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SYDNEY, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IREN Limited IREN (ACN 629 842 799) ("IREN") today announced its intention to offer, subject to market and other conditions, $300 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2030 (the "notes") in a private offering to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). IREN also expects to grant the initial purchasers of the notes an option to purchase, for settlement within a period of 13 days from, and including, the date the notes are first issued, up to an additional $45 million principal amount of notes. The notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of IREN, will accrue interest payable semi-annually in arrears and will mature on June 15, 2030, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. Noteholders will have the right to convert their notes in certain circumstances and during specified periods. IREN will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as the case may be, cash, its ordinary shares or a combination of cash and its ordinary shares, at its election. The notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part (subject to certain limitations), for cash at IREN's option, on or after December 20, 2027 and on or before the 30th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, but only if the last reported sale price per share of IREN's ordinary shares exceeds 130% of the conversion price for a specified period of time and certain other conditions are satisfied. The redemption price will be equal to the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. If certain corporate events that constitute a "fundamental change" occur, then, subject to a limited exception, noteholders may require IREN to repurchase their notes for cash. The repurchase price will be equal to the principal amount of the notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the applicable repurchase date. The interest rate, initial conversion rate and other terms of the notes will be determined at the pricing of the offering. IREN expects to use a portion of the net proceeds from the offering to fund the cost of entering into the capped call transactions and to fund the cost of entering into the prepaid forward transaction, each as described below. IREN intends to use the remainder of the net proceeds for general corporate purposes and working capital. In connection with the offering of the notes, IREN expects to enter into privately negotiated capped call transactions with one or more of the initial purchasers or their affiliates and/or one or more other financial institutions (the "option counterparties"). The capped call transactions are expected to cover, subject to anti-dilution adjustments, the number of ordinary shares of IREN that will initially underlie the notes. If the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional notes, then IREN expects to enter into additional capped call transactions with the option counterparties. The capped call transactions are expected generally to reduce the potential dilution to IREN's ordinary shares upon any conversion of the notes and/or offset any potential cash payments IREN is required to make in excess of the principal amount of converted notes, as the case may be, with such offset and/or reduction subject to a cap price. If, however, the market price per ordinary share of IREN, as measured under the terms of the capped call transactions, exceeds the cap price of the capped call transactions, there would nevertheless be dilution and/or there would not be an offset of such potential cash payments, in each case, to the extent that such market price exceeds the cap price of the capped call transactions. In addition, the capped call transactions will be solely cash settled until IREN receives shareholder approval to repurchase its ordinary shares pursuant to the terms of the capped call transactions or is otherwise permitted to repurchase its ordinary shares pursuant to the terms of the capped call transactions under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation. The Company retains flexibility to seek and/or renew such approval from time to time during the terms of the capped call transactions at a general meeting or future annual general meeting. IREN has been advised that, in connection with establishing their initial hedges of the capped call transactions, the option counterparties or their respective affiliates expect to enter into various derivative transactions with respect to IREN's ordinary shares and/or purchase the ordinary shares of IREN concurrently with or shortly after the pricing of the notes. This activity could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of IREN's ordinary shares or the notes at that time. Any such trades by the option counterparties or their respective affiliates would be on a principal basis and without any agreement, arrangement or understanding between, or with, IREN on how those parties would hedge their own positions. In addition, the option counterparties and/or their respective affiliates may modify their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivatives with respect to IREN's ordinary shares and/or purchasing or selling IREN's ordinary shares or other securities of IREN in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the notes and prior to the maturity of the notes (and are likely to do so (x) on each exercise date for the capped call transactions, which are expected to occur on each trading day during the 30 trading day period beginning on the 31st scheduled trading day prior to the maturity date of the notes and (y) following any early conversion of the notes or any repurchase of the notes by IREN on any fundamental change repurchase date, any redemption date or any other date on which the notes are repurchased by IREN, in each