bristol at home next weekend. "You have to be smart with the different conditions," said O'Gara, "maybe it could be OK next week because tonight it's a very different rugby to potentially Bristol, how they'd like to play because they throw the ball around and their skill levels are top. "We put teams under pressure a bit and we squeeze them but we can play ball as well. If we get conditions, it's about being smart and opening your game plan or closing it up. "Tonight, for 40 minutes, that obviously won us the game. The boys should be very happy tonight. It's a good reaction from last week's Top 14, but this competition is special and we want to be involved in the knockout stages."
Mount Sinai Hospital to Host Sixth International Prostate Cancer Symposium and World Congress of Urologic OncologyNew Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday extolled the idea of 'Brand Bharat' and said it is "statement of authenticity" in representation, articulation or beliefs, and equally a message that "we are now more comfortable in our own skin". In a virtual address at India Ideas Conclave, he also underlined that it is also the "brand of Vishwa Bandhu" as on the big stage, a "multi-vector approach" engages the Quad and BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran and the Global North and Global South. Nations, like people, enterprises or services, have a reputation. When deeply entrenched into consciousness and easily recognisable, that becomes a brand. Obviously, it is related to the merits of the product and its track record, he said. "When it comes to a country, the national brand is obviously a fusion and aggregation of different facets of its life. On the global stage, it is much more an integrated positioning of a multiple endeavors. We, in the world of diplomacy, have that responsibility. My thoughts today are about how we discharge that for an India that is more Bharat," Jaishankar said. In his address, the external affairs minister encapsulated the journey of India from freedom struggle to gaining independence and the course the country took in the succeeding decades. "Our initial decades after independence saw us struggling with the brand challenge. Given the ground situation, this was not unsurprising. A society recovering from two centuries of colonialism obviously had to painstakingly build itself up, creating new capabilities, institutions and practices," he said. But at the end of the day, India entered the next century "intact as a polity, energetic as an economy and optimistic as a society". "None of that could have been taken for granted and some, in fact, failed to make it," he underlined. The Union minister, who virtually addressed the conclave hosted by India Foundation, lamented that earlier the country, at the global level, was "seen as sizeable player about whom there was limited expectation", and said, however, the last decade has seen a "big shift" in that regard. "Economically, we are now perceived as much easier to do business. The transformation underway in infrastructure is also increasingly appreciated. Whether it is the airports, metros, highways or railways, the achievements of the last decade stand out even by global standards. Perhaps, nothing has been more impactful than our embrace of digital technologies," he added. Jaishankar then went on to expound what is 'Brand Bharat'. "Bharat is a statement of authenticity, be it in representation, articulation or beliefs. Even our economic energies required a connotation of Atmanirbharta in that background," he asserted. "It is equally a message that we are now more comfortable in our own skin, drawing on our own past, fashioning our own lexicon and advancing our own ideas," the Union minister added. He said while recognising these developments, let us also realise that "we are not just one more country". "Our history, tradition, culture and heritage makes us stand out. We are one of the rare ancient civilisations that have made a successful transition to a nation state. In the past, when our overall standing was less, perhaps this did not count for that much. But when juxtaposed with our achievements in so many fields, it now assumes very different connotation," Jaishankar added. It is in this context that "we should reflect on Brand Bharat. The very term captures the civilisational aspect, while underlining how much more rooted we have become", he said. "In a world asserting its independence from a globalised elite, it is an effort to engage the world more on our terms. The formulation of standing on the two legs of technology and tradition is one effective way of expressing Brand Bharat," Jaishankar said. Coming from the domain of diplomacy, India naturally seek to advance that brand in more specific terms. That means defining how Bharat approaches the world, he said. "There are a range of answers. The Global South sees a powerful advocate and the driver of Vaccine Maitri. Neighbours recognise a generous and non-reciprocal partner who stood by them during Covid, financial meltdowns or natural disasters. Democracies appreciate a confident partner whose choice has helped universalise their shared attributes," the minister asserted. "The immediate region and beyond value an emerging 'first responder' and contributor to global goods. And on the big stage, a multi-vector approach engages the Quad and BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran and the Global North and South. This is the brand of Vishwa Bandhu," he said. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
