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Applied Optoelectronics Filed a Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Accelight Technologies, Inc. (ATI)

Vanquishing Bears, Thanksgiving losing streak tops Lions' holiday listThe Stony Brook, New York-based company said it had a loss of 32 cents per share. The DNA-based security technology company posted revenue of $813,100 in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $813,000. For the year, the company reported that its loss narrowed to $7.5 million, or $1.82 per share. Revenue was reported as $3.4 million. In the final minutes of trading on Tuesday, the company's shares hit 23 cents. A year ago, they were trading at $13.01. This story was generated by Automated Insights ( http://automatedinsights.com/ap ) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on APDN at https://www.zacks.com/ap/APDN

Tennessee Tech University will kick off the holiday season by flipping the switch on thousands of lights at the annual “Lighting the Quad” on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m. The free event is held on the university’s historic main quad and is open to the public. “This is one of our favorite Tennessee Tech traditions and is always a highlight of the holiday season for our campus,” said Tech First Lady Kari Oldham. “We invite students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and neighbors to bring their families and join us for this special event as we celebrate the magic of the season together.” First started in 2017, Lighting the Quad features dazzling holiday lights, music, hot chocolate, commemorative T-shirts, selfie stations and more. Games, refreshments and additional photo-op spaces will be available inside Memorial Gym just off the main quad. In the event of unfavorable weather, a rain date has been scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 5. All told, this year’s light display will include more than 1,000 feet of illuminated trees and over 40,000 individual lights. The display’s centerpiece is a 35-foot-tall tree lit in Tech’s signature purple. The tree was originally part of the Gatlinburg SkyPark “Lights Over Gatlinburg” holiday display and is now getting a second life at Tech. Once illuminated at Tuesday’s ceremony, Tech’s holiday lights will be available to enjoy throughout the rest of the year, beginning daily at 5 p.m. The community is invited to come out and experience the lights with their friends and loved ones, and to share their photos on social media using #TNTechLights. Learn more at tntech.edu/lightingthequad/ .Indiana aims to limit turnovers vs. MinnesotaTight deadlines trigger political scramble in city

Five players netted goals as St. Ambrose routed Oakland City 5-0 in first-round action of the NAIA national soccer tournament in Spring Arbor, Mich., on Thursday. The Bees, who extended their winning streak to 12 games, got goals from Isabelle Crawford and Kendall Wendt in the first half. Kaitlyn Brunson assisted on both. St. Ambrose iced the decisive win, their 15th of the season in 22 matches, with goals by Jenna Horst, Charlise Martel and Addie Kerkhoff in the second half. Olivia Infante and Sophia Roszkowski assisted on Martel’s goal in the 77th minute. Keeper Grace Kuchar stopped all seven shots she faced in the game as the Bees improved to 15-5-2 overall. St. Ambrose held a 14-7 edge in shots on goal in the contest. The Bees have a quick turnaround for their second-round match, facing host Spring Arbor (16-3) at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The winner advances to the Round of 16 at the championship final site in Pensacola, Fla., beginning Dec. 2. Get local news delivered to your inbox!After a thrilling conference championship Saturday and a drawn-out reveal show Sunday, the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff field is set. The first true tournament in FBS history has plenty to love -- and elements to loathe. What Went Right: Unique opening-round matchups Whether the first round proves to be more competitive than the four-team Playoff's often lopsided semifinal matchups remains to be seen. Until then, there is at least intrigue in the historic rarity of the four pairings. One opening-round matchup -- ACC automatic qualifier Clemson at Texas -- is a first-time encounter between two programs that combine for seven claimed national championships. Of the other three, the most recent contest occurred in 1996 when Tennessee topped Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl. The Vols and Buckeyes meet as the No. 9 and No. 8 seeds at Ohio State's Horseshoe, with the winner advancing to face top overall seed Oregon. SMU, a perhaps surprising final at-large selection given the Mustangs' dearth of high-profile wins, meets Penn State for the third time ever and first since 1978. The Nittany Lions scored a 26-21 come-from-behind win in Happy Valley, where they will again host SMU. The Penn State victory ended a 30-year stalemate after the first and only meeting in the 1948 Cotton Bowl produced a 13-13 tie. Here's hoping the third part of a 76-year trilogy is as closely contested as the initial two. Meanwhile, the matchup with the most previous installments is the closest in proximity -- less than 200 miles separate in-state counterparts Indiana and Notre Dame -- and the most lopsided. The Fighting Irish and Hoosiers last played in 1991, with Notre Dame's 49-27 win marking its sixth straight victory by multiple scores. Indiana's last win in the series came in 1950, a 20-7 Hoosiers victory in Bloomington. What Went Right: Boise State's big opportunity Although not the first outsider to reach or win a Bowl Championship Series game, Boise State's 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma was arguably the most pivotal moment in building support for outsiders to compete for the national championship. The Broncos spent two decades knocking on the door, beginning with their perfect 2004 regular season, extending through two Fiesta Bowl wins, and withstanding the heartbreak of late-season losses in 2010 and 2011. The celebration in response to Boise State being part of the bracket -- and not just in, but as the No. 3 seed with a bye into the quarterfinals -- marked a culmination of generations of effort for just this opportunity. What Went Right: ‘Football weather' comes to the postseason From the birth of the bowl system with the first-ever Rose Bowl Game, college football's postseason has resided primarily in warm-weather destinations. This makes sense for the original purpose of bowl games as showcases and celebrations of a team's regular-season performance, but less so for the goal of crowning a national champion. After decades of playing what often amounted to road games in the postseason, northern teams get their opportunity to host. Three of the four first-round contests are in such climates -- though Indiana won't be particularly disadvantaged by weather when playing Notre Dame in South Bend. With average December highs in Pennsylvania in the 30s, SMU will need its heaters on the sideline at Penn State's Beaver Stadium. The more intriguing trip, however, is Tennessee's to Ohio State. Longtime college football fans know the arguments about SEC teams playing in Big Ten country late in the year. Pitting two high-quality teams from the two leagues head-to-head in such conditions is a highlight of this new postseason system. And, given Tennessee and Ohio State have two of the nation's best defenses, expect a style of play befitting what is often described as football weather. What Went Wrong: More teams means more politicking When Mack Brown seemingly spent as much time on TV campaigning in 2004 as that year's presidential candidates, George W. Bush and John Kerry, his Texas Longhorns were among a small collection of teams vying for BCS bids. With the 12-team Playoff opening the top postseason opportunities to as many as 20 teams realistically, the political campaign ads that mercilessly ended in early November were replaced by the politicking of college football figures. Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard spent last week taking shots at SMU and other programs over strength of schedule -- a point neglecting that the Cyclones' losses came to unranked Texas Tech and sub-.500 Kansas. Arizona State's thorough dismantling of Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship Game solved that debate at the proverbial ballot box. However, brace yourself for an offseason of recount demands coming out of the SEC. Alabama's exclusion at 9-3, while 11-2 SMU landed the final at-large spot, is sure to play into the same controversy that South Carolina coach Shane Beamer leaned into last week. Beamer told The State (Columbia, S.C.) last week that his program may consider changing its nonconference scheduling in response to its seemingly inevitable Playoff snub. It's an odd position, given South Carolina's three losses all came in-conference, and the Gamecocks' nonleague slate included sub-.500 teams Old Dominion, Akron and FCS Wofford. But then again, how often are political campaign pitches rooted in logic? What Went Wrong: Quantity over quality? A more salient position in Beamer's case for South Carolina is that the Gamecocks scored quality wins during a season-ending, six-game streak. With its Rivalry Week defeat of Clemson, South Carolina added a victory over a Playoff qualifier to complement victories over Texas A&M and Missouri. Alabama, meanwhile, boasts wins over No. 2 overall seed Georgia and that same South Carolina team in contention. SMU's resume might be the most likely to draw ire, given the Mustangs received the last at-large berth. However, SMU beat nine- and eight-win Duke and Louisville, with two losses by a combined six points. Indiana should be the more contentious at-large choice, with the Hoosiers beating only one team that finished above .500: 7-5 Michigan. Indiana's only other matchup with an above-.500 opponent was a 38-15 blowout at Ohio State. That's something Alabama and South Carolina have in common with Indiana, as all three teams lost in routs. Alabama dropped a 24-3 decision late in the season at Oklahoma that presumably doomed the Crimson Tide's chances, while South Carolina lost to Ole Miss 27-3. To that end, there are arguments to be made for and against every team that was on the bubble. No system will ever appease all parties. What Went Wrong: Seeding conundrum Much of the Playoff's very existence flies in the face of college football tradition. One facet of how the field was set that upholds tradition in its own small way is rewarding teams for winning their conferences by reserving the four first-round byes for league champions. When this format was implemented, however, the committee could not have envisioned that two of the top five conference champions would not be ranked in the top 10. Because three-loss Clemson survived a furious SMU comeback in the ACC championship game, and Arizona State caught fire after underwhelming losses to Texas Tech and Cincinnati to win a weak Big 12, the committee was in the unusual position of having to slot a non-power conference champion and double-digit-ranked team in a top-four spot. This first edition of the Playoff seems likely to be the last to use this format, even if this scenario seems like an outlier. --Kyle Kensing, Field Level MediaSpecial counsel moves to abandon election interference and classified documents cases against Trump

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Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Albany teachers and district officials have yet to land a deal on a new contract, as the strike enters its third week. However, there was movement over the key issue of managing class size over the weekend. A Place to Sleep, episode 2: Albany, part II Last week we introduced Dusty Bryant, who police evicted from Albany's designated resting site for homeless individuals. This week, we check in to see what's happening with Dusty. In mediation updates released Sunday night, Nov. 24, by Greater Albany Public Schools, the district’s communications director Becca Mallery said the district had offered teachers a class size fund of $500,000 per year. That's up from their $300,000 offer. That fund could be tapped to staff up classrooms like by adding an educational assistant or hiring another teacher, which the district estimates would cost GAPS around $100,000. The union had previously asked for a $1.5 million fund, though late last week lowered their ask to $500,000 for the first year of any approved contract, while demanding a $1.5 million fund for the second and third years of an agreement. People are also reading... Margaret Atwood OSU event altered over threats Tree farm fiasco has Corvallis homelessness under microscope The real reason Corvallis' Pastega Lights moved to Linn County Commentary: Gulbranson shows he should be starter in thrilling win over Cougars Albany's Joel Dahl pleads guilty to sex crime involving minor Strike over: Benton County, union reach tentative deal Philomath woman suspected in Eugene Airport bomb scare American flag thrown by driver fleeing Benton County deputies Sweet Home man sentenced for crash that injured his daughter Bomb cyclone, flood risk in Benton County this week In trying to flee, suspect accused of driving over Albany police officer OSU women's basketball: Ferreira brings versatility to the Beavers' lineup OSU football: Game notes for the Beavers' win over Washington State Head-on crash on Highway 228 kills 1, injures 2 UPDATED: Feds halt drawdown at Green Peter Reservoir after local cities complain The GAPS bargaining team has also offered lower class size thresholds for its pre-k through eighth grade classes for core subjects like English, math and social studies. The district offered lower thresholds for Title 1 or higher poverty schools in the district. Striking teachers at West Albany High School and Memorial Middle School formed picket lines along Queen Avenue, on Nov. 12. The strike has entered its third week. Those thresholds, when surpassed, would prompt a review process from a school building committee, which would make recommendation on how to address a classroom’s size, with options like hiring additional staff and blending classrooms on the table. Those recommendations would be presented to the district’s Human Resources director, other district officials and the union’s president, who will all ultimately decide how funds are spent. Appeals to their decisions would go before the superintendent and then the school board, which would have the final say. The union has previously requested hard class size caps and has tied the issue of high-class sizes to classroom safety and challenges managing student behavior. In their own statement, the Greater Albany Education Association said “small progress” was made over the weekend, but that the process offered by the district to address class size concerns "restricts teacher voice and choice." No mediation was scheduled for Monday, Nov. 25. While the district’s nearly 9,000 students were scheduled to be off this week for parent-teacher conferences and the Thanksgiving break, conferences were canceled because of the strike. GAPS students will have been out of school for a total of three weeks since Nov. 11, missing nine school days. Albany teachers started their first strike in decades on Nov. 12 , after Veterans Day. Since then, organizations like the Boys & Girls Club of Albany have seen an uptick in demand for their services. According to an update from Albany City Manager Peter Troedsson last Friday, the school closure has also driven demand for Albany Public Library services, with staff creating 93 new accounts since the strike began — 30 of which are youth accounts — and experiencing a doubling in youth program participants. With no deal over the weekend, teachers were back at their picket lines, Monday, Nov. 25. Striking teachers also scheduled community forums Monday evening at the Linn-Benton Community College Calapooia Center at the Albany campus. Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Reporter Author email {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.None

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Saquon Barkley sets Eagles season rushing record and has Dickerson's NFL mark in his sightsIs the world more dangerous than ever for travelers? A global risk expert weighs inThis weekend was expected to be all about the Davis Cup Finals in the tennis world. However, defending champions Italy reaching a second successive final to face the Netherlands is no longer the talk of the town. This is because Andy Murray has agreed to be Novak Djokovic’s coach, sending tennis fans into a frenzy. Once great rivals on the court, they will now be on the same side of the net. This partnership is set to leave a lot of tennis fans excited. Yet, it is something that not many saw coming except for, perhaps, one person. A social media influencer had surprisingly made this prediction months ago. On the 27th of March this year, a user going by the name Sasa Ozmo asked, “So, just for fun, who would you like to see as Novak’s new coach?” Bastien Fachan, an avid tennis enthusiast, was one among the many to respond to the question. He simply wrote, “Andy Murray,” with an eyes emoji alongside it. Little did he know that eight months later, his prediction would come true. An elated Bastien shared a screenshot of the earlier conversation in a new post with the caption, “LMAOOOOOOOO.” It did not take long for the post to go viral, and it’s understandable why! When Murray retired from tennis after the Paris Olympics, he expressed his desire to spend more time with his family in his retirement speech. Keeping that in mind, fans wouldn’t have expected him to return to the sport within three months after hanging up his racket. Either way, a lot of social media users were in disbelief with this prediction coming true. It’s understandable to see the surprise in many users’ comments. Not every day does someone get a wild prediction like this one right! But the real question is when Murray will begin his work at Djokovic’s camp. When will Andy Murray join Novak Djokovic’s team? While no official start date has been mentioned by either party, Murray did indicate in his statement when fans can expect him to start this exciting partnership. Normally, when the season gets over, players head out on vacation to clear their minds and recharge their batteries. The time off might vary from player to player. They will begin the preparation for next season in either mid or late December. Since Murray mentioned in his statement that he will be joining Djokovic during the “preparation period,” fans can expect this partnership to kickstart sometime next month. That said, it’s important to note that Djokovic skipped the Paris Masters and the ATP Tour Finals, ending his season sooner than other top-ranked players. This could indicate that perhaps he might begin preparing for the 2025 season earlier than others.

WOBURN, Mass., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeuroMetrix, Inc. (“NeuroMetrix” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: NURO) today announced it has entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby electroCore, Inc. (“electroCore”) (Nasdaq: ECOR), a commercial stage bioelectronic medicine and wellness company, will acquire NeuroMetrix. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies and is expected to close late in the first quarter of 2025. Under the terms of the merger agreement, a subsidiary of electroCore will merge with NeuroMetrix and NeuroMetrix will become a wholly owned subsidiary of electroCore. The shareholders of NeuroMetrix will be entitled to receive the equivalent of the balance of NeuroMetrix’s net cash at the closing of the transaction, subject to certain adjustments and deductions. Assuming the transaction closes on March 31, 2025, NeuroMetrix estimates that the balance of net cash to be paid to its shareholders, after deduction of, among other things, transaction expenses, severance costs, and accrued liabilities, will be approximately $9M in the aggregate. The final balance of net cash will be determined at the time of closing and will be based on a formula set out in the merger agreement. NeuroMetrix shareholders will also receive one non-tradeable contingent value right (a “CVR”) per share of NeuroMetrix common stock. Each CVR will represent the right to receive (i) certain future net proceeds from any divestiture of the Company’s DPNCheck ® platform that is consummated prior to the closing of the transaction with electroCore and (ii) certain royalties, up to an aggregate maximum of $500,000, on net sales of prescription Quell ® products over the first two years following the closing of the transaction. “This announcement represents the culmination of our strategic review process announced in February 2024, and marks a positive outcome for the Company’s shareholders. Through this transaction, we will efficiently return balance sheet cash to our shareholders while providing potential upside through the CVR,” said Shai N. Gozani, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman and CEO of NeuroMetrix. “A further advantage of this transaction is that we expect patients with chronic pain to have expanded access to our novel and proprietary Quell wearable neuromodulation technology through the commercial channel that electroCore has built. Although the DPNCheck platform is not included in the acquisition, we expect to divest this business such that patients and physicians continue to benefit from its unique and important diagnostic capabilities.” Consummation of the transaction is subject to approval by the shareholders of NeuroMetrix, NeuroMetrix having at least $8 million of net cash at closing, and the filing of NeuroMetrix’s Form 10-K with respect to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, in addition to certain customary closing conditions. About NeuroMetrix NeuroMetrix is a commercial stage healthcare company that develops and commercializes neurotechnology devices to address unmet needs in the chronic pain and diabetes markets. The Company's products are wearable or hand-held medical devices enabled by proprietary consumables and software solutions that include mobile apps, enterprise software and cloud-based systems. The Company has two commercial brands. Quell ® is a wearable neuromodulation platform. DPNCheck ® is a point-of-care screening test for peripheral neuropathy. For more information, visit www.neurometrix.com . About electroCore electroCore is a commercial stage bioelectronic medicine and wellness company dedicated to improving health through its non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (“nVNS”) technology platform. Its focus is the commercialization of medical devices for the management and treatment of certain medical conditions and consumer product offerings utilizing nVNS to promote general wellbeing and human performance in the United States and select overseas markets. Safe Harbor Statement The statements contained in this press release include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include information concerning possible or assumed future results of operations of the Company, the expected completion and timing of the transaction and other information relating to the transaction. Without limiting the foregoing, the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” “forecasts,” “should,” “estimates,” “contemplate,” “future,” “goal,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “projection,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “assuming” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You should read statements that contain these words carefully. They discuss the Company’s future expectations or state other forward-looking information and may involve known and unknown risks over which the Company has no control. While the company believes the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are accurate, there are a number of factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, (i) the risk that the transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the Company’s business and the price of the common stock of the combined company following the merger, (ii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the transaction, including the adoption of the merger agreement by the stockholders of the Company and the receipt of any required regulatory approvals from various governmental entities (including any conditions, limitations or restrictions placed on these approvals) and the risk that one or more governmental entities may deny approval, (iii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement, (iv) the risk that the merger agreement may be terminated in circumstances that require the Company to pay a termination fee; (v) risks regarding the failure to obtain the necessary financing to complete the merger, (vi) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transaction on the Company’s business relationships, operating results and business generally, (vii) risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations, (viii) risks related to diverting management’s attention from the Company’s ongoing business operations, and (ix) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company related to the merger agreement or the transaction. . There can be no assurance that future developments will be those that the company has anticipated. Further risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those matters expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements are described in the company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other documents that may be filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or otherwise made public. The company is providing the information in this press release only as of the date hereof, and expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update the information included in this press release or revise any forward-looking statements. Additional Information and Where to Find It In connection with the transaction, the Company intends to file relevant materials with the SEC, including a proxy statement on Schedule 14A. Promptly after filing its definitive proxy statement with the SEC, the Company will mail the definitive proxy statement and a proxy card to each stockholder entitled to vote at the special meeting relating to the transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ THESE MATERIALS (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION THAT THE COMPANY OR ELECTROCORE WILL FILE WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARTIES AND THE TRANSACTION. The definitive proxy statement, the preliminary proxy statement and other relevant materials in connection with the transaction (when they become available), and any other documents filed by the Company or electroCore with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition, materials filed by the Company may be obtained on the Company’s website neurometrix.com, and materials filed by electroCore may be obtained on electroCore’s website at www.electroCore.com. Participants in the Solicitation The Company and each of its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders with respect to the merger. Information about the Company’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of the Company’s common stock is set forth in the proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on March 27, 2024 and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on March 1, 2024. To the extent that such individual’s holdings of the Company’s common stock have changed since the amounts included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on March 1, 2024, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Information regarding the identity of the potential participants, and their direct or indirect interests in the merger, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the proxy statement and other materials to be filed with SEC in connection with the merger. Source: NeuroMetrix, Inc. Thomas T. Higgins SVP and Chief Financial Officer neurometrix.ir@neurometrix.comSINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 December 2024 – Directors and Officers (D&Os) have been operating in a highly complex environment throughout 2024, and further volatility can be expected during 2025. Executives face multiple exposures in an increasingly interconnected business world, confronted with risks arising from business insolvencies, geopolitical upheaval, climate change, digital transformation, economic uncertainty, shifts in public opinion, and an evolving legal landscape. These are the latest key risk trends in the D&O insurance space, as identified by Allianz Commercial’s annual Directors and Officers Insurance Insights report. “The D&O insurance market has remained competitive for buyers over the past year, but loss potential is still high,” says Vanessa Maxwell, Chief Underwriting Officer, Allianz Commercial. “ The global rise in business insolvencies is a particular focus of concern, with companies and leaders exposed to potential claims from lenders seeking to recover funds, or from shareholders who allege breach of fiduciary duty. At the same time, the litigation landscape and enforcement are increasingly stringent, and we are seeing regulatory bodies across the globe step up scrutiny of corporate conduct, making D&Os more vulnerable to investigations, penalties and lawsuits.” Insolvencies as an emerging D&O risk Global business insolvencies for 2024 are expected to rise by +11%, and countries accounting for more than half of global GDP will be hit by double-digit insolvency increases in 2024, according to Allianz Trade . Major insolvencies already increased by +26% year-on-year for the first three quarters of 2024 (344 cases). Western Europe leads the global count with 195 cases, a reflection of the region’s current economic instability, followed by Asia-Pacific (67 cases) and North America (66 cases). Rising bankruptcies typically lead to an increase in D&O claims, so this trend is a reminder to business leaders of the need to respond and adapt to the challenging environment. “Many companies have faced higher interest expenses, inflationary pressures, and macro- and microeconomic headwinds that have impacted their business and resulted in a struggle to service their debt load,” says Dan Holloway, Head of Global Management Liability Commercial at Allianz Commercial . “Some sectors are particularly exposed, including real estate, construction, hospitality, tourism, and businesses in ‘consumer discretionary’, or non-essential purchases.” Turbulent geopolitical environment and stringent litigation landscape With war in Ukraine and the Middle East, the geopolitical landscape presents liability challenges to businesses as they find themselves caught up in world events with potentially significant consequences for their operations. Upheaval can lead to supply chain disruption, business interruption, and legal and regulatory scrutiny. Companies can face scrutiny for non-compliance with international sanctions, or for failing to adequately manage risks related to politically unstable regions. D&Os can be held accountable for misjudging the impact of geopolitical developments on their company’s operations, leading to shareholder lawsuits or regulatory penalties. At the same time, the litigation landscape and enforcement are increasingly stringent, with securities class actions proliferating not only in the US, but also in Europe (+10% year-on-year) and Australia (+43%) . “D&Os need to update their knowledge around geopolitical and regulatory changes more regularly than ever before,” says Jarrod Schlesinger, Global Head of Financial Lines and Cyber at Allianz Commercial. “A once-a-year review is no longer sufficient in the volatile era businesses are now operating in. These trends are driving the need for D&O policies that are responsive to multi-jurisdictional risks and can provide local coverage for legal defense costs, settlements and other liabilities.” “AI washing” – the new “greenwashing”? The transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) is huge, but it also means companies must adapt quickly to potential exposures around disclosure, regulation, shareholder scrutiny and litigation. AI-related litigation is increasing and exaggerated claims about firms’ technological capabilities – a trend known as “AI washing” – could lead to securities class action lawsuits and enforcement actions. Class action lawsuits have already been filed in the US, but the risk extends beyond North America, as any company that has its stock listed on a US exchange is subject to US securities law. Third-party litigation funding a growing exposure The global litigation funding industry is projected to grow rapidly in the coming years –by almost 10% CAGR up to 2028 – widening access to justice, but also potentially driving up the number of class actions and settlement costs and damages, as also highlighted in Allianz Commercial’s Five Liability Loss Trends To Watch report. And it is not only confined to the US – third-party litigation funding is also established in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, and Australia. “D&Os will face increasing scrutiny from third parties ready to jump on cases and fund them. Claims are likely to become more complex because of funders’ aggressive litigation strategies and the experts they can afford to hire,” says Schlesinger. “Plaintiffs with little to lose financially could be tempted to make baseless claims. Even if the case doesn’t have legs, directors still have to defend it.” Challenges persist in Asia D&O market The price-driven Asia D&O market has experienced a drop in overall premium rates during 2024, due to factors including high competition from an abundance of capacity globally, and challenging economic environments resulting in some clients reducing limits purchased to save costs. “We foresee the overall market size for D&O in 2025 will continue to retract, driven by rate erosion, smaller limits being purchased by customers, and very limited new opportunities given slow capital market activities. Despite this, D&O insurance remains crucial for companies due to the multiple exposures executives face, and as loss potential increases with higher severity for claims being resolved,” says Danielle An, Regional Practice Leader, Management Liability Commercial, Asia, at Allianz Commercial. Hashtag: #Allianz https://commercial.allianz.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/allianz-commercial/ The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Allianz Commercial is the center of expertise and global line of Allianz Group for insuring mid-sized businesses, large enterprises and specialist risks. Among our customers are the world’s largest consumer brands, financial institutions and industry players, the global aviation and shipping industry as well as family-owned and medium enterprises which are the backbone of the economy. We also cover unique risks such as offshore wind parks, infrastructure projects or film productions. Powered by the employees, financial strength , and network of the world’s #1 insurance brand, as ranked by Interbrand , we work together to help our customers prepare for what’s ahead: They trust us to provide a wide range of traditional and alternative risk transfer solutions, outstanding risk consulting and Multinational services, as well as seamless claims handling. The trade name Allianz Commercial brings together the large corporate insurance business of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) and the commercial insurance business of national Allianz Property & Casualty entities serving mid-sized companies. We are present in over 200 countries and territories either through our own teams or the Allianz Group network and partners. In 2023, the integrated business of Allianz Commercial generated more than €18 billion gross premium globally.While 2024 was a year that brought about significant, continued post-pandemic recovery for the travel industry, it was also a period of time marked by instability in some locations around the world. From attacks on the rail lines during the Paris Olympics to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, not to mention the war in Ukraine, the global travel realm in 2024 was fraught with challenges. It is against this backdrop that the international security and medical services provider Global Guardian recently released its 2025 Global Risk Map. Published annually, the map is meant to help travelers better understand the current global risk landscape. In order to develop its guidance, experts at Global Guardian assess a long list of country-specific security risk factors and indicators, including crime, health, natural disasters, infrastructure, political stability, civil unrest and terrorism. For 2025, Global Guardian’s assessment results underscore the reality that disruption globally and domestically continues to increase, and now more than ever travelers need to be prepared when exploring the world. As part of the latest assessment, Global Guardian highlighted a handful of specific global regions that are at particular risk of destabilization over the next year and beyond. Here’s a closer look at those regions, along with insights from Global Guardian CEO Dale Buckner, who recently spoke with TravelPulse at length about the risks travelers may face in 2025. Here are the regions at risk of destabilization in 2025: Israel’s existential battle against Iran is set to continue into 2025, says the Global Guardian report. “In July 2024, Israel assassinated Hamas’ political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) safehouse in Tehran, and Iran has pledged revenge,” the report explains. “This comes as Iran and its web of regional proxies took their war on Israel out of the shadows and into the open following October 7, 2023, with seven live fronts.” Global Guardian also predicts that Israel’s regional war will shift from Gaza to the West Bank and Lebanon in the year ahead, heightening tensions with Hezbollah, while Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean will persist. The report adds that as “we enter 2025, Israel may assess that its strategic window to prevent a nuclear Iran is rapidly closing and choose to act.” The ongoing civil war in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), is also of concern, according to Global Guardian’s risk analysis. The conflict “has created a dire humanitarian situation with ethnically motivated violence on the rise,” says the report. Some of the areas of concern in the Latin American region include Venezuela and Mexico, according to Global Guardian. The risk in Venezuela is tied to the country’s long-standing territorial dispute with neighboring Guyana, says the report. “Since 2019, the U.S. Department of State withdrew all diplomatic personnel from U.S. Embassy Caracas and suspended all operations,” explains Buckner. “Violent crimes, such as homicide, armed robbery, kidnapping, and carjacking, are common in Venezuela. Shortages of gasoline, electricity, water, medicine, and medical supplies continue throughout much of Venezuela. Simply put, Venezuela is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Western travelers and should be avoided.” Related Articles In Mexico, meanwhile, the problems include drug cartel-related violence and theft, among other issues, says the report. Mexico recently inaugurated its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum, and like her predecessors she will face challenges “reining in cartel violence, corruption, extortion, theft and kidnapping,” says the report. “As such, security continues to be a top concern in Mexico’ ” says the report, which categorizes Mexico as “high risk” when it comes to travel for 2025. Countries classified as high risk experience regular conflict, criminal activity or civil unrest — and have not effectively managed those risks. The Global Guardian report also suggests there may be heightened risks in Mexico now that Donald Trump has been reelected U.S. president. “Bilateral relations between the U.S. and Mexico could dramatically deteriorate. Trump has promised a mass deportation operation, which could sour relations between the U.S. and Mexico, increasing risks to businesses operating in Mexico,” the report adds. Asked to comment on Mexico’s high-risk designation, Buckner stressed that the situation in the country is extremely nuanced, adding that it’s a vast oversimplification to call the entire country high risk. “There are pockets of Mexico that are wildly safe and wonderful to visit and people shouldn’t hesitate to go,” Buckner told TravelPulse. “And there are also pockets that are unsafe and dangerous.” The good news, added Buckner, is that Mexico’s new president is focusing a great deal of effort and energy on addressing the problems surrounding drug cartels, which are the source of a great deal of the risk. Buckner was quick to add however, that as long as there’s demand for drugs, the drug cartel situation is likely to remain problematic. “The U.S. is driving the drug demand — we consume more drugs then the rest of the world,” explained Buckner. “It’s really overly simplified to paint Mexico as the bad guy, because if there wasn’t demand, we wouldn’t need the supply. But the demand is real and violence comes with that.” Representatives for Global Nexus, a government and public affairs consultancy that advises travel and tourism companies and interests in Southern Mexico, told TravelPulse that while drug-related violence has been known to occur, it involves members of the drug cartel targeting each other, they’re not targeting tourists. “There is an ongoing battle between small drug vendors who use the beach to sell product to tourists hanging out on the beach,” explained Ruben Olmos, Global Nexus president and CEO, in reference to the Quintana Roo region, which is popular with tourists. “There have been cases where gunfire has been exchanged between these groups. They are targeting themselves. They are fighting over ‘This is my beach’ and they initiate a shootout.” However, added Olmos, that the U.S. State Department’s risk categorization for Quintana Roo (which is separate from the Global Guardian risk assessment) has not changed. Located on the State Department’s Mexico page, the risk assessment for Quintana Roo remains in the “Exercise Increased Caution” category, which is below the top risk categories of “Do Not Travel” and “Reconsider Travel.” The Exercise Increased Caution designation means “Be aware of heightened risks to safety and security,” explains the State Department’s website. Olmos also pointed out that Mexico is the only country that has a map on the U.S. State Department website that covers every single state in the country, providing details for travelers about which states are safest. In June 2024, thousands of young people took to the streets in Kenya to protest a controversial tax bill. The protesters were met with heavy-handed policing, including the use of live fire and mass arrests, says the Global Guardian risk report. Despite the local security response, protests continued. The success and tenacity of the Kenyan movement has triggered similar protests or dissent in other countries including Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, and Nigeria, says Global Guardian. That is just a portion of the risk Global Guardian sees for Sub-Saharan Africa over the course of 2025. “With multiple conflicts escalating across the continent, aging leaders leaving behind unclear successions, and entrenched regimes with dissipating legitimacy, Sub-Saharan Africa now looks much like the North African and Arab world in the early 2010s,” says the report. “While the dynamic unfolding in Africa might not yet merit the label of “African Spring,” a significant change to the continent’s political status quo is coming.” Several countries received an extreme or high-risk designation on the new Global Guardian risk map for 2025, including more than a few that are popular with leisure travelers or tourists. Extreme risk countries are those that Global Guardian says are “actively engaged in conflict, while also experiencing severe criminal activity and civil unrest.These countries are insecure; state institutions are too weak to manage militant groups or large-scale disasters.” They include Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Lebanon, Mali, Niger, Somalia, Ukraine, West Bank, Gaza and Yemen. The current list of high-risk countries, which are countries that experience regular conflict, criminal activity or civil unrest and have not effectively managed those risks, includes Bangladesh, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Libya, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Uganda, Venezuela Officials from the Jamaica Tourist Board provided a statement to TravelPulse in response to Global Guardian’s designation of the country. “Last month, Global Guardian, a private security provider, released its 2025 Global Risk Map, which included Jamaica, amongst other destinations,” said the Tourist Board. “It is important to note that the crime rate against visitors is notably low at 0.01% and the majority of Jamaica’s tourism product remains unaffected.” The country’s tourism officials added that Jamaica has welcomed 3 million visitors this year and boasts a high repeat visitor rate of 42%. “The island is consistently ranked among the top destinations for international travel and visitors continue to come with confidence to enjoy all that Jamaica has to offer,” the statement adds. When it comes to Jamaica, Buckner offered similar comments to those of Mexico, noting that the situation is impacted by drug-related violence and the experience on the ground is nuanced and cannot be painted with a broad brush. “In the same vein as Mexico — Jamaica can be a wonderful place to visit,” says Buckner. “There are pockets of beauty and low crime and as long as you are careful, it’s a very low threat.” Buckner, a retired Army colonel, maintains that the world is indeed a more risky place heading into 2025. The challenges in the Middle East and Ukraine are at the forefront of the instability, but are hardly the only cause for concern. “Israel has now gone to Gaza and cleaned out Hamas, they’re now moving north into Lebanon, and we are convinced Israel will strike Iran,” Buckner said during an interview that took place prior to Israel’s strike on Iran. “If that occurs you are going to see violence across the Middle East.” “But there are over 100 conflicts across the globe,” continues Buckner. When you combine that reality with other challenges the world is currently grappling with, including the destabilizing influences of climate change, there are plenty of risks for travelers to bear in mind when planning a journey for the coming year. He wraps up by offering a few tips for travelers, a check-list of sorts, to work through when planning or considering travel to a specific country in 2025: — If you don’t know who to call or how you are going to negotiate if someone is kidnapped, you shouldn’t go there. — Consumers need to read the fine print on travel insurance because it does not cover war zones, terrorism or natural disasters, says Buckner. And travelers are often surprised and find out too late that these types of events are not covered. — If you get stuck or stranded, if you don’t know who you are going to call to get you out of that situation, know what organizations locally or internationally are available to help you.

PARIS: A teenager whose lies about her teacher are accused of contributing to the educator’s murder by an Islamist radical apologized to his family in a French court on Tuesday. Eight people have been on trial since early November, charged with contributing to the climate of hatred that led to an 18-year-old of Chechen origin beheading teacher Samuel Paty outside Paris in 2020. They include Brahim Chnina, the 52-year-old Moroccan father of the adolescent testifying Tuesday. Then aged 13, the adolescent falsely claimed that Paty had asked Muslim students to leave his classroom before showing caricatures of the prophet Mohammed. She was not in the classroom at the time. “I would like to apologize to the family,” the 17-year-old, who has not been named, told the court. “I destroyed your lives, I am sorry.” Also on trial is Abdelhakim Sefrioui, a 65-year-old French-Moroccan Islamist activist. He and Chnina spread the teenager’s lies on social networks with the aim, according to the prosecution, of “designating a target,” “provoking a feeling of hatred” and “thus preparing several crimes.” Both men have been in pre-trial detention for the past four years. The teenager told the court that she lied to her mother to justify why she had been suspended from school for two days over her behavior and repeated absences. “I was in panic and stress,” she said. “I told her I had been in class and that I wasn’t happy with what went on there and that the teacher excluded me. That we looked at cartoons.” Sefrioui posted a video describing Paty as a “teaching thug.” He also staged an “interview” with the teenager outside the school, whispering to her what to answer. The adolescent dutifully reiterated the falsehoods. “I thought somebody would stop me in my lying, but nobody ever said that I wasn’t in class,” she told the court Tuesday. She stuck to her story even after Paty’s death. Only following her arrest and 30 hours of interrogation did she admit to investigators that she had made it all up. The teenager, whose delivery in court was matter-of-fact, showed emotion only when she talked about her father. “Without my lies, none of us would be here,” she said, sobbing. “I used my father’s naivete and kindness.” She added that “my father says you must always respect teachers,” a remark that prompted an astonished “really?” interjected by the court’s presiding judge. The teenager was sentenced to 18 months of probation in December 2023 after being convicted of slander. Paty had used the Charlie Hebdo magazine as part of an ethics class to discuss free speech laws in France, where blasphemy is legal and cartoons mocking religious figures have a long history. His killing took place just weeks after Charlie Hebdo republished the Prophet Muhammad cartoons. After the magazine used the images in 2015, Islamist gunmen stormed its offices, killing 12 people.By EDDIE PELLS Indiana should be able to breathe easy this week. It has very little chance of making it into the Big Ten championship game. On the other hand, Georgia’s spot in the Southeastern Conference title game is so risky that if the Bulldogs lose they might have been better off sitting it out. Over the next two weeks, the warm familiarity of conference championship games, which began in 1992 thanks to the SEC, could run into the cold reality that comes with the first 12-team College Football Playoff. League title games give the nation’s top contenders a chance to hang a banner and impress the CFP committee, but more than ever, the bragging rights come with the risk of a season-wrecking loss — even with an expanded field. “I just don’t think it’s a quality conversation,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said last week, sticking with the time-honored cliche of looking no further than the next weekend’s opponent. Those who want to have that talk, though, already know where Georgia stands. The Bulldogs (9-2) are ranked sixth in this week’s AP Top 25 and projected somewhere near that in the next set of CFP rankings that come out Nov. 26. They already have two losses and will have to beat No. 3 Texas or No. 20 Texas A&M in the SEC title game on Dec. 7 to avoid a third. How bad would a third loss hurt? The chairman of the selection committee insists that a team making a conference title game shouldn’t count against it. What that really means won’t be known until the games are played and the pairings come out on Dec. 8. “We’re going to let the season play out,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. “But I think teams who make that championship game, the committee looks at them and puts them in high esteem.” All of which could be good news for Indiana in the unlikely event the Hoosiers find themselves playing for the Big Ten title. IU is coming off a flop in its first major test of the season, a 38-15 loss to Ohio State last weekend. After his team’s first loss of the season, coach Curt Cignetti took offense to being asked whether the Hoosiers were still a playoff-caliber team. “Is that a serious question?” he asked. “I’m not even gonna answer that. The answer is so obvious.” What might hurt Indiana, which dropped five spots to No. 10 in the AP poll, would be another drubbing. The Hoosiers would be at least a two-touchdown underdog in a title-game matchup against top-ranked Oregon. The odds of that happening, however, are slim. It would take a Michigan upset over No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday, combined with a Maryland upset over No. 4 Penn State and, of course, an Indiana win over Purdue (1-10). Because this is the first year of the 12-team playoff, there’s no perfect comparison to make. For instance, this is the first time Power Four conference champions are guaranteed a spot in the playoff. But 2017 provides a textbook example of how a team losing its conference title game suffered. That year, Alabama had one loss (to Auburn) and didn’t play in the SEC title game, but made the four-team field ahead of Wisconsin, which was 12-1 after a loss to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. Ohio State didn’t make it either — two losses didn’t get teams into a four-team field. Neither did undefeated UCF. The Nov. 23 results made things a little more clear for the rest of the conferences: • In the Big 12, winning the title game will probably be the only way for Arizona State (9-2), BYU (9-2), Iowa State (9-2), Colorado (8-3) or anyone else to earn a spot in the 12-team playoff. None are ranked higher than 14th in the AP poll. • The Atlantic Coast Conference could get multiple bids. Miami (10-1), SMU (10-1) and Clemson (9-2) all finished in the top 12 of this week’s AP poll. They were cheering the loudest when both Alabama and Ole Miss suffered their third losses of the season. • The Mountain West would be a one-bid conference, but that’s only a sure thing if Boise State wins. A loss by the Broncos could open the CFP for Tulane or Army of the American Athletic. Both the MWC and AAC title games take place at 8 p.m. on Dec. 6. • Where the committee places Alabama and Ole Miss on Nov. 26 will be an indicator of what it thinks of teams with three losses that played very strong schedules. • It could also set the stakes for Georgia, which faces the prospect of loss No. 3 in the Dec. 7 title game, assuming the Bulldogs beat rival Georgia Tech this week. • Clemson has been steadily climbing. Its 34-3 loss to Georgia came on Aug. 31. Is it ancient history to the committee, though? • Indiana’s status as a playoff team — in, out, nervous? — will become apparent. The Ohio State game was Indiana’s first against a top-flight opponent. Then again, it is the Hoosiers’ only loss and their weak Big Ten schedule is not their fault.