case if IREN exercises the relevant election to terminate the corresponding portion of the capped call transactions). This activity could also cause or avoid an increase or a decrease in the market price of IREN's ordinary shares or the notes, which could affect the ability of noteholders to convert the notes, and, to the extent the activity occurs following a conversion or during any observation period related to a conversion of the notes, it could affect the number of IREN's ordinary shares and value of the consideration that noteholders will receive upon conversion of the notes. In connection with the offering of the notes, IREN also expects to enter into a privately negotiated prepaid forward share purchase transaction (the "prepaid forward transaction") with one of the initial purchasers of the notes or its affiliate (the "forward counterparty"), pursuant to which IREN will purchase up to $100 million of its ordinary shares (based on the last reported sale price of IREN's ordinary shares on the pricing date), for settlement on the date that is shortly after the maturity date of the notes, subject to any early settlement, in whole or in part, of the prepaid forward transaction. The prepaid forward transaction will be solely cash settled until IREN receives shareholder approval to repurchase its ordinary shares pursuant to the terms of the prepaid forward transaction or is otherwise permitted to repurchase its ordinary shares pursuant to the terms of the prepaid forward transaction under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation. The prepaid forward transaction is generally intended to facilitate privately negotiated derivative transactions, including swaps, between the forward counterparty or its affiliates and investors in the notes relating to IREN's ordinary shares by which investors in the notes will establish short positions relating to IREN's ordinary shares and otherwise hedge their investments in the notes. As a result, the prepaid forward transaction is expected to allow the investors to establish short positions that generally correspond to (but may be greater than) commercially reasonable initial hedges of their investment in the notes. In the event of such greater initial hedges, investors may offset such greater portion by purchasing IREN's ordinary shares on or shortly after the day IREN prices the notes. Facilitating investors' hedge positions by entering into the prepaid forward transaction, particularly if investors purchase IREN's ordinary shares on or shortly after the pricing date, could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of IREN's ordinary shares and effectively raise the initial conversion price of the notes. In connection with establishing their initial hedges of the prepaid forward transaction, the forward counterparty or its affiliates may enter into one or more derivative transactions with respect to IREN's ordinary shares with the investors of the notes concurrently with or after the pricing of the notes. Any such trades by the forward counterparty or its affiliates would be on a principal basis and without any agreement, arrangement or understanding between, or with, IREN on how those parties would hedge their own positions. IREN's entry into the prepaid forward transaction with the forward counterparty and the entry by the forward counterparty into derivative transactions in respect of IREN's ordinary shares with the investors of the notes could have the effect of increasing (or reducing the size of any decrease in) the market price of IREN's ordinary shares concurrently with, or shortly after, the pricing of the notes and effectively raising the initial conversion price of the notes. Neither IREN nor the forward counterparty will control how investors of the notes may use such derivative transactions. In addition, such investors may enter into other transactions relating to IREN's ordinary shares or the notes in connection with or in addition to such derivative transactions, including the purchase or sale of IREN's ordinary shares. As a result, the existence of the prepaid forward transaction, such derivative transactions and any related market activity could cause more purchases or sales of IREN's ordinary shares over the term of the prepaid forward transaction than there otherwise would have been had IREN not entered into the prepaid forward transaction. Such purchases or sales could potentially increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) or decrease (or reduce the size of any increase in) the market price of IREN's ordinary shares and/or the price of the notes. In addition, the forward counterparty or its affiliates may modify their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding one or more derivative transactions with respect to IREN's ordinary shares and/or purchasing or selling IREN's ordinary shares or other securities of IREN in secondary market transactions at any time following the pricing of the notes and prior to the maturity of the notes. These activities could also cause or avoid an increase or a decrease in the market price of IREN's ordinary shares or the notes, which could affect the ability of noteholders to convert the notes and, to the extent the activity occurs following conversion or during any observation period related to a conversion of notes, it could affect the amount and value of the consideration that noteholders will receive upon conversion of the notes. The offer and sale of the notes and any of IREN's ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act or any other securities laws, and the notes and any such shares cannot be offered or sold except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and any other applicable securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, the notes or any of IREN's ordinary shares issuable upon conversion of the notes, nor will there be any sale of the notes or any such shares, in any state or other jurisdiction (including the United States and Australia) in which such offer, sale or solicitation would be unlawful. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the anticipated terms of the notes being offered, the completion, timing and size of the proposed offering and the intended use of the proceeds. Forward-looking statements represent IREN's current expectations, beliefs, and projections regarding future events and are subject to known and unknown uncertainties, risks, assumptions and contingencies, many of which are outside IREN's control and that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Among those risks and uncertainties are market conditions, including market interest rates, the trading price and volatility of IREN's ordinary shares and risks relating to IREN's business, including those described in periodic reports that IREN files from time to time with the SEC. IREN may not consummate the proposed offering described in this press release and, if the proposed offering is consummated, cannot provide any assurances regarding the final terms of the offering or the notes or its ability to effectively apply the net proceeds after funding the cost of entering into the capped call transactions and financing the prepaid forward as described above. The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release, and IREN does not undertake any obligation to update the forward-looking statements included in this press release for subsequent developments, except as may be required by law. For a further discussion of factors that could cause IREN's future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements, see the section entitled "Risk Factors" in IREN's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended June 30, 2024 and other risks described in documents filed by IREN from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. About IREN IREN is a leading data center business powering the future of Bitcoin, AI and beyond utilizing 100% renewable energy. Bitcoin Mining: providing security to the Bitcoin network, expanding to 50 EH/s in H1 2025. Operations since 2019. AI Cloud Services: providing cloud compute to AI customers, 1,896 NVIDIA H100 & H200 GPUs. Operations since 2024. Next-Generation Data Centers : 460MW of operating data centers, expanding to 810MW in H1 2025. Specifically designed and purpose-built infrastructure for high-performance and power-dense computing applications. Technology : technology stack for performance optimization of AI Cloud Services and Bitcoin Mining operations. Development Portfolio: 2,310MW of grid-connected power secured across North America, >2,000 acre property portfolio and additional development pipeline. 100% Renewable Energy (from clean or renewable energy sources or through the purchase of RECs) : targets sites with low-cost & underutilized renewable energy, and supports electrical grids and local communities. Contacts Media Jon Snowball Sodali & Co +61 477 946 068 Megan Boles Aircover Communications +1 562 537 7131 Investors Lincoln Tan IREN +61 407 423 395 lincoln.tan@iren.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.The Idaho State women’s volleyball team broke its three-game losing steak and picked up a big road win Thursday night, downing second-place Sacramento State in four sets. The win puts the Bengals in a three-way tie for second in the conference standings, and positions them for their first 20-win season since 2015. ISU, 19-8 overall, finishes regular season play Saturday at Portland State. “It was a great win and nice to get the monkey off our back with winning at Sac,” said Bengal head coach Sean Carter after his team’s 26-24, 18-25, 25-19, 25-18 win over the Hornets. “I thought our serving and defending was the star of the show. Errors were the difference. We are able to win set one with seven less kills than Sac because we only had one attacking error and that set proved to be pivotal.” The Bengals had only 11 kills versus 17 by the Hornets in that first set. But Sac committed nine errors to ISU’s lone miscue. The Hornets then dominated the second set with 18 kills to ISU’s nine. But again, the Bengals played efficiently, committing only one error despite losing the set. “After set two, our serving and passing took off,” said Carter. “We only gave up two aces after set two and got eight aces in the remaining two sets. As normal, Sac scored at a really high rate with their outside hitters, but we were able to force them into more errors than they are used to.” Indeed, Sac committed nine errors in each of the last two sets, while ISU committed just five in each set. Senior Sadie Bluth led ISU with 11 kills, added two service aces, a block and six digs. Jamie Streit had 10 kills, an ace and seven digs. Aliyah Sopo’aga led all players with 33 assists and had eight digs, while sister Asiah Sopo’aga contributed 10 digs and three service aces. The win ties ISU with the Hornets and Weber State for second place in the Big Sky Conference standings at 10-5, behind Northern Colorado, which has clinched the regular season title at 13-2. The Bengals play their last regular season match Saturday beginning at 8 p.m. MST at PSU. A win would give them their first 20-win season since the 2015 Bengals under Rick Reynolds finished 23-15. The conference tournament then tips off on Wednesday in Sacramento.Is taking offence the new form of protest? If so, then Senator Lidia Thorpe, the Green-turned-independent whose disruptions of parliament have become commonplace, could teach a masterclass in it. Under Thorpe’s model, the more performative the offence-taking, the better the protest. On Wednesday, the Victorian senator caused another parliamentary ruckus. It began when One Nation senator Pauline Hanson questioned the eligibility of Senator Fatima Payman to sit in parliament. Payman – who defected from Labor to the crossbench in July – was born in Kabul, but her family fled the Taliban, and she came to Australia as a child in 2003. Lidia Thorpe and Pauline Hanson after a division in the Senate this week. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen She was made an Australian citizen in 2005, but has had trouble cancelling her Afghan citizenship because the Taliban government does not have diplomatic relations with Australia. Nonetheless, the legal advice is that Payman is eligible for parliament, having taken “all reasonable steps” to renounce her other citizenship. In the Senate, Payman said Hanson was “vindictive, mean, nasty” and that she “[brought] disgrace to the human race”. I am sympathetic to Payman’s anger . Hanson attempted to table documents relating to the matter, but Thorpe seized the papers and ripped them up. She appeared to throw them at the One Nation senator. Thorpe was subsequently ejected from the chamber, and as she departed, she raised her middle finger in an act of defiance you might call adolescent, except it’s insulting to adolescents. The teens I know would never do anything so rude. Afterwards, Thorpe barged into the Senate press gallery, upsetting the scholarly calm within, and used the elevated position to shout a pro-Palestine statement down at the senators she had just been separated from. Speaking afterwards, Thorpe said there is “one rule for white people who get away with racism, and there’s one rule for us when we call this out. We’re then the ones that are naughty little black girls again”. Independent senator Lidia Thorpe leaves the Senate chamber on Wednesday morning. Credit: AAP
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Poland’s GDP is set to expand further in 2025 , cementing its position as the European Union’s (EU) fastest-growing economy. Polish economic growth is projected at 3.7% next year, supported by private consumption and investments , European Commission (EC) data showed. This expectation expands a strong rebound from 0.2% in 2023 to just over 3% in 2024, according to the forecast on November 15. A strong financial sector, paired with tight labor markets, has also resulted in significant wage growth, driving increased consumer spending. “Poland is one of the great economic growth success stories in the world over the last 30 years,” Geoff Gottlieb, IMF senior regional representative for Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, said . Poland's GDP outperforms the EU and Germany, Europe's largest economy. The EC expects the EU GDP to grow by a mere 0.8% this year and 1.5% in 2025. German GDP will contract by 0.1% in 2024 from a 0.1% expansion previously, the second consecutive year of negative growth, the EC said. Consumption-Led Recovery is Driving Poland's GDP The IMF staff wrote in a report published on October 17 that "a consumption-led recovery is underway" in Poland. It added that the "outlook is further supported by recently unlocked NextGen EU Funds (NGEU)." NextGen EU is a financial package allocated to Poland from the EU’s “NextGenerationEU” recovery plan to help member states recover economically from the COVID-19 pandemic. The package funds investments in green energy, digitalization, and social cohesion. In the second quarter of 2024, Poland recorded the EU's largest GDP growth at +1.5%. Investment Key Driver of Poland's GDP Growth Poland's corporate sector wages increased by 10.2% year-on-year (YoY) to $2,042 (PLN 8,316.57) in October 2024, following a 10.3% growth in the previous month and beating market expectations of a 10.1% increase. The average business employment decreased by 0.5% YoY in October, the same as in September. Despite this setback, Poland’s labor market remains solid, with unemployment remaining near record lows. In 2025, EU-funded public investment is also forecasted to be a key driver of Poland's GDP growth. In February, the EU unblocked around $147 billion (PLN 600 billion) for Poland from the Cohesion Policy and the National Recovery Plan. This is set to stimulate the Polish economy and boost investments. The funds will help accelerate the green and digital transformation in the economy, increasing energy security and the use of modern technologies. Poland GDP Growth Attracts Foreign Investments Poland's strong economic performance has attracted international investments. Microsoft Corp. opened in 2023 a $1 billion cloud region around Warsaw. It consists of three physical locations with one or more data centers. "Microsoft's investment in Poland will accelerate our country's transformation into a technology hub for the Central and Eastern European region," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at the time. Microsoft has also launched an extensive AI training program in Poland, which aims to equip one million individuals with essential AI competencies by the end of 2025. "Poland found the perfect blend of East and West," Ole Lehmann, the founder of The AI Solopreneur, wrote on X . "They combined: Western innovation without the bureaucracy" and "Eastern work ethic & traditional values without authoritarianism." Challenges to Poland's GDP Growth Polish industrial production remained close to stagnant in Q3 (0.6%YoY growth after +0.8%YoY in 2Q24) while construction remained in a recession. A decline in domestic retail trade added further pressure on the economy. Poland, though, has little room for significant interest rate cuts next year, with wages and consumer prices buoying inflation and economic growth accelerating, the country's deputy central bank chief, Marta Kightley, said . Polish inflation eased in November to 4.6% YoY from 5% YoY in October. "The decline in inflation in November is a temporary phenomenon," ING wrote on November 29. "We project that it will rise in the first quarter of 2025, which will prevent the Monetary Policy Council