Top Democrat's staffer arrested and fired after alarming discovery in his bag Armed man with AR-15 ARRESTED on Capitol Hill By CHARLIE SPIERING, SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, WASHINGTON, DC Published: 21:33 GMT, 2 December 2024 | Updated: 21:57 GMT, 2 December 2024 e-mail 28 shares 2 View comments A staffer for a powerful Democratic member of the House of Representatives on Monday was fired after he was arrested by Capitol police officers after they found gun magazines and rounds of ammunition in his bag. The Capitol Police revealed in a statement that 38-year-old Michael Hopkins was arrested on Monday morning after he put his bag through x-ray screening at the Cannon House Office Building. ‘USCP officers noticed what appeared to be ammunition on the x-ray screen. After a hand search of the bag, officers found four ammunition magazines and eleven rounds of ammunition,’ the statement read. Hopkins is a communications director for New York Rep. Joseph D. Morelle, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee. Hopkins told the officers that he forgot the ammunition was in the bag, but he was still arrested by capitol police for charges of ‘unlawful possession of ammunition’ including one charge for ‘possession of a high-capacity magazine.’ Washington, D.C., has strict gun laws , including a 10-round limit on gun magazines and firearms are banned anywhere on the Capitol premises. 'In response to this morning’s incident, Mr. Hopkins is no longer employed by Representative Morelle’s office effective immediately,' Morelle's chief of staff Jo Stiles told reporters in a statement. Earlier Monday, Morelle’s office said in a statement they would cooperate with the investigation and gathering more information on the details surrounding the arrest. Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y. fired a staffer after he was arrested by Capitol Police for entering the building with gun ammunition in his bag ‘Our office is fully committed to cooperating with the investigation. As Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration, Congressman Morelle is devoted to ensuring a safe and secure workplace for all,’ the statement read. Hopkins did not return a DailyMail.com request for comment. The Committee on House Administration is responsible for House operations and Capitol security. Staffers entering the capitol have been flagged and arrested before for possessing illegal weapons on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC . Capitol Police arrested 38-year-old Michael Hopkins for having ammunition in his bag Michael Hopkins was fired from his communications position in Rep. Joseph D. Morelle's office on Capitol Hill Jeffrey Allsbrooks, a logistics manager at the House Chief Administrative Office, was arrested by Capitol Police in 2021 after he entered the capitol complex with a gun in his bag. Allsbrooks told police he forgot he had the gun in his bag and pleaded not guilty. He was charged with Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Unregistered Ammunition and Possession of a Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device. In 2022, Allsbrooks pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of attempted possession of an unregistered firearm as part of a plea agreement. Capitol Hill police also routinely arrest individuals found on Capitol Hill grounds for the possession of firearms. In November 2023, Capitol Hill police arrested Ahmir Lavon Merrell, 21, for possessing an AR-15 rifle outside the Capitol complex. All weapons are prohibited on Capitol Hill, even if they are legally registered in another state. New York Politics Share or comment on this article: Top Democrat's staffer arrested and fired after alarming discovery in his bag e-mail 28 shares Add comment
The Miami Hurricanes, who once appeared to be a near-lock for the College Football Playoff, are not playing for a national title. Instead, they will play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. That bowl berth against Iowa State is a let-down for fans with dreams of a sixth national title in their minds, as well as players hoping to compete for a championship. However, Miami’s trip to Orlando and the lead-up to it are still crucial periods for the Hurricanes for multiple reasons. First, it’s a chance for the program to achieve something it has not done in more than two decades: win 11 games. Although the 11th win won’t get them closer to a championship, it is a good sign of the program’s progress over Mario Cristobal’s tenure. It would also end UM’s five-game losing streak in bowls. “We’re not satisfied,” Cristobal said. “We want to win every single game. We won 10. We were close on the other two, but close isn’t good enough. We want progress. We’re hungry and driven to get better, and so that’s what our focus is on: to improving as a football program, to getting better, to moving into the postseason with an opportunity against a great football team like this and putting our best on the field.” People are also reading... Berry Tramel: Will Mike Gundy now learn to get along with his bosses? Bill Haisten: There still is no resolution, but a Gundy-OSU divorce seems imminent Court 'bulldozes' tribal law in Tulsa case over jurisdiction, attorney says How did Oklahoma flip Cowboys QB commit less than 48 hours before signing day? Bill Haisten: As OSU regents meet, Mike Gundy’s contract should be a hot topic Berry Tramel: Jackson Arnold shows OU should save its high-end shopping for the portal Deep into Week 2, new names emerge in Tulsa football coaching search 10 potential candidates to replace Kasey Dunn as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State These 11 new restaurants are coming to the Tulsa area soon — and 8 that just opened Cooper Parker secures Bixby's seventh consecutive state title in OT thriller versus Owasso Meet the 2024 Tulsans of the Year: These people worked hard to make Tulsa better Stitt fires Cabinet secretary at odds with governor's stance on poultry lawsuit Final OU football bowl projections before Sooners' postseason destination is revealed Meet Oklahoma's complete 2025 class. 5-star OT commits to Oklahoma Jenks football coach Keith Riggs resigns; DC Adam Gaylor named Trojans head coach There are signs the Hurricanes will show up at close to full strength for the bowl game. Running back Damien Martinez announced he was going to play, and star quarterback Cam Ward said in a video call posted on social media that he intends to play, as well. “We’re trying to win our first bowl game in 20 years,” Ward said in the video, mistaking the length of UM’s long bowl losing streak. “We’re going hard.” Playing in the bowl game also provides the opportunity for the Hurricanes to get in several practices between now and the game. That means Miami can develop its young players and prepare them for next season during both the practices and the bowl game itself. “It’s extremely valuable,” Cristobal said. “You really don’t have many opportunities throughout the course of the year — time is limited more and more each season with your student-athletes. I want to state this and be very clear: it’s very important, it’s ultra-important for the University of Miami to continue to develop and grow and progress by stressing the importance of offseason opportunities ... You learn a lot about your team and learn a lot about your people and your program when you head to the postseason.” Of course, there are potential negatives. Players can get hurt; Mark Fletcher Jr. suffered a foot injury in the Pinstripe Bowl last year that cost him all of spring practice. A poor performance can also potentially set the tone for next season, like how Florida State, fresh off a playoff snub last year, suffered a devastating loss against Georgia in the Orange Bowl and went on to a dismal 2-10 season this year. “This is the ending of ’24 and the beginning of ’25,” Cristobal said. “This is the last opportunity to be on the field and carry some momentum into the offseason. So it is, in essence, it is the most important game because it’s the next game. “There’s a lot of excitement in the form of opportunity for our guys. Our guys love to play football. The chance to play one more time with this special group — this is a special group of guys now. They’ve worked hard to really change the trajectory of the University of Miami, and they want to continue to elevate the status and the culture at the University of Miami. So certainly a ton to play for.” ____One of my top shows of 2024 actually premiered in 2021. That’s because it took a couple of years for the Australian series “The Newsreader” to make its way Stateside. Alas, it was only legal to stream in the U.S. for a handful of weeks in September and then — pffft! — it was gone before most people had even heard of it. Well, I have great news. The show will be available once again, this time via Sundance Now (accessible through the AMC+ streaming platform), which has licensed the first season. Premiering Dec. 19, it stars Anna Torv (“Fringe”) and Sam Reid (“Interview with the Vampire”) as TV reporters in Melbourne, circa 1986. At the outset, Reid’s character exudes big loser energy, which is such an amusing contrast to his work as Lestat. The show is unexpectedly funny and terrifically Machiavellian in its portrayal of small-time office politics, and I’m thrilled audiences in the U.S. will get another shot at watching it. Overall, 2024 offered a modestly better lineup than usual, but I’m not sure it felt that way. Too often the good stuff got drowned out by Hollywood’s pointless and endless pursuit of rebooting intellectual property (no thank you, Apple’s “Presumed Innocent” ) and tendency to stretch a perfectly fine two-hour movie premise into a saggy multi-part series (“Presumed Innocent” again!). There were plenty of shows I liked that didn’t make this year’s list, including ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” and CBS’ “Ghosts” (it’s heartening to see the network sitcom format still thriving in the streaming era), as well as Netflix’s “A Man on the Inside” (Ted Danson’s charisma selling an unlikely premise) and Hulu’s “Interior Chinatown” (a high-concept parody of racial stereotypes and cop show tropes, even if it couldn’t sustain the idea over 10 episodes). Maybe it just felt like we were having more fun this year, with Netflix’s “The Perfect Couple” (Nicole Kidman leading a traditional manor house mystery reinterpreted with an American sensibility) and Hulu’s “Rivals” (the horniest show of 2024, delivered with a wink in the English countryside). I liked what I saw of Showtime’s espionage thriller “The Agency” (although the bulk of episodes were unavailable as of this writing). The deluge of remakes tends to make me cringe, but this year also saw a redo of Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley” on Netflix that was far classier than most of what’s available on the streamer. Starring Andrew Scott, I found it cool to the touch, but the imagery stayed with me. Shot in black and white, it has an indelible visual language courtesy of director of photography Robert Elswit, whether capturing a crisp white business card against the worn grain wood of a bar top, or winding stairways that alternately suggest a yawning void or a trap. As always, if you missed any of these shows when they originally premiered — the aforementioned titles or the Top 10 listed below — they are all available to stream. Top 10 streaming and TV shows of 2024, in alphabetical order: The least cynical reality show on television remains as absorbing as ever in Season 4, thanks to the probing questions and insights from the show’s resident therapist, Dr. Orna Guralnik. Everything is so charged. And yet the show has a soothing effect, predicated on the idea that human behavior (and misery) isn’t mysterious or unchangeable. There’s something so optimistic in that outlook. Whether or not you relate to the people featured on “Couples Therapy” — or even like them as individuals — doesn’t matter as much as Guralnik’s reassuring presence. Created by and starring Diarra Kilpatrick, the eight-episode series defies categorization in all the right ways. Part missing-person mystery, part comedy about a school teacher coming to grips with her impending divorce, and part drama about long-buried secrets, it has tremendous style right from the start — sardonic, knowing and self-deprecating. The answers to the central mystery may not pack a satisfying punch by the end, but the road there is as entertaining and absorbing as they come. We need more shows like this. A comedy created by and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez (of the antic YouTube series “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo”), the show has a sensibility all its own, despite a handful of misinformed people on social media calling it a ripoff of “Abbott Elementary.” There’s room enough in the TV landscape for more than one sitcom with a school setting and “English Teacher” has a wonderfully gimlet-eyed point of view of modern high school life. I’m amused that so much of its musical score is Gen-X coded, because that neither applies to Alvarez (a millennial) nor the fictional students he teaches. So why does the show feature everything from Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” to Exposé’s “Point of No Return”? The ’80s were awash in teen stories and maybe the show is using music from that era to invoke all those tropes in order to better subvert them. It’s a compelling idea! It’s streaming on Hulu and worth checking out if you haven’t already. A one-time tennis phenom accuses her former coach of coercing her into a sexual relationship in this British thriller. The intimacy between a coach and athlete often goes unexplored, in real-life or fictional contexts and that’s what the show interrogates: When does it go over the line? It’s smart, endlessly watchable and the kind of series that would likely find a larger audience were it available on a more popular streamer. There’s real tenderness in this show. Real cruelty, too. It’s a potent combination and the show’s third and strongest season won it an Emmy for best comedy. Jean Smart’s aging comic still looking for industry validation and Hannah Einbinder’s needy Gen-Z writer are trapped in an endless cycle of building trust that inevitably gives way to betrayal. Hollywood in a nutshell! “Hacks” is doing variations on this theme every season, but doing it in interesting ways. Nobody self-sabotages their way to success like these two. I was skeptical about the show when it premiered in 2022 . Vampire stories don’t interest me. And the 1994 movie adaptation starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt wasn’t a persuasive argument to the contrary. But great television is great television and nothing at the moment is better than this show. It was ignored by Emmy voters in its initial outing but let’s hope Season 2 gets the recognition it deserves. Under showrunner Rolin Jones, the adaptation of Anne Rice’s novels is richly written, thrillingly inhabited by its cast and so effortlessly funny with a framing device — the interview of the title — that is thick with intrigue and sly comedy. I wouldn’t categorize the series as horror. It’s not scary. But it is tonally self-assured and richly made, rarely focused on the hunt for dinner but on something far more interesting: The melodrama of vampire existence, with its combination of boredom and lust and tragedy and zingers. Already renewed for Season 3, it has an incredible cast (a thrilling late-career boost for Eric Bogosian) and is well worth catching up with if you haven’t already. It’s been too long since the pleasures of banter fueled a romantic comedy in the spirit of “When Harry Met Sally.” But it’s all over the place in “Nobody Wants This,” one of the best shows on Netflix in recent memory. Renewed for a second season, it stars Kristen Bell as a humorously caustic podcaster and Adam Brody as the cute and emotionally intelligent rabbi she falls for. On the downside, the show has some terrible notions about Jewish women that play into controlling and emasculating stereotypes. You hate to see it in such an otherwise sparkling comedy, because overall Bell and Brody have an easy touch that gives the comedy real buoyancy. I suspect few people saw this three-part series on PBS Masterpiece, but it features a terrific performance by Helena Bonham Carter playing the real-life, longtime British soap star Noele “Nolly” Gordon, who was unceremoniously sacked in 1981. She’s the kind of larger-than-life showbiz figure who is a bit ridiculous, a bit imperious, but also so much fun. The final stretch of her career is brought to life by Carter and this homage — to both the soap she starred in and the way she carried it on her back — is from Russell T. Davies (best known for the “Doctor Who” revival). For U.S. viewers unfamiliar with the show or Gordon, Carter’s performance has the benefit of not competing with a memory as it reanimates a slice of British pop culture history from the analog era. The year is 1600 and a stubborn British seaman piloting a Dutch ship washes ashore in Japan. That’s our entry point to this gorgeously shot story of power games and political maneuvering among feudal enemies. Adapted from James Clavell’s 1975 novel by the married team of Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, it is filled with Emmy-winning performances (for Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada; the series itself also won best drama) and unlike something like HBO’s far clunkier “House of the Dragon,” which tackles similar themes, this feels like the rare show created by, and for, adults. The misfits and losers of Britain’s MI5 counterintelligence agency — collectively known as the slow horses, a sneering nickname that speaks to their perceived uselessness — remain as restless as ever in this adaptation of Mick Herron’s Slough House spy novels. As a series, “Slow Horses” doesn’t offer tightly plotted clockwork spy stories; think too deeply about any of the details and the whole thing threatens to fall apart. But on a scene-by-scene basis, the writing is a winning combination of wry and tension-filled, and the cumulative effect is wonderfully entertaining. Spies have to deal with petty office politics like everyone else! It’s also one of the few shows that has avoided the dreaded one- or two-year delay between seasons, which has become standard on streaming. Instead, it provides the kind of reliability — of its characters but also its storytelling intent — that has become increasingly rare. Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.Morgan Rogers’ fourth goal of the season, an Ollie Watkins penalty and Matty Cash’s finish put Villa 3-0 up after 34 minutes. Mikkel Damsgaard pulled one back for Brentford in the second half but the damage had been done as Villa ended their eight-match winless run in all competitions. Emery was relieved to end the unwanted streak but quickly turned his attention to the next fixture against Southampton on Saturday. “We broke a spell of bad results we were having,” the Villa boss said. “We started the first five or 10 minutes not in control of the game but then progressively we controlled. “Today we achieved those three points and it has given us confidence again but even like that it’s not enough. We have to keep going and think about the next match against Southampton on Saturday. “The message was try to focus on each match, try to forget the table. How we can recover confidence and feel comfortable at home. Today was a fantastic match.” Tyrone Mings returned to the starting line-up in the Premier League for the first time since August 2023. Emery admitted it has been a long road back for the 31-year-old and is pleased to have him back. He added: “Mings played in the Champions league but it’s the first time in the league for a year and three months. “I think he played fantastic – he might be tired tomorrow but will be ready for Saturday again. “It was very, very long, the injury he had. His comeback is fantastic for him and everybody, for the doctor and physio and now he’s training everyday.” Brentford fell to a sixth away defeat from seven games and have picked up only a solitary point on the road this season. They have the best home record in the league, with 19 points from seven matches, but they have the joint worst away record. Bees boss Thomas Frank is confident form will improve on the road. He said: “On numbers we can’t argue we are better at home than away, but on numbers it’s a coincidence. I think two of the seven away games have been bad. “The other games we performed well in big spells. I’m confident at the end of the season we will have some wins away from home.” Frank felt Villa should not have been given a penalty when Ethan Pinnock brought Watkins down. He added: “I want to argue the penalty. I don’t think it is (one). I think Ollie kicked back and hit Ethan, yes there is an arm on the shoulder but threshold and all that – but that’s not the reason we lost.”
Skidding No. 10 Kansas hopes to get right vs. NC StateHegseth nomination sinking fast in the SenateOne of my top shows of 2024 actually premiered in 2021. That’s because it took a couple of years for the Australian series “The Newsreader” to make its way Stateside. Alas, it was only legal to stream in the U.S. for a handful of weeks in September and then — pffft! — it was gone before most people had even heard of it. Well, I have great news. The show will be available once again, this time via Sundance Now (accessible through the AMC+ streaming platform), which has licensed the first season. Premiering Dec. 19, it stars Anna Torv (“Fringe”) and Sam Reid (“Interview with the Vampire”) as TV reporters in Melbourne, circa 1986. At the outset, Reid’s character exudes big loser energy, which is such an amusing contrast to his work as Lestat. The show is unexpectedly funny and terrifically Machiavellian in its portrayal of small-time office politics, and I’m thrilled audiences in the U.S. will get another shot at watching it. Overall, 2024 offered a modestly better lineup than usual, but I’m not sure it felt that way. Too often the good stuff got drowned out by Hollywood’s pointless and endless pursuit of rebooting intellectual property (no thank you, Apple’s “Presumed Innocent” ) and tendency to stretch a perfectly fine two-hour movie premise into a saggy multi-part series (“Presumed Innocent” again!). There were plenty of shows I liked that didn’t make this year’s list, including ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” and CBS’ “Ghosts” (it’s heartening to see the network sitcom format still thriving in the streaming era), as well as Netflix’s “A Man on the Inside” (Ted Danson’s charisma selling an unlikely premise) and Hulu’s “Interior Chinatown” (a high-concept parody of racial stereotypes and cop show tropes, even if it couldn’t sustain the idea over 10 episodes). Maybe it just felt like we were having more fun this year, with Netflix’s “The Perfect Couple” (Nicole Kidman leading a traditional manor house mystery reinterpreted with an American sensibility) and Hulu’s “Rivals” (the horniest show of 2024, delivered with a wink in the English countryside). I liked what I saw of Showtime’s espionage thriller “The Agency” (although the bulk of episodes were unavailable as of this writing). The deluge of remakes tends to make me cringe, but this year also saw a redo of Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley” on Netflix that was far classier than most of what’s available on the streamer. Starring Andrew Scott, I found it cool to the touch, but the imagery stayed with me. Shot in black and white, it has an indelible visual language courtesy of director of photography Robert Elswit, whether capturing a crisp white business card against the worn grain wood of a bar top, or winding stairways that alternately suggest a yawning void or a trap. As always, if you missed any of these shows when they originally premiered — the aforementioned titles or the Top 10 listed below — they are all available to stream. Top 10 streaming and TV shows of 2024, in alphabetical order: The least cynical reality show on television remains as absorbing as ever in Season 4, thanks to the probing questions and insights from the show’s resident therapist, Dr. Orna Guralnik. Everything is so charged. And yet the show has a soothing effect, predicated on the idea that human behavior (and misery) isn’t mysterious or unchangeable. There’s something so optimistic in that outlook. Whether or not you relate to the people featured on “Couples Therapy” — or even like them as individuals — doesn’t matter as much as Guralnik’s reassuring presence. Created by and starring Diarra Kilpatrick, the eight-episode series defies categorization in all the right ways. Part missing-person mystery, part comedy about a school teacher coming to grips with her impending divorce, and part drama about long-buried secrets, it has tremendous style right from the start — sardonic, knowing and self-deprecating. The answers to the central mystery may not pack a satisfying punch by the end, but the road there is as entertaining and absorbing as they come. We need more shows like this. A comedy created by and starring Brian Jordan Alvarez (of the antic YouTube series “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo”), the show has a sensibility all its own, despite a handful of misinformed people on social media calling it a ripoff of “Abbott Elementary.” There’s room enough in the TV landscape for more than one sitcom with a school setting and “English Teacher” has a wonderfully gimlet-eyed point of view of modern high school life. I’m amused that so much of its musical score is Gen-X coded, because that neither applies to Alvarez (a millennial) nor the fictional students he teaches. So why does the show feature everything from Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” to Exposé’s “Point of No Return”? The ’80s were awash in teen stories and maybe the show is using music from that era to invoke all those tropes in order to better subvert them. It’s a compelling idea! It’s streaming on Hulu and worth checking out if you haven’t already. A one-time tennis phenom accuses her former coach of coercing her into a sexual relationship in this British thriller. The intimacy between a coach and athlete often goes unexplored, in real-life or fictional contexts and that’s what the show interrogates: When does it go over the line? It’s smart, endlessly watchable and the kind of series that would likely find a larger audience were it available on a more popular streamer. There’s real tenderness in this show. Real cruelty, too. It’s a potent combination and the show’s third and strongest season won it an Emmy for best comedy. Jean Smart’s aging comic still looking for industry validation and Hannah Einbinder’s needy Gen-Z writer are trapped in an endless cycle of building trust that inevitably gives way to betrayal. Hollywood in a nutshell! “Hacks” is doing variations on this theme every season, but doing it in interesting ways. Nobody self-sabotages their way to success like these two. I was skeptical about the show when it premiered in 2022 . Vampire stories don’t interest me. And the 1994 movie adaptation starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt wasn’t a persuasive argument to the contrary. But great television is great television and nothing at the moment is better than this show. It was ignored by Emmy voters in its initial outing but let’s hope Season 2 gets the recognition it deserves. Under showrunner Rolin Jones, the adaptation of Anne Rice’s novels is richly written, thrillingly inhabited by its cast and so effortlessly funny with a framing device — the interview of the title — that is thick with intrigue and sly comedy. I wouldn’t categorize the series as horror. It’s not scary. But it is tonally self-assured and richly made, rarely focused on the hunt for dinner but on something far more interesting: The melodrama of vampire existence, with its combination of boredom and lust and tragedy and zingers. Already renewed for Season 3, it has an incredible cast (a thrilling late-career boost for Eric Bogosian) and is well worth catching up with if you haven’t already. It’s been too long since the pleasures of banter fueled a romantic comedy in the spirit of “When Harry Met Sally.” But it’s all over the place in “Nobody Wants This,” one of the best shows on Netflix in recent memory. Renewed for a second season, it stars Kristen Bell as a humorously caustic podcaster and Adam Brody as the cute and emotionally intelligent rabbi she falls for. On the downside, the show has some terrible notions about Jewish women that play into controlling and emasculating stereotypes. You hate to see it in such an otherwise sparkling comedy, because overall Bell and Brody have an easy touch that gives the comedy real buoyancy. I suspect few people saw this three-part series on PBS Masterpiece, but it features a terrific performance by Helena Bonham Carter playing the real-life, longtime British soap star Noele “Nolly” Gordon, who was unceremoniously sacked in 1981. She’s the kind of larger-than-life showbiz figure who is a bit ridiculous, a bit imperious, but also so much fun. The final stretch of her career is brought to life by Carter and this homage — to both the soap she starred in and the way she carried it on her back — is from Russell T. Davies (best known for the “Doctor Who” revival). For U.S. viewers unfamiliar with the show or Gordon, Carter’s performance has the benefit of not competing with a memory as it reanimates a slice of British pop culture history from the analog era. The year is 1600 and a stubborn British seaman piloting a Dutch ship washes ashore in Japan. That’s our entry point to this gorgeously shot story of power games and political maneuvering among feudal enemies. Adapted from James Clavell’s 1975 novel by the married team of Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, it is filled with Emmy-winning performances (for Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada; the series itself also won best drama) and unlike something like HBO’s far clunkier “House of the Dragon,” which tackles similar themes, this feels like the rare show created by, and for, adults. The misfits and losers of Britain’s MI5 counterintelligence agency — collectively known as the slow horses, a sneering nickname that speaks to their perceived uselessness — remain as restless as ever in this adaptation of Mick Herron’s Slough House spy novels. As a series, “Slow Horses” doesn’t offer tightly plotted clockwork spy stories; think too deeply about any of the details and the whole thing threatens to fall apart. But on a scene-by-scene basis, the writing is a winning combination of wry and tension-filled, and the cumulative effect is wonderfully entertaining. Spies have to deal with petty office politics like everyone else! It’s also one of the few shows that has avoided the dreaded one- or two-year delay between seasons, which has become standard on streaming. Instead, it provides the kind of reliability — of its characters but also its storytelling intent — that has become increasingly rare. Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.
By DEVNA BOSE and JOHN SEEWER “Wanted” posters with the names and faces of health care executives have been popping up on the streets of New York. Hit lists with images of bullets are circulating online with warnings that industry leaders should be afraid. Related Articles National News | Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds National News | How to protect your communications through encryption National News | Military service academies see drop in reported sexual assaults after alarming surge National News | Unidentified drones spotted flying at locations across NYC, including LaGuardia Airport National News | About 2.6 million Stanley cups recalled after malfunctions caused burns. Is your mug included? The apparent targeted killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the menacing threats that followed have sent a shudder through corporate America and the health care industry in particular, leading to increased security for executives and some workers. In the week since the brazen shooting , health insurers have removed information about their top executives from company websites, canceled in-person meetings with shareholders and advised all employees to work from home temporarily. An internal New York Police Department bulletin warned this week that the online vitriol that followed the shooting could signal an immediate “elevated threat.” Police fear that the Dec. 4 shooting could “inspire a variety of extremists and grievance-driven malicious actors to violence,” according to the bulletin, which was obtained by The Associated Press. “Wanted” posters pasted to parking meters and construction site fences in Manhattan included photos of health care executives and the words “Deny, defend, depose” — similar to a phrase scrawled on bullets found near Thompson’s body and echoing those used by insurance industry critics . Thompson’s wife, Paulette, told NBC News last week that he told her some people had been threatening him and suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage. Investigators believe the shooting suspect, Luigi Mangione , may have been motivated by hostility toward health insurers. They are studying his writings about a previous back injury, and his disdain for corporate America and the U.S. health care system. Mangione’s lawyer has cautioned against prejudging the case. Mangione, 26, has remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday . Manhattan prosecutors are working to bring him to New York to face a murder charge. UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group, said this week it was working with law enforcement to ensure a safe work environment and to reinforce security guidelines and building access policies, a spokesperson said. The company has taken down photos, names and biographies for its top executives from its websites, a spokesperson said. Other organizations, including CVS, the parent company for insurance giant Aetna, have taken similar actions. Government health insurance provider Centene Corp. has announced that its investor day will be held online, rather than in-person as originally planned. Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm, said last week it was temporarily closing its six offices for security reasons and would have its employees work from home. Heightened security measures likely will make health care companies and their leaders more inaccessible to their policyholders, said former Cigna executive Wendell Potter. “And understandably so, with this act of violence. There’s no assurance that this won’t happen again,” said Potter, who’s now an advocate for health care reform. Private security firms and consultants have been in high demand, fielding calls almost immediately after the shooting from companies across a range of industries, including manufacturing and finance. Companies have long faced security risks and grappled with how far to take precautions for high-profile executives. But these recent threats sparked by Thompson’s killing should not be ignored, said Dave Komendat, a former security chief for Boeing who now heads his own risk-management company. “The tone and tenor is different. The social reaction to this tragedy is different. And so I think that people need to take this seriously,” Komendat said. Just over a quarter of the companies in the Fortune 500 reported spending money to protect their CEOs and top executives. Of those, the median payment for personal security doubled over the last three years to just under $100,000. Hours after the shooting, Komendat was on a call with dozens of chief security officers from big corporations, and there have been many similar meetings since, hosted by security groups or law enforcement agencies assessing the threats, he said. “It just takes one person who is motivated by a poster — who may have experienced something in their life through one of these companies that was harmful,” Komendat said. Associated Press reporters Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York and Barbara Ortutay in San Francisco, contributed to this report. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Distraught man tried to get police to shoot him, ultimately leading to shots fired in both directions Distraught man tried to get police to shoot him, ultimately leading to shots fired in both directions Youngkin wants to pull Virginia funding from ‘sanctuary cities’ Youngkin wants to pull Virginia funding from ‘sanctuary cities’ Woman dies, driver injured in James City County crash Woman dies, driver injured in James City County crash Colonial Williamsburg’s Grand Illumination has echoes across the US Colonial Williamsburg's Grand Illumination has echoes across the US Isle of Wight teacher arrested on child porn charges Isle of Wight teacher arrested on child porn charges Wrong-way driver on I-64 arrested, charged with driving under the influence Wrong-way driver on I-64 arrested, charged with driving under the influence Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor The Navy’s fighter pilots fly at the extremes. Their brains may suffer. The Navy’s fighter pilots fly at the extremes. Their brains may suffer. David Teel: Pure genius or desperate folly? UNC welcomes Bill Belichick. David Teel: Pure genius or desperate folly? UNC welcomes Bill Belichick. Former NFL player opens Newport News youth empowerment center Former NFL player opens Newport News youth empowerment center Trending Nationally President Joe Biden commutes sentences for two of Chicago area’s most notorious fraudsters Drone sightings reach Pennsylvania; Monroe County officials ask residents to report them to 911 How pythons and other invasive species may have spread farther in Florida due to hurricanes Snowboarder seriously injured in 47-foot fall from chairlift at Keystone Resort ‘Enron CEO’ Connor Gaydos hit in the face with pie in New York CityChandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday approved the sports department’s plan to enact a new law, The Punjab State (Development & Promotion Of Sports) Act, 2024, to promote sports in the state. Mann claimed that Punjab will be the first state in the country to do so. The CM said that the main objective was to adopt best practices for sports and to ensure the fair selection of players. This, he said, would help in creating a legal framework for transparency in the working of sports associations and ensure fair selection of players who represent their districts at state and national levels. “It would also help in the proper utilisation of govt funds by sports associations. As per the Act, one district association in every district for a particular game will be registered. The Act also stipulates that the maintenance of accounts by a chartered accountant will be mandatory and an annual statement of all expenditure and sources of income shall be published before May 31,” he said. He added that a five-member committee, consisting of a general secretary, two senior coaches, and two eminent sportspersons, will select the team to represent a district or the state. A dispute resolution committee under the deputy commissioner would dispose of the appeal of the players within seven days. A five-member sexual harassment committee at the district level will be notified by the district magistrate, from members of executive committees of all sports associations with three female and two male members. At the state level, a five-member committee will be notified by the administrative secretary of the sports department, he said. We also published the following articles recently Central Revenue Sports and Cultural Board holds sub-zonal sports meet The Central Revenue Sports and Cultural Board's sub-zonal sports meet, hosted by CGST & Customs Zone, Nagpur, recently concluded. Over 400 participants from Maharashtra and Goa competed in various sports, including athletics, chess, and football. The event, held at Nagpur University Sports Complex, was inaugurated by Chief Commissioner KC Johnny and graced by Commonwealth Games medalist Ritesh Anand. KGMUs annual sports meet concludes King George's Medical University (KGMU) concluded its 103rd annual sports event, 'Drona'. Greaty Dawas earned the title of Best Male Athlete, securing four golds in the 200m, 400m, long jump, and javelin, along with a bronze in discus throw. Shraddha Singh clinched the Best Female Athlete title with a remarkable gold medal performance. SDC celebrates Sports Day Spring Dale College's Annual Sports Day, held at KD Singh Babu Stadium, saw Kirit Rathore, DIG PAC Lucknow, inaugurate the event. Rathore, along with Srishti Dhaon of Bhatkhande University and Ajay Sethi, RSO Lucknow, awarded winners. Samriddhi Singh from the Kanpur Road branch clinched the Star Player trophy, while Hope House earned the title of best performer. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .
Vulcan Materials Co. stock falls Monday, underperforms marketTitans coach says WR Treylon Burks recently had surgery to fix partially torn ACL
Australia has one of the highest skin cancer rates globally, with nearly 19,000 Australians diagnosed with invasive melanoma—the most lethal type of skin cancer—each year. While advanced melanoma can be fatal, it is highly treatable when detected early. But Australian clinical practice guidelines and health authorities do not recommend screening for melanoma in the general population. Given our reputation as the skin cancer capital of the world, why isn't there a national screening program? Australia currently screens for breast, cervical and bowel cancer and will begin lung cancer screening in 2025. It turns out the question of whether to screen everyone for melanoma and other skin cancers is complex. Here's why. The current approach On top of the 19,000 invasive melanoma diagnoses each year, around 28,000 people are diagnosed with in-situ melanoma. In-situ melanoma refers to a very early stage melanoma where the cancerous cells are confined to the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis). Instead of a blanket screening program, Australia promotes skin protection, skin awareness and regular skin checks (at least annually) for those at high risk . About 1 in 3 Australian adults have had a clinical skin check within the past year. Why not just do skin checks for everyone? The goal of screening is to find disease early, before symptoms appear, which helps save lives and reduce morbidity. But there are a couple of reasons a national screening program is not yet in place. We need to ask: 1. Does it save lives? Many researchers would argue this is the goal of universal screening. But while universal skin cancer screening would likely lead to more melanoma diagnoses , this might not necessarily save lives. It could result in indolent (slow-growing) cancers being diagnosed that might have never caused harm. This is known as " overdiagnosis ." Screening will pick up some cancers people could have safely lived with, if they didn't know about them. The difficulty is in recognizing which cancers are slow-growing and can be safely left alone. Receiving a diagnosis causes stress and is more likely to lead to additional medical procedures (such as surgeries), which carry their own risks. 2. Is it value for money? Implementing a nationwide screening program involves significant investment and resources. Its value to the health system would need to be calculated, to ensure this is the best use of resources. Narrower targets for better results Instead of screening everyone, targeting high-risk groups has shown better results . This focuses efforts where they're needed most. Risk factors for skin cancer include fair skin, red hair , a history of sunburns, many moles and/or a family history. Research has shown the public would be mostly accepting of a risk-tailored approach to screening for melanoma. There are moves underway to establish a national targeted skin cancer screening program in Australia, with the government recently pledging $10.3 million to help tackle "the most common cancer in our sunburned country, skin cancer" by focusing on those at greater risk. Currently, Australian clinical practice guidelines recommend doctors properly evaluate all patients for their future risk of melanoma. Looking with new technological eyes Technological advances are improving the accuracy of skin cancer diagnosis and risk assessment. For example, researchers are investigating 3D total body skin imaging to monitor changes to spots and moles over time. Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can analyze images of skin lesions, and support doctors' decision-making. Genetic testing can now identify risk markers for more personalized screening . And telehealth has made remote consultations possible, increasing access to specialists, particularly in rural areas. Check yourself—four things to look for Skin cancer can affect all skin types, so it's a good idea to become familiar with your own skin. The Skin Cancer College Australasia has introduced a guide called SCAN your skin , which tells people to look for skin spots or areas that are: 1. sore (scaly, itchy, bleeding, tender) and don't heal within six weeks 2. changing in size, shape, color or texture 3. abnormal for you and look different or feel different, or stand out when compared to your other spots and moles 4. new and have appeared on your skin recently. Any new moles or spots should be checked, especially if you are over 40. If something seems different, make an appointment with your doctor. You can self-assess your melanoma risk online via the Melanoma Institute Australia or QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute . This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .
Every Monday, we'll mine the waiver wire for lesser-rostered performers who have the potential to help fantasy teams in a variety of leagues. We'll also present several strong streaming candidates for the immediate week ahead. It's Not Too Late To Play Fantasy Hockey Create or join a fantasy hockey league on ESPN. New leagues start fresh weekly