“D*mn Reindeers Left a D*mn Mess”: LeBron James’ Daughter Zhuri Runs Christmas Mornings For the FamilyConclave ( now streaming on VOD services like Amazon Prime Video ) dishes up the hot pope-election action you didn’t know you needed. Inevitable Oscar nominee Ralph Fiennes and similarly heavy-hitting costars Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow don their steamiest frock-and-beanie fits to play cardinals mired in the thick of a heated battle for ultimate pontiff power, with Isabella Rossellini habited up as the most sourpussed nun this side of your worst mid-century Catholic-school flashback-nightmares. Adapting Richard Harris’ 2016 pageturner novel , director Edward Berger (of four-time Oscar winner All Quiet on the Western Front ) makes sure a movie that consists entirely of heavily robed men talking in antiseptic Vatican rooms is far more entertaining than you’d ever expect. CONCLAVE : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT? The Gist: As they say, the pope is dead – long live the pope. Easier said than done! Just ask Cardinal Lawrence (Fiennes), who was very close to the pope and tried to resign but the pope wouldn’t let him and now Lawrence believes it’s because the pope knew he was dying and wanted Lawrence, as Dean of the College of Cardinals, to oversee the election of the new pope. It’s a burden, but Lawrence is bent on doing his duty in as dutiful a manner as befits the manager of a process so secretive, we’ve all only been able to IMAGINE how dramatic and sweaty it must be inside those locked-off quarters and under all those heavy cloaks. Inventory: There are 108 cardinals who travel from all corners to the conclave. Any sitting cardinal can be nominated to be pope. They participate in a series of votes until they arrive at a two-thirds majority. Unsuccessful voting rounds are signified to the outside world with black smoke spewing from a chimney, and white smoke when a new pope has been selected. Four frocked bros are frontrunners in this race: Bellini (Tucci), a progressive liberal, and Tremblay (Lithgow), a moderate, are hometown Vatican guys. Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto) is an extremely conservative traditionalist from Venice. And Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati) is a Nigerian conservative who’s a fnfth more centrist than Tedesco. Adding a wrinkle to the drama is Benitez (Carlos Diehz), who arrives from Kabul to crash the party. Nobody knew Benitez existed except the pope, who secretly arranged for him to participate, apparently from his deathbed. Curious! This is a long way of saying that Lawrence has a lot of egos to navigate. And intrigue, of course: People are saying that the pope asked Tremblay to GTFO before he died. Others are saying that the pope said a lot of things before he died, and those things are almost always in favor of the claimant’s rise to popedom. Prior to the conclave, Lawrence gives an opening speech that harpoons the entire notion of certainty, just as men are about to use permanent ink to write potential pope names on paper in the process of electing a guy to eternal sainthood. Does Lawrence secretly want to be pope himself? We spend a lot of time with him, but we can’t be sure, probably because he himself isn’t sure, which just so neatly illustrates his point about certainty, doesn’t it? Meanwhile, as Tedesco and Bellini and Adeyemi and Tremblay spar – ideologically, since I’m pretty sure everyone had to give up their weapons along with their cell phones when they passed through conclave security – everyone was even wanded and everything – and insist the pope told them things that nobody can verify because the pope is dead, we and Lawrence start to wonder what the deal is with Benitez. And what the deal is with the outside world, which starts to leak into the sequester because things are literally exploding in Rome. And what the deal is with Sister “Of Course Her Name Is Agnes” Agnes (Rossellini), because her brow is so furrowed, and she seems to know things. So Lawrence has to play Catholic Batman or Hercule Poirot and snoop around and find things out. Juicy things. Things that could really shake up the conclave like little metaphorical bombs, maybe. Something like that. What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Conclave is like The Two Popes meets Clue or Knives Out , with a dash of 12 Angry Men ( 108 Angry Cardinals ?). Performance Worth Watching: Conclave is an all-timer for Fiennes, who now has, what, 30 all-timers in his filmography by now? How has he not won an Oscar yet? He hasn’t even been nominated since the damn English Patient ! Special mention goes to Rossellini, who gets a step-into-the-frame-and-throw-a-hand-grenade scene (note: it’s not a literal hand grenade, that’s just a metaphor) that might secure her her first-ever (!) Oscar nod. Memorable Dialogue: “No sane man would want the papacy,” says Bellini, telling on himself, because he wants the papacy. Sex and Skin: Oh god no! Our Take: Conclave is pretty clearly engineered to hold a mirror up to the nasty political divisions of the current world, but frankly, that’s glaringly obvious, and the least compelling thing about the film. It’s far more engaging as a surface-to-medium-level slice of Vatican intrigue, with its many plot curlicues and hard lefts occurring within a millennia-old tradition that’s rather mysterious to those of us living in the outside world (which the cynic in me wants to define as “reality”). Berger drops us inside the marble walls wherein occurs a highly secretive process of old men jockeying for great power, and I didn’t believe it for a second. That’s praise, not criticism. I have an idea in my mind that real papal conclaves consist of terminal bores quoting scripture and endlessly muttering about constancy and responsibility, not the backstabbing soap operatics of this movie, which are wildly entertaining. Berger immerses us in the setting and plot thanks to his emphasis on details – the austerity of the surroundings, a character getting misty when touching the late pope’s dirty eyeglasses, the rituals of cardinals getting garbed up for official proceedings and the nuns preparing meals for these Important Men. The sound design is rich and enveloping, with doors clicking shut in echoey halls and Lawrence’s heavy breathing enhancing the growing tension of the story. A story that, mind you, very much tests our suspension of disbelief. You’ll be swept up in it nonetheless, thanks to fully committed and nuanced performances that elevate the endeavor considerably. Fiennes is flat-out great as a man wrestling with what’s right and wrong, and that includes his own faith. You can just smell the duplicity within Tucci and Lithgow’s characters; they’re highly skilled at the more subtle arts of weaseldom. Msamati and Castellitto are the secret weapons here – the former enjoys a rich emotional arc, and the latter is sneakily hilarious as a vaping, bigoted a-hole. And Rossellini is the super -secret weapon who delivers highly concentrated hostility as a woman who sure seems sick of these men’s shit. I’ll be damned if Conclave isn’t one of the most riveting religious thrillers I’ve ever seen. Our Call: White smoke! STREAM IT. John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
LB Nagar Court Jails Two for Inappropriately Treating Minor
Black Friday, traditionally the single busiest shopping day of the year, arrives a little late this year on Nov. 29, with many stores advertising Black Friday prices much earlier. Instead of setting an alarm to brave crowds for deeply discounted items, dedicated shoppers are expected to look for deals online — if they haven’t already finished their holiday shopping. Retail experts predict increased mobile shopping and tighter budgets in a shorter shopping season. If you do decide to shop in person on Black Friday, the Better Business Bureau offers these tips to make your shopping experience productive (and maybe even enjoyable): Have a plan to make the most of Black Friday deals. Start with a list of items and use sale flyers and promotions to determine which store has the best price for the big-ticket and popular items. Set a budget and stick with it before heading out. Read the fine print. Some retailers may offer an additional percentage off the purchase but could exclude certain deals or items such as “doorbusters.” Watch for companies boasting a high percentage off; the item may be “75% off,” but the original price could be inflated. Carefully check the price tags, terms, and conditions. See if competitors have the item at a better price or have a better return policy. Check the reviews. If you’re not familiar with the retailer, visit BBB.org to check their complaint and review history. BBB reviews can be trusted over other review sites; find out why. Read product reviews on extremely discounted items. Plan out the excursion. Make a game plan of which stores to visit at which time and what items to buy at each store. Some retailers only honor certain sale ads early in the morning and have limited inventory of those items. Plan your mealtimes and when you will grab food to avoid shopping while ‘hangry.’ Sign up for email alerts and reward programs. Many stores send their best Black Friday deals and exclusive coupons to subscribers to their emails. Sign up before the holiday season, then unsubscribe afterward if needed. Use reward cards or credit cards that offer cash back, points, or other benefits. Know the return policy and warranty information. Pass any information about returns, exchanges, repairs, and warranties to the person using the item. Gift receipts are an easy way for recipients to return or exchange a gift if it’s not just right, but make sure the item can be returned before purchasing. Go online. You may not have to leave the house if the store offers the deal online! Look for free shipping and in-store pickup options to avoid the crowds. Coupon sites and browser extensions can offer discount codes that may bring the delivery price below that of an in-person exchange. See if the upcoming Cyber Monday price might be lower than the Black Friday one. Look for the BBB Seal. It’s the Sign of a Better Business. Shop with confidence this Black Friday by choosing businesses that prioritize trust and ethics in the marketplace. You’ll have peace of mind, avoid scams, and make smart purchasing decisions. Visit BBB.org to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, report a scam, read tips, follow us on social media, and more. Report bad business behavior to BBB.org/ScamTracker to alert others and help people learn the signs of a scam.