from beginning its monetary easing cycle until then." This has significantly slowed real wage growth, which dropped from 8.5% YoY to 6.0%. Higher electricity and gas bills may limit resources available for other household expenditures. What Future Holds for Poland's GDP Despite recording the fastest GDP growth in the EU and a record-low unemployment rate, labor shortages paired with low fertility rates and an aging population could pose a future threat to the Polish economy. In the past 30 years, Poland's birth rate decreased by 40%, standing at 1.33 in 2024. While the total EU population increased in 2023, the population fell in 7 countries, Latvia (-5.9) and Poland (-3.6), recording some of the highest decreases. In response to labor market gaps and the need to attract foreign workers, Poland’s government announced its first comprehensive migration strategy in October, a step toward addressing demographic challenges. Many entrepreneurs are concerned that stricter immigration policies will make it harder to hire workers. Disclaimer : Any opinions expressed in this article are not to be considered investment advice and are solely those of the authors. European Capital Insights is not responsible for any financial decisions made based on the contents of this article. Readers may use this article for information and educational purposes only. This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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Centoni, EVP and Chief Customer Experience Officer at Cisco, Brings Proven Expertise in Elevating Customer Success PLEASANTON, Calif. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Workday, Inc . (NASDAQ: WDAY), a leading provider of solutions to help organizations manage their people and money , today announced the election of Liz Centoni, executive vice president and chief customer experience officer at Cisco, to its board of directors. Centoni is a seasoned leader who has a passion for leveraging technology to drive customer success and deliver unparalleled experiences. Throughout her career, Centoni has been spearheading initiatives that have significantly enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty. "Liz's passion for championing customer success aligns perfectly with our unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences, making her an ideal addition to our Board," said Carl Eschenbach , CEO, Workday. "Her expertise will be instrumental in ensuring that we continue to exceed customer expectations as we innovate and grow." Centoni has held a range of senior engineering and strategy roles during her 24 years at Cisco. In 2024, she led the company's $28 billion acquisition of Splunk, positioning Cisco at the forefront of the AI revolution. Centoni was also instrumental in developing Cisco's responsible AI framework, and has advocated for equity in tech at events including World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting. She is an active mentor and sponsor of underrepresented groups, including serving as Cisco's global executive sponsor for the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program. "Joining Workday's board is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with a company that shares my passion for empowering people and organizations through innovative technology and AI," said Liz Centoni , executive vice president and chief customer experience officer, Cisco. "I'm eager to leverage my experience to further strengthen Workday's customer-centric approach and contribute to its continued growth." Centoni's appointment is effective as of today. About Workday Workday is a leading enterprise platform that helps organizations manage their most important assets – their people and money . The Workday platform is built with AI at the core to help customers elevate people, supercharge work, and move their business forever forward. Workday is used by more than 10,500 organizations around the world and across industries – from medium-sized businesses to more than 60% of the Fortune 500. For more information about Workday, visit workday.com . © 2024 Workday, Inc. All rights reserved. Workday and the Workday logo are registered trademarks of Workday, Inc. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements including, among other things, statements regarding Workday's plans, beliefs, and expectations. These forward-looking statements are based only on currently available information and our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. If the risks materialize, assumptions prove incorrect, or we experience unexpected changes in circumstances, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements, and therefore you should not rely on any forward-looking statements. Risks include, but are not limited to, risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including our most recent report on Form 10-Q or Form 10-K and other reports that we have filed and will file with the SEC from time to time, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. Workday assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release, except as required by law. Any unreleased services, features, or functions referenced in this document, our website, or other press releases or public statements that are not currently available are subject to change at Workday's discretion and may not be delivered as planned or at all. Customers who purchase Workday services should make their purchase decisions based upon services, features, and functions that are currently available. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/workday-appoints-liz-centoni-to-its-board-of-directors-302321567.html SOURCE Workday Inc.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, who is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration, will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account, and said “He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!” Kellogg, an 80 year-old retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence , was chief of staff of the National Security Council and then stepped in as an acting security adviser for Trump after Michael Flynn resigned. As special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Kellogg will have to navigate an increasingly untenable war between the two nations. The Biden administration has begun urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. Trump has criticized the billions that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine. Washington has recently stepped up weapons shipments and has forgiven billions in loans provided to Kyiv. The incoming Republican president has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. As a co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security, Kellogg wrote several of the chapters in the group’s policy book. The book, like the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025,” is a move to lay out a Trump national security agenda and avoid the mistakes of 2016 when he entered the White House largely unprepared. Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” Trump's proposed national security advisor U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) tweeted Wednesday that “Keith has dedicated his life to defending our great country and is committed to bringing the war in Ukraine to a peaceful resolution.” Kellogg was a character in multiple Trump investigations dating to his first term. He was among the administration officials who listened in on the July 2019 call between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which Trump prodded his Ukrainian counterpart to pursue investigations into the Bidens. The call, which Kellogg would later say did not raise any concerns on his end, was at the center of the first of two House impeachment cases against Trump, who was acquitted by the Senate both times. On Jan. 6, 2021, hours before pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, Kellogg, who was then Pence’s national security adviser, listened in on a heated call in which Trump told his vice president to object or delay the certification in Congress of President Joe Biden ’s victory. He later told House investigators that he recalled Trump saying to Pence words to the effect of: “You’re not tough enough to make the call.” Baldor reported from Washington. AP writer Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.
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NEW YORK (AP) — Angelina Jolie never expected to hit all the notes. But finding the breath of Maria Callas was enough to bring things out of Jolie that she didn’t even know were in her. “All of us, we really don’t realize where things land in our body over a lifetime of different experiences and where we hold it to protect ourselves,” Jolie said in a recent interview. “We hold it in our stomachs. We hold it in our chest. We breathe from a different place when we’re nervous or we’re sad. “The first few weeks were the hardest because my body had to open and I had to breathe again,” she adds. “And that was a discovery of how much I wasn’t.” In Pablo Larraín’s “Maria,” which Netflix released in theaters Wednesday before it begins streaming on Dec. 11, Jolie gives, if not the performance of her career, then certainly of her last decade. Beginning with 2010’s “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” Jolie has spent recent years directing films while prioritizing raising her six children. “So my choices for quite a few years were whatever was smart financially and short. I worked very little the last eight years,” says Jolie. “And I was kind of drained. I couldn’t for a while.” But her youngest kids are now 16. And for the first time in years, Jolie is back in the spotlight, in full movie-star mode. Her commanding performance in “Maria” seems assured of bringing Jolie her third Oscar nomination. (She won supporting actress in 2000 for “Girl, Interrupted.”) For an actress whose filmography might lack a signature movie, “Maria” may be Jolie's defining role. Jolie's oldest children, Maddox and Pax, worked on the set of the film. There, they saw a version of their mother they hadn't seen before. “They had certainly seen me sad in my life. But I don’t cry in front of my children like that,” Jolie says of the emotion Callas dredged up in her. “That was a moment in realizing they were going to be with me, side by side, in this process of really understanding the depth of some of the pain I carry.” Jolie, who met a reporter earlier this fall at the Carlyle Hotel, didn't speak in any detail of that pain. But it was hard not to sense some it had to do with her lengthy and ongoing divorce from Brad Pitt, with whom she had six children. Just prior to meeting, a judge allowed Pitt’s remaining claim against Jolie, over the French winery Château Miraval, to proceed. On Monday, a judge ruled that Pitt must disclose documents Jolie’s legal team have sought that they allege include “communications concerning abuse.” Pitt has denied ever being abusive. The result of the U.S. presidential election was also just days old, though Jolie — special envoy for the United Nations Refugee Agency from 2012 to 2022 – wasn’t inclined to talk politics. Asked about Donald Trump’s win , she responded, “Global storytelling is essential,” before adding: “That’s what I’m focusing on. Listening. Listening to the voices of people in my country and around the world.” Balancing such things — reports concerning her private life, questions that accompany someone of her fame — is a big reason why Jolie is so suited to the part of Callas. The film takes place during the American-born soprano’s final days. (She died of a heart attack at 53 in 1977.) Spending much of her time in her grand Paris apartment, Callas hasn’t sung publicly in years; she’s lost her voice. Imprisoned by the myth she’s created, Callas is redefining herself and her voice. An instructor tells her he wants to hear “Callas, not Maria." The movie, of course, is more concerned with Maria. It’s Larrain’s third portrait of 20th century female icon, following “Jackie” (with Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy) and “Spencer” (with Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana). As Callas, Jolie is wonderfully regal — a self-possessed diva who deliciously, in lines penned by screenwriter Steven Knight, spouts lines like: “I took liberties all my life and the world took liberties with me.” Asked if she identified with that line, Jolie answered, “Yeah, yeah.” Then she took a long pause. “I’m sure people will read a lot into this and there’s probably a lot I could say but don’t want to feed into,” Jolie eventually continues. “I know she was a public person because she loved her work. And I’m a public person because I love my work, not because I like being public. I think some people are more comfortable with a public life, and I’ve never been fully comfortable with it.” When Larraín first approached Jolie about the role, he screened “Spencer” for her. That film, like “Jackie” and “Maria,” eschews a biopic approach to instead intimately focus on a specific moment of crisis. Larraín was convinced Jolie was meant for the role. “I felt she could have that magnetism,” Larraín says. “The enigmatic diva that’s come to a point in her life where she has to take control of her life again. But the weight of her experience, of her music, of her singing, everything, is on her back. And she carries that. It’s someone who’s already loaded with a life that’s been intense.” “There’s a loneliness that we both share,” Jolie says. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I think people can be alone and lonely sometimes, and that can be part of who they are.” Larraín, the Chilean filmmaker, grew up in Santiago going to the opera, and he has long yearned to bring its full power and majesty to a movie. In Callas, he heard something that transfixed him. “I hear something near perfection, but at the same time, it’s something that’s about to be destroyed,” Larraín says. “So it’s as fragile and as strong as possible. It lives in both extremes. That’s why it’s so moving. I hear a voice that’s about to be broken, but it doesn’t.” In Callas’ less perfect moments singing in the film, Larraín fuses archival recordings of Callas with Jolie’s own voice. Some mix of the two runs throughout “Maria.” “Early in the process,” Jolie says, “I discovered that you can’t fake-sing opera.” Jolie has said she never sang before, not even karaoke. But the experience has left her with a newfound appreciation of opera and its healing properties. “I wonder if it’s something you lean into as you get older,” Jolie says. “Maybe your depth of pain is bigger, your depth of loss is bigger, and that sound in opera meets that, the enormity of it.” If Larraín’s approach to “Maria” is predicated on an unknowingness, he's inclined to say something similar about his star. “Because of media and social media, some people might think that they know a lot about Angelina,” he says. “Maria, I read nine biographies of her. I saw everything. I read every interview. I made this movie. But I don’t think I would be capable of telling you who she was us. So if there’s an element in common, it’s that. They carry an enormous amount of mystery. Even if you think that you know them, you don’t.” Whether “Maria” means more acting in the future for Jolie, she's not sure. “There's not a clear map,” she says. Besides, Jolie isn't quite ready to shake Callas. “When you play a real person, you feel at some point that they become your friend,” says Jolie. “Right now, it’s still a little personal. It’s funny, I’ll be at a premiere or I’ll walk into a room and someone will start blaring her music for fun, but I have this crazy internal sense memory of dropping to my knees and crying.”Tweet Facebook Mail A police officer who unlawfully killed an aged-care resident with dementia by shooting her with a Taser could be thrown behind bars a day after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter. Senior Constable Kristian James Samuel White discharged his stun gun at Clare Nowland in a treatment room at Yallambee Lodge aged-care home in the southern NSW town of Cooma during the early hours of May 17, 2023. In video footage played at his NSW Supreme Court trial, White was heard saying "nah, bugger it" before shooting the great-grandmother in the torso. READ MORE: Convicted murderer granted leave from Victorian jail to undergo IVF Senior Constable Kristian White leaves court after he was found guilty of manslaughter. (Nine) Nowland, who was holding a steak knife at the time, fell backwards and hit her head before dying a week later in hospital. White is still working for the police force which is undergoing a review of his employment. As the jury delivered its guilty verdict on Wednesday, he stood silent, closing his eyes and bowing his head. Crown prosecutors immediately made an application to detain the 34-year-old in custody but Justice Ian Harrison postponed the hearing until today. READ MORE: Driver pleads guilty after killing five Clare Nowland, 95, died after White Tasered her. (A Current Affair) He said he would need evidence about the conditions that White would face in prison given he was a police officer. Officers are typically housed away from other inmates as they can be targets for criminals who have also been locked away behind bars, On Wednesday, defence barrister Troy Edwards SC argued that a jail sentence was not inevitable for White given the wide range of possible punishments for manslaughter. The charge carries a maximum jail term of 25 years. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .