Helldivers 2's Illuminate invasion is the cherry on top of one of the best first years a live service game has ever had
Norman confirms he's to be replaced as LIV Golf CEO
, /PRNewswire/ -- Tomorrow, AT&T's chief executive officer will participate in a fireside chat where he will discuss the Company's multi-year strategic growth plan. : , chief executive officer, ( ), will speak tomorrow at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference where he will provide an update to shareholders. Stankey is expected to cover key topics discussed below. As a result of the investment-led strategy announced at its , the Company expects to be in a differentiated position within the connectivity industry by the end of the decade. In Mobility, the Company is building a more efficient, high-capacity, programmable and open network. By 2027, it expects to have largely completed the modernization of its 5G wireless network with open technology, with deep mid-band 5G spectrum covering 300 million+ people by the end of 2026. In broadband, the Company already has the largest fiber broadband network in America. By the end of 2029, it expects to reach 50 million+ total locations with fiber . This includes expectations to pass about 45 million locations through its organic fiber deployment and to serve 5 million+ fiber locations through Gigapower, its joint venture with Blackrock, as well as through agreements with commercial open-access providers. These collective efforts increase AT&T's opportunity to serve customers how they want to be served, by one provider in a converged manner. While building the network of the future, the Company is actively working to exit its legacy copper network operations across the large majority of its wireline footprint by the end of 2029. As discussed during the Company's 2024 Analyst & Investor Day, it expects 2025 Free Cash Flow of $16 billion+, when excluding DIRECTV. The expected drivers of next year's free cash flow growth include Adjusted EBITDA growth, lower cash interest from lower debt balances, the absence of network termination fee payments in 2025 and lower working capital impacts in 2025 compared to 2024. These items are expected to more than offset an expected increase in cash taxes. AT&T expects its multi-year strategic plan to provide $50 billion+ of financial capacity over the next three years, largely through organic growth. Financial capacity represents anticipated free cash flow after distributions to noncontrolling interests, plus expected cash payments from the announced agreement to sell AT&T's stake in DIRECTV to TPG, as well as net borrowing capacity after the Company achieves its net leverage target. The Company continues to expect to achieve its net leverage target of net-debt-to-adjusted EBITDA in the 2.5x range in the first half of 2025 and maintain leverage within this range through 2027. The Company expects to return $40 billion+ of this financial capacity to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Under this capital return plan, the Company expects to maintain its current annualized common stock dividend of per share. This plan would result in $20 billion+ in total dividend payments, with capacity for about in share repurchases, from 2025-2027. The plan also contemplates approximately in incremental financial flexibility for items such as potential organic or inorganic strategic growth investments, debt repayment, redemptions of noncontrolling interests, or additional dividends or share repurchases. Tune in for the fireside chat with at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference, scheduled to begin at . The webcast will be available live and for replay at To automatically receive AT&T financial news by email, please "Total locations" includes consumer and business locations (i) passed with fiber and (ii) served with fiber through commercial open-access providers. Information set forth in this news release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise. This news release may contain certain non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations between the non-GAAP financial measures and the GAAP financial measures are available on the company's website at . We help more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors, plus nearly 2.5 million businesses, connect to greater possibility. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to our 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. For more information about AT&T Inc. ( ), please visit us at . Investors can learn more at . © 2024 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the Globe logo are registered trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE AT&T Get local news delivered to your inbox!Tories urge PM to reject Netanyahu arrest warrant and alter ‘nonsensical’ stanceIsoEnergy Announces Voting Results from Special MeetingLittler, who won the Grand Slam of Darts last week, hit checkouts of 170, 164 and 136 as he threatened to overturn an early deficit, but Humphries held his nerve to win the last three legs. “I’m really, really proud of that one to be honest,” Humphries told Sky Sports. FOR THE SECOND TIME 🏆🏆 Luke Humphries retains his 2024 Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals title, beating Luke Littler 11-7 in the final. pic.twitter.com/QUhxvSbGeu — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 24, 2024 “I didn’t feel myself this week playing-wise, I felt like I was a dart behind in a lot of the scenarios but there’s something that Luke does to you. He really drives me, makes me want to be a better player and I enjoy playing him. “He let me in really early in that first session to go 4-1 up, I never looked back and I’m proud that I didn’t take my foot off the gas. These big games are what I live for. “Luke is a special talent and he was right – I said to him I’ve got to get these (titles) early before he wins them all. “I’d love to be up here and hitting 105 averages like Luke is all the time but he’s a different calibre, he’s probably the best player in the world right now but there’s something about me that never gives up. “This is a great way to go into the worlds.” HUMPHRIES GOES BACK-TO-BACK! 🏆 Luke Humphries retains his Players Championship Finals title! Cool Hand puts on an absolute clinic to defeat Luke Littler 11-7 in an epic final! 📺 https://t.co/AmuG0PMn18 #PCF2024 | Final pic.twitter.com/nZDWPUVjWE — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) November 24, 2024 Littler, who lost the world championship final to Humphries last year, said: “It was tough, missed a few doubles and if you don’t take chances early on, it’s a lot to come back. “I hit the 170 and the 164 but just didn’t have enough in the end. “It’s been a good past two weeks. I just can’t wait to go home, chill out, obviously practice at home for the worlds. That’s it now, leading up to the big one.”
Insurgents reach gates of Syria’s capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad rule
‘I never dreamt of being a homeowner’: Kemptville mom shares her story on National Housing DayA federal judge is considering whether to overturn a Minnesota law that bans religious tests for colleges that participate in a state program that allows high school students to take college courses for credit. The state argued at a hearing Monday that the 2023 law rightly protects high school students who are not Christian, straight, and cisgender — those whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. The law targets the state's only two conservative Christian colleges that require students to sign statements of faith — Crown College in St. Bonifacius and the University of Northwestern in Roseville. A group of parents and high schoolers who are earning college credits at those institutions, or would like to, are suing to overturn the law, saying it violates their religious freedom under the First Amendment to choose schools with campus atmospheres that that reflect their values. The longstanding Minnesota Postsecondary Enrollment Options program lets high school students earn free credits at state expense at public or private colleges of their choice, although the courses must be nonsectarian. Around 60,000 students have taken advantage of it. State education officials learned more than a decade ago that Crown and Northwestern in Roseville bar students who aren't Christian or who are LGBTQ+ from campus activities, and started trying to change the law regulating the program. After several previous attempts to change it failed at a divided Legislature, the legislation passed in 2023 after Democrats gained control of both chambers. Democratic Gov. Tim Walz signed it into law after a session that enacted a series of broad new protections for LGBTQ+ rights. Under an agreement between the states and colleges, the law is not being enforced while court challenges are pending, including any appeals. U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel didn't say at the end of the hearing when she would rule. But she confirmed with both sides after two hours of highly complex legal arguments that the law will remain on hold into the next academic year if there's no final resolution by then. "The state of Minnesota has a fundamental right to protect its students from discrimination," Assistant Attorney General Jeff Timmerman argued at the hearing. But Eric Baxter, an attorney from The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, told the court that the law improperly targeted the two colleges after the state had long allowed them to restrict admission to the program. "There's no evidence that the admissions requirements at Crown and Northwestern were causing a problem that was so compelling that they had to restrict these schools' religious practices," Baxter said. Baxter argued that the U.S. Supreme Court has held several times in recent years has held that once a state starts funding private institutions, the First Amendment forbids excluding participants on the basis of religion, citing high court decisions in cases from Montana,Maine and Missouri. He also said a Supreme Court decision in a Philadelphia case established that a state's interest in preventing discrimination against LGBTQ+ people doesn't outweigh the rights of religious organizations to live out their beliefs. Timmerman countered that those precedents don't fit this case. The state's attorneys wrote in their brief that maw was changed to eliminate all forms of discrimination — not just religious discrimination — because the schools' policies exclude LGBTQ+ students based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, not just students of other faiths. And they said the schools have offered no evidence that admitting non-Christian or LGBTQ+ high school students to the program would harm the colleges' religious beliefs or practices. Northwestern, whose former presidents include famed evangelist Billy Graham, is one of the largest providers of classes to high schoolers under the state program. Both schools allow all students, regardless of their beliefs, to take online courses. Baxter said afterward that many states have college credit programs like Minnesota's, but that most states that have tried to exclude religious organizations have been shot down.
"Modi govt preparing to collect more money through Gabbar Singh tax": Rahul Gandhi slams BJPVikings will be without cornerback Stephon Gilmore against Falcons
HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) — Bryce Lindsay had 18 points in James Madison's 78-61 win against Utah Valley on Saturday night. Lindsay added five rebounds for the Dukes (6-4). Xavier Brown scored 12 points and added seven assists. AJ Smith went 4 of 6 from the field (2 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 10 points, while adding seven rebounds and three steals. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week
Connor Gaydos, a man connected to an apparent parody project to relaunch the energy company Enron and become its new CEO , was hit in the face with a pie this week as he was entering a building in New York City. The incident was caught on video and went viral on social media Thursday. The clip shows Gaydos exiting an SUV shortly before an older man slams the pie into his face as two bodyguards intervene. The bizarre incident mirrored one from more than two decades earlier, when a California woman tossed a pie into the face of Enron’s then-CEO Jeffrey Schilling . Earlier this month, a group announced the scandal-plagued Texas company was returning exactly 23 years after filing for bankruptcy amid massive fraud. “With a bold new vision, Enron will leverage cutting-edge technology, human ingenuity, and the spirit of adaptation to address the critical challenges of energy, sustainability, accessibility and affordability,” the company said in a press release that raised questions about its legitimacy. The announcement was reportedly joined by billboards in the Houston area, a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle and a video promoting the company’s comeback. An investigation conducted by Houston station KHOU turned up a disclaimer on the company’s website that read, “The information on the website is First Amendment-protected parody , represents performance art and is for entertainment purposes only.” Many have speculated the company’s reemergence is merely a publicity stunt promoting cryptocurrency .
Louisiana lawmakers pass income and corporate tax cuts, raising statewide sales tax to pay for itOpenAI fired back at billionaire Elon Musk on Friday, publishing a series of emails and texts that the company claims show Musk’s lawsuit against it is misleading. Musk’s legal battle with OpenAI, which has been going on for months now , at its core accuses the company of abandoning its original nonprofit mission to make the fruits of its AI research available to all. Things escalated last month, when Musk’s legal team filed for an injunction to halt OpenAI’s in-progress transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit corporation. OpenAI says Musk’s complaints are baseless — and simply a case of sour grapes. As far back as 2015, Musk floated the idea of an OpenAI with both a nonprofit and for-profit component, the OpenAI-published emails and texts show. OpenAI ultimately launched as a nonprofit, but several years later faced financing challenges. On June 13, 2017, according to the OpenAI-published exchanges, Musk suggested that OpenAI merge with a hardware startup — possibly chip company Cerebras . Several members of OpenAI’s leadership agreed, per the messages, and OpenAI started down a path to what president Greg Brockman called an “AI research + hardware for-profit.” Musk demanded majority equity, OpenAI claims — between 50% and 60%. And he laid out an org structure where he would “unequivocally have initial control of the company” — and be installed its CEO. Musk went so far as to create a public benefit corporation called “Open Artificial Intelligence Technologies, Inc,” registered in Delaware. But OpenAI leadership rejected Musk’s terms. Musk then recommended that OpenAI spin into Tesla, his electric vehicle company, with a $1 billion budget that would “increase exponentially.” OpenAI leadership shot this proposal down, too. It’s at that point, in 2018, that Musk resigned from OpenAI — and largely cut ties with its C-suite. OpenAI claims that it’s offered Musk equity in its for-profit wing on more than one occasion, but that Musk has always declined. “You can’t sue your way to [ artificial general intelligence ,]” OpenAI said in a statement. “We have great respect for Elon’s accomplishments and gratitude for his early contributions to OpenAI, but he should be competing in the marketplace rather than the courtroom.” Musk formed his answer to OpenAI, xAI, last year. Soon after, the company released Grok , an AI model that now powers a number of features on Musk’s social network, X (formerly known as Twitter). xAI also offers an API that allows customers to build Grok into third-party apps, platforms, and services. In a complaint filed late last month, Musk’s attorneys allege OpenAI is depriving xAI of capital by extracting promises from investors not to fund it and the competition. In October, the Financial Times reported that OpenAI demanded investors in its latest funding round abstain from also funding any of OpenAI’s rivals, including xAI. Of course, xAI has had no trouble raising money lately. Last month, the firm closed a $6 billion round reportedly with participation from prominent investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Fidelity. With around $12 billion in the bank, xAI is one of the best-funded AI companies in the world. Musk’s motion for an injunction also alleges that OpenAI and Microsoft, its close collaborator and an investor, illegally share proprietary information and resources. Google reportedly has also called for investigations into Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI, specifically the two orgs’ cloud computing arrangements. OpenAI is under pressure to complete its for-profit transition quickly. According to Bloomberg, investors in its latest funding round will be able to claw back their cash if OpenAI doesn’t convert from a non-profit within two years.Olaplex set gets 25% off as shoppers rave it is 'a life saver' for damaged or dyed hair
By Stephanie Lai and Hadriana Lowenkron, Bloomberg News Donald Trump says he is selecting venture capitalist David Sacks of Craft Ventures LLC to serve as his artificial intelligence and crypto czar, a newly created position that underscores the president-elect’s intent to boost two rapidly developing industries. “David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness. David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas,” Trump said Thursday in a post on his Truth Social network. Trump said that Sacks would also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Related Articles In Sacks, Trump is tapping one of his most prominent Silicon Valley supporters and fundraisers for a prime position in his administration. Sacks played a key role in bolstering Trump’s fundraising among technology industry donors, including co-hosting an event at his San Francisco home in June, with tickets at $300,000 a head. He is also closely associated with Vice President-elect JD Vance, the investor-turned-Ohio senator. Sacks is a venture capitalist and part of Silicon Valley’s “PayPal Mafia.” He first made his name in the technology industry during a stint as the chief operating officer of PayPal, the payments company whose founders in the late 1990s included billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and investor Peter Thiel. After it was sold to eBay, Sacks turned to Hollywood, where he produced the 2005 satire Thank You for Smoking. Back in Silicon Valley, he founded workplace communications company Yammer, which was bought by Microsoft Corp. in 2012 for $1.2 billion. He founded his own venture capital firm, Craft Ventures, in 2017 and has invested in Musk-owned businesses, including SpaceX. Sacks said on a recent episode of his All-In podcast that a “key man” clause in the agreements of his venture firm’s legal documents would likely prevent him from taking a full-time position, but he might consider an advisory role in the new administration. A Craft spokeswoman said Sacks would not be leaving Craft. In his post, Trump said Sacks “will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship.” Protecting free speech is a keen interest of Sacks. He regularly speaks about “woke” interests that try to muzzle unpopular opinions and positions. The new post is expected to help spearhead the crypto industry deregulation Trump promised on the campaign trail. The role is expected to provide cryptocurrency advocates a direct line to the White House and serve as a liaison between Trump, Congress and the federal agencies that interface with digital assets, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Trump heavily campaigned on supporting crypto, after previously disparaging digital assets during his first White House term, saying their “value is highly volatile and based on thin air.” The president-elect on Thursday said Sacks would “work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.” During the campaign, Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference, accepted crypto campaign donations and met with executives from Bitcoin mining companies and crypto exchanges multiple times. Trump’s desire to give priority to the digital asset industry is also reflected in his close allies and cabinet selections, including his Commerce secretary pick, Howard Lutnick, and Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent. On the AI front, Sacks would help Trump put his imprint on an emerging technology whose popular use has exploded in recent years. Sacks is poised to be at the front lines in determining how the federal government both adopts AI and regulates its use as advances in the technology and adoption by consumers pose a wide array of benefits as well as risks touching on national security, privacy, jobs and other areas. The president-elect has expressed both awe at the power of AI technology as well as concern over the potential harms from its use. During his first term, he signed executive orders that sought to maintain US leadership in the field and directed the federal government to prioritize AI in research and development spending. As AI has become more mainstream in recent years and with Congress slow to act, President Joe Biden has sought to fill that void. Biden signed an executive order in 2023 that establishes security and privacy protections and requires developers to safety-test new models, casting the sweeping regulatory order as necessary to safeguard consumers. A number of technology giants have also agreed to adopt a set of voluntary safeguards which call for them to test AI systems for discriminatory tendencies or security flaws and to share those results. Trump has vowed to repeal Biden’s order. The Republican Party’s 2024 platform dismissed Biden’s executive order as one that “hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology.” Sacks can be expected to work closely with Musk, the world’s richest person and one of the president-elect’s most prominent supporters. Musk is also a player in the AI space with his company xAI and a chatbot named Grok — efforts which pit him against Silicon Valley’s giants — and he stands to wield significant influence within the incoming administration. The appointment won’t require Sacks to divest or publicly disclose his assets. Like Musk, Sacks will be a special government employee. He can serve a maximum of 130 days per year, with or without compensation. However, conflict of interest rules apply to special government employees, meaning Sacks will have to recuse himself from matters that could impact his holdings. Sacks’s Craft Ventures is known more for enterprise software investing than for crypto, but it has made a few crypto investments, including BitGo and Bitwise. Still, Sacks has firm opinions on the sector. Speaking last month on All-In, Sacks praised a bill on crypto regulation that had passed in the U.S. House but not the Senate earlier this year. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act would regulate certain types of digital assets as a commodity, regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “The crypto industry basically wants a really clear line for knowing when they’re a commodity and they want commodities to be governed, like all other commodities, by the CFTC,” he said on the November podcast. He also disparaged some of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s positions on crypto under its chair, Gary Gensler. “The days of Gensler terrifying crypto companies,” he said. “Those days are about to be over.” Earlier this week, Trump nominated crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the SEC. With assistance from Zoe Ma, Bill Allison, Sarah McBride, Anne VanderMey and stacy-marie ishmael. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.