Tech companies led a broad rally for U.S. stocks Tuesday, a boost for the market in a holiday-shortened trading session. The S&P 500 rose 0.7%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 177 points, or 0.4%, as of 11:20 a.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite was up 1%. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.6%, while semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 1.1%. Super Micro Computer jumped 4.6%. Tesla climbed 5.2% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Amazon.com rose 1.5% American Airlines slipped 0.4% after the airline briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue. U.S. Steel edged up 0.1% a day after an influential government panel failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of the nearly $15 billion proposed sale to Nippon Steel of Japan. NeueHealth surged 70.1% after the health care company agreed to be taken private in a deal valued at roughly $1.3 billion. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62% from 4.59% late Monday. European markets were mostly higher. Markets in Asia mostly gained ground. U.S. markets will close at 1 p.m. Eastern and stay closed Wednesday for Christmas. Wall Street has several economic reports to look forward to this week, including a weekly update on unemployment benefits on Thursday. Tuesday’s rally comes as the stock market enters what’s historically been a very cheerful season. 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. The so-called “Santa rally” also correlates closely with positive returns in January and the upcoming year. 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 stock market remains on pace to deliver strong returns for 2024. The benchmark S&P 500 is up about 26% so far this year and remains within roughly 1.3% of the all-time high it set earlier this month — its latest of 57 record highs this year.
While most investors around the world are scrambling to ditch coal plants like bad habits, a defiant European billionaire is still pushing all his chips in for this technology - scooping up these assets in a brazen move to cement coal’s place in the energy mix for many more decades to come. Czech billionaire Pavel Tykac, who owns Sev.en Global Investments, is on globe-trotting coal acquisition expedition - snapping up these power plants like rare collectibles. His reported latest conquest? A two-unit coal plant in Vietnam, but he’s not stopping there—his sights are still set on expanding his coal empire across Asia, Australia, and the United States, eyeing everything from coal mines to coal-fed plants. Sources in the coal industry suggest that Tykac’s buying spree is fueled by a fire-sale frenzy sweeping through energy markets, as many companies and even some countries are eager to flaunt their ESG credentials and have been seriously embracing energy transition goals, hence, they tend to unload coal plants even at bargain basement prices. The Czech business magnate started his pursuit to extend coal’s reign in his own country -- seizing both a coal mine and a power station, then he expanded his venture in other European energy markets. Coal’s defiance of the energy transition Whether at the negotiation chambers of the United Nations-led climate change diplomacy or at the power-laden policy tables of energy markets, the burning question persists: will coal be finally cast aside in the evolving energy mix, or does its grip on the future remain unyielding? And this very question echoes at home - that despite Philippine policymakers’ fervent drive to propel renewable energy (RE) investments on a massive scale - a relentless tug-of-war still rages between ambitious green goals and the deep-rooted reliance on fossil fuels to still power the nation’s economic growth. The Department of Energy (DOE) has steadfastly declared that: despite the 2020 coal moratorium, projects already in the pipeline—or those with permits and pre-development milestones—will continue to underpin the nation’s energy capacity, a harsh necessity in the face of a glaring baseload supply deficit that demands immediate action. Clashing voices reverberate: staunch anti-coal environmentalists and advocacy groups ferociously condemn the government for greenlighting new coal plants, while pro-coal investors argue that developing nations like the Philippines deserve a slower, more measured energy transition – all that while pointing fingers at industrialized nations for the lion's share of the climate crisis now jeopardizing the planet. For now, at least three major players have thrown their hats into the ring, unveiling plans for additional coal plant developments: the Aboitiz group’s 150-megawatt Therma Visayas expansion in Cebu, Meralco PowerGen’s massive 1,200MW Atimonan planned coal facility in Quezon, and Semirara Mining and Power Corp's targeted move to resurrect its 700MW Saint Raphael project in Batangas. In bold strokes, several of the country’s leading banks - chief among them RCBC of the Yuchengco group and Ayala-led BPI - have unflinchingly declared that they will no longer finance new coal plants, though they’ve tempered this commitment by acknowledging that existing coal projects, those funded before the shift and already on their books, will continue to be part of their loan portfolios. Other banks, however, have taken ‘more conservative stance’ on coal project financing, leaving the field still open, thus, it is interesting to see which financial giants will blink first to reinforce the gamble for the continued installation of new coal plants in the country despite the growing pressure for change. It’s also a guessing game whether the DOE’s coal retirement plan will be taken seriously under the current administration, or if the government will hold on to every last megawatt of existing coal capacity to stave off tight supply predicaments - particularly for the overburdened grids of Luzon and Visayas. Suffice it to say that the domestic energy market has morphed into an unforgiving mystery puzzle—packed with more questions than answers about coal's future, as this well-entrenched tech is now fighting tooth and nail for its reign while it locks horns with the country's ambitious green energy transformation. For over two decades, the Philippines has been caught in an endless loop of threatening power crisis—that was since the deregulation and restructuring of its power sector in 2001 by virtue of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). Then each time, the default solution has been coal plants as project sponsor-firms claim that this technology remains the cheaper, albeit not a cleaner option, if compared to gas-fired plants that could promise lower carbon emissions. In the grand scheme, it’ll be intriguing to see if the future will prove that Czech billionaire Tykac’s play on stretching coal plant lifecycles will persist as a defining force in global energy mix— that in addition to his coal asset acquisitions fattening his bank account, the energy transition might still be clinging to coal like a stubborn old friend, powering economies long after it was supposed to have left the party. For feedback and suggestions, please email at: [email protected]TORONTO - Broad-based gains led Canada’s main stock index to close higher in the shortened Christmas Eve trading session, while U.S. stock markets also rose. The S&P/TSX composite index ended up 97.84 points at 24,846.82, as most sectors rose other than telecoms and health care. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 390.08 points at 43,297.03. The S&P 500 index was up 65.97 points at 6,040.04, while the Nasdaq composite was up 266.24 points at 20,031.13. The gains added to increases in recent days to help offset the drop in markets last week after the U.S. Federal Reserve released its latest outlook. The climb however was more likely related to year-end balancing than any change in sentiment, said Dustin Reid, chief fixed income strategist at Mackenzie Investments. “I think it’s mostly just year-end flows that are driving it. I don’t think there’s anything that’s particularly reversed in terms of sentiments since the Fed meeting,” said Reid. There’s reallocation by geography, moving asset classes and other adjustments to align portfolios that is likely affecting markets, he said. “I find that price action around month end, quarter end, and year-end, you shouldn’t try and ascribe a ton of fundamental cause as to why things are moving, because there’s a lot of flows happening below the surface that are probably driving the price action that are not necessarily fundamentally based.” The U.S. Fed guided for only two rate cuts in 2025 at its Dec. 18 meeting, which pushed down markets for the day. But Reid said the guidance was largely in line with expectations, and the strong U.S. economy has likely since helped boost markets. The Canadian market, meanwhile, might be benefiting a little from the expectations of even more rate cuts needed here than expected as the economy is showing softness. On Monday, Statistics Canada said its early estimate for November suggests real GDP for the month edged 0.1 per cent lower for the first drop this year. “The negative flash print for November really suggests that the bank is going to have a fair bit more work to do,” said Reid. “I think that the market is not pricing in enough easing for calendar ‘25 for the Bank of Canada.” There was no economic data releases Tuesday to sway markets, he said. The Canadian dollar traded for 69.51 cents US compared with 69.47 cents US on Monday. The February crude oil contract was up 86 cents at US$70.10 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was up 16 cents at US$3.50 per mmBTU. The February gold contract ended up US$7.30 at US$2,635.50 an ounce and the March copper contract was up two cents at US$4.11 a pound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 24, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Google, already facing a possible breakup of the company over its ubiquitous search engine , is fighting to beat back another attack by the U.S. Department of Justice alleging monopolistic conduct, this time over technology that puts online advertising in front of consumers. The Justice Department and Google made closing arguments Monday in a trial alleging Google's advertising technology constitutes an illegal monopoly. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, will decide the case and is expected to issue a written ruling by the end of the year. If Brinkema finds Google has engaged in illegal, monopolistic conduct, she will then hold further hearings to explore what remedies should be imposed. The Justice Department, along with a coalition of states, has already said it believes Google should be forced to sell off parts of its ad tech business, which generates tens of billions of dollars annually for the Mountain View, California-based company. After roughly a month of trial testimony earlier this year, the arguments in the case remain the same. During three hours of arguments Monday, Brinkema, who sometimes tips her hand during legal arguments, did little to indicate how she might rule. She did, though, question the applicability of a key antitrust case Google cites in its defense. The Justice Department contends Google built and maintained a monopoly in “open-web display advertising,” essentially the rectangular ads that appear on the top and right-hand side of the page when one browses websites. Google dominates all facets of the market. A technology called DoubleClick is used pervasively by news sites and other online publishers, while Google Ads maintains a cache of advertisers large and small looking to place their ads on the right webpage in front of the right consumer. In between is another Google product, AdExchange, that conducts nearly instantaneous auctions matching advertisers to publishers. In court papers, Justice Department lawyers say Google “is more concerned with acquiring and preserving its trifecta of monopolies than serving its own publisher and advertiser customers or winning on the merits.” As a result, content providers and news organizations have never been able to generate the online revenue they should due to Google’s excessive fees for brokering transactions between advertisers and publishers, the government says. Google argues the government's case improperly focuses on a narrow niche of online advertising. If one looks more broadly at online advertising to include social media, streaming TV services, and app-based advertising, Google says it controls as little as 10% of the market, a share that is dwindling as it faces increased and evolving competition. Google alleges in court papers that the government’s lawsuit “boil(s) down to the persistent complaints of a handful of Google’s rivals and several mammoth publishers.” Google also says it has invested billions in technology that facilitates the efficient match of advertisers to interested consumers and it should not be forced to share its technology and success with competitors. “Requiring a company to do further engineering work to make its technology and customers accessible by all of its competitors on their preferred terms has never been compelled by U.S. antitrust law,” the company wrote. Brinkema, during Monday's arguments, also sought clarity on Google’s market share, a number the two sides dispute, depending on how broadly the market is defined. Historically, courts have been unwilling to declare an illegal monopoly in markets in which a company holds less than a 70% market share. Google says that when online display advertising is viewed as a whole, it holds only a 10% market share, and dwindling. The Justice Department contends, though, that when focusing on open-web display advertising, Google controls 91% of the market for publisher ad servers and 87% of the market for advertiser ad networks. Google says that the “open web display advertising” market is gerrymandered by the Justice Department to make Google look bad, and that nobody in the industry looks at that category of ads without considering the ability of advertisers to switch to other forms of advertising, like in mobile apps. The Justice Department also contends that the public is harmed by the excessive rates Google charges to facilitate ad purchases, saying the company takes 36 cents on the dollar when it facilitates the transaction end to end. Google says its “take rate” has dropped to 31% and continues to decrease, and it says that rate is lower than that of its competitors. “When you have an integrated system, one of the benefits is lower prices," Google lawyer Karen Dunn said Monday. The Virginia case is separate from an ongoing lawsuit brought against Google in the District of Columbia over its namesake search engine. In that case, the judge determined it constitutes an illegal monopoly but has not decided what remedy to impose. The Justice Department said last week it will seek to force Google to sell its Chrome web browser , among a host of other penalties. Google has said the department's request is overkill and unhinged from legitimate regulation. In Monday's arguments, Justice Department lawyer Aaron Teitelbaum cited the search engine case when he highlighted an email from a Google executive, David Rosenblatt, who said in a 2009 email that Google’s goal was to “do to display what Google did to search," which Teitelbaum said showed the company's intent to achieve market dominance. “Google did not achieve its trifecta of monopolies by accident,” Teitelbaum said. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
WASHINGTON >> President-elect Donald Trump’s team is discussing pursuing direct talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, hoping a fresh diplomatic push can lower the risks of armed conflict, according to two people familiar with the matter. Several in Trump’s team now see a direct approach from Trump, to build on a relationship that already exists, as most likely to break the ice with Kim, years after the two traded insults and what Trump called “beautiful” letters in an unprecedented diplomatic effort during his first term in office, the people said. The policy discussions are fluid and no final decisions have been made by the president-elect, the sources said. Trump’s transition team did not respond to a request for comment. What reciprocation Kim will offer Trump is unclear. The North Koreans ignored four years of outreach by U.S. President Joe Biden to start talks with no pre-conditions, and Kim is emboldened by an expanded missile arsenal and a much closer relationship with Russia. “We have already gone as far as we can on negotiating with the United States,” Kim said last week in a speech at a Pyongyang military exhibition, according to state media. During his 2017-2021 presidency, Trump held three meetings with Kim, in Singapore, Hanoi, and at the Korean border, the first time a sitting U.S. president had set foot in the country. Their diplomacy yielded no concrete results, even as Trump described their talks as falling “in love.” The U.S. called for North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons, while Kim demanded full sanctions relief, then issued new threats. It was not clear what result a new diplomatic effort would yield. An initial Trump goal would be to reestablish basic engagement but further policy aims or a precise timetable have not been set, the people said. And the issue may take a backseat to more pressing foreign policy concerns in the Middle East and Ukraine, according to one person briefed on the transition’s thinking. North Korean state media have not yet publicly mentioned the re-election of Trump, and Kim said this month that the United States was ramping up tension and provocations, raising the risks of nuclear war. Trump and some of his allies left office with the impression that the direct approach was Washington’s best shot at influencing behavior north of the demilitarized zone, which has divided the Korean Peninsula for seven decades. The countries’ war was never technically ended even as the guns fell silent. On Friday, Trump named one of the people who implemented that initial North Korea strategy, former State Department official Alex Wong, as his deputy national security adviser. “As Deputy Special Representative for North Korea, he helped negotiate my Summit with North Korean Leader, Kim Jong Un,” Trump said in a statement. TENSIONS RISE Trump inherits an increasingly tense situation with Kim when he returns to the White House in January, as he did in 2017, an atmosphere allies expect the incoming president to confront head-on. “My experience with President Trump is he’s much more likely to be open to direct engagement,” said U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty, a Trump ally, in an interview with Reuters earlier this year. “I’m optimistic that we can see an improvement in the relationship and perhaps a different posture adopted by Kim Jong Un if that dialogue were reopened again.” Washington has a dossier of concerns over the country’s expanding nuclear weapons and missile program, its increasingly hostile rhetoric to South Korea and its close collaboration with Russian President Vladimir Putin. These topics are expected to feature in Biden administration transition briefings for Trump aides, according to a U.S. official. The Trump team has yet to sign transition agreements, which could limit the scope of some of these briefings. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Particularly concerning to Washington are the prospects of increased sharing of nuclear or missile technology between Russia and North Korea and the deployment of thousands of North Korean troops to Russia to help in the war with Ukraine. Reuters reported on Monday that North Korea is expanding a key weapons manufacturing complex that assembles a type of short-range missile used by Russia in Ukraine, citing researchers at a U.S.-based think tank who examined satellite images. U.S. officials said those factors raise the risk of a conflict between multiple nuclear-armed nations in Europe or Asia, including the United States and its allies, which include South Korea and Japan. American troops are deployed throughout the region to deter North Korea, and Trump has insisted that U.S. allies share more of the cost for those deployments. In his final meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month in Peru, Biden asked for Beijing to use its leverage to reel in North Korea. Opportunity for China and the U.S. to work together may be limited as Trump vows vast tariffs on Chinese goods and stacks his inner circle with China hardliners, such as Marco Rubio as secretary of state and Representative Mike Waltz as national security adviser. Trump said last month the two countries would have had “a nuclear war with millions of people killed,” but that he had stopped it, thanks to his ties with the North’s leader.
PayIDGambler is a gambling review platform focused on PayID-accepting online casinos. The platform was founded in 2022 by Alexis Collins, who has long been collaborating with various international media outlets related to the iGaming sector. Thanks to her deep knowledge in the field of finance, she knows practically everything about payment processing in online casinos and is happy to share this with others. In this article, you will earn valuable insights from Alexis about PayID use at online casinos. How to Spot a Reliable PayID-Friendly Online Casino A valid gambling license comes on top of the list of qualities that a trustworthy casino should have. Moreover, the team of PayIDGambler verifies the details about a license with the help of such official bodies as the Australian Communication and Media Authority and also eCOGRA, which are independent. “Licensing is non-negotiable,” explains Alexis Collins, founder of PayIDGambler. “It’s the first sign that a casino operates within the law and prioritises player protection.” Another important factor is the casino’s payment system. PayIDGambler not only checks for the availability of PayID, but also ensures that transactions are seamless, quick, and free from hidden fees. Additionally, on https://payid-gambler.net/ you will find info about the casino’s security and encryption technologies that protect user data. Game variety and transparency in bonus terms are equally vital. PayIDGambler reviews promotions to confirm that wagering requirements are fair and achievable. Customer support is also tested to ensure that users can receive prompt and helpful assistance if needed. “Our process is comprehensive because our readers deserve nothing less,” says Alexis. “From checking real player reviews to testing customer support ourselves, we take every step to ensure our recommendations are truly reliable.” However, Alexis Collins shares: “Unfortunately, there are not that many online casinos supporting PayID transactions. This is a great disappointment for our readers. However, that led our experts to look for ways to use PayID even when a casino doesn’t accept it!” How to Use PayID at Casinos that Don’t Support PayID As Alexis mentioned, quite often, you might not see PayID on the Payment page of your favourite casino. Nevertheless, you should immediately log out. Instead, Alexis recommends you contact the casino’s customer support to ensure it doesn’t accept PayID. “Sometimes casinos do not allow unregistered users to see all the payment methods available before verification or a deposit.” — comments Alexis Collins. If this is not your case and a casino doesn’t accept PayID at all, the PayIDGambler team has got you covered! “We have quite a big amount of readers. Therefore, we couldn’t let them down and had to explore all the possible options for using PayID at online casinos. This way, we discovered that last year, Binance introduced support for fund deposits through P2P transfers made with PayID. This means users may swap their balance for USDT stablecoin right on the platform. USDT is a cryptocurrency whose value tracks that of the US dollar. Therefore, it enjoys wide acceptance, including in almost every crypto casino. “What does it mean for a player?” – you might ask. Well, it means that even if PayID is not listed among a casino’s payment methods, it can still be used indirectly. Just change your PayIDs into USDTs at Binance and then send these tokens as deposits from your online wallet, which should have been provided by them together with other details necessary for playing games on their website. These transactions are as quick as PayID ones and, besides, they are completely fee-free!” We were greatly impressed, learning about this method! Now, we know that PayIDGambler never stops looking for ways to satisfy readers’ needs and, unlike many of its competitors, looks for alternative options! Alexis also added a very important note: “It’s worth noting that this method is completely legal, and online casinos do not forbid players from doing that. So, you are safe!” What Alexis Collins Thinks of the Future of PayID Casinos As we learned, PayID casinos might be hard to spot. Therefore, we decided to ask Alexis Collins about her opinion on what is the future of PayID in gambling transactions: “You see, there is a reason why I decided to create a gambling review site focused precisely on PayID, not on Mastercard, Neteller, or something else. That is because I see great potential in PayID. This banking method is very simple to use, efficient, and fast. Isn’t that everything that a gambler needs? I genuinely believe that the more people use PayID, the more casinos will start requesting them. According to recent statistics, 78% of PayID users recommended the method to other people. I believe this is a proof of my words! Of course, only time will show whether I am right, but mark my words: PayID has only started gaining popularity!” In conclusion, we want to say that PayIDGambler is no other basic casino review site. The platform actually cares about readers and listens to them and their needs. Therefore, we encourage you to visit the PayIDGambler home page, where you can find more interesting and valuable info about PayID! “At the very bottom of our home page, you can leave your little rating of us! Do it so that we know whether you are satisfied with our content. Rating of every reader is important for us” — asks Alexis Collins.Americans’ many contradictions on Trump’s agendaIs Keeping Your Home Organized More Challenging Than Your 9-To-5 Job?Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Ronan Farrow recently explored the shadowy world of spyware in a gripping documentary about Pegasus, a military-grade surveillance tool developed by the Israeli company NSO Group. Initially designed to combat terrorism and organized crime, Pegasus has reportedly been misused by governments worldwide, including targeting U.S. citizens. Farrow, the son of actress Mia Farrow and filmmaker Woody Allen , highlights in the new HBO documentary “Surveilled” how Pegasus can infiltrate smartphones, extract data, and even activate microphones and cameras—all without the user knowing. The tool, originally sold under the guise of aiding national security, has been implicated in scandals involving surveillance of journalists, dissidents, and also political figures. Collaborating with organizations like Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International, the documentary examines Pegasus’ controversial deployment and its chilling effects on democracy. One of its most striking revelations is how Pegasus has allegedly been employed against Americans, raising questions about governmental accountability and privacy rights. “All of the privacy law experts that I’m talking to are very, very afraid right now,” he told The Guardian . “This tech is just increasingly everywhere, and I think we have to contend with the inevitability that this is not just going to be this path of private companies selling to governments.” The film also sheds light on the Pegasus Project, a 2021 investigation involving 17 global media outlets, PBS reported. The project revealed a leaked list of over 50,000 phone numbers believed to be potential spyware targets. Among the most shocking findings were the confirmed infections of several smartphones belonging to individuals close to murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, raising concerns about how Pegasus facilitates human rights abuses. As Laurent Richard of Forbidden Stories notes in the documentary, “Collaboration is protection.” Forbidden Stories is a nonprofit organization based in Paris whose mission is ensuring that important investigative journalism persists, even in the face of censorship or threats. In an article for The New Yorker , Farrow also discussed the misuse by governments worldwide, including democracies, of this tool. Highlighting the Catalan independence movement, he details how spyware infiltrated Jordi Solé i Ferrando Cataloni’s phone before he joined the European Parliament. Elies Campo of Citizen Lab confirmed the infection, revealing spyware’s capability to extract data or activate a phone’s camera and microphone. Solé called it “a clear political and judicial persecution.” The documentary raises urgent questions about the ethics of selling such powerful surveillance technology and the steps needed to regulate its use.
Stock market today: Wall Street rallies ahead of ChristmasCovenant Logistics Group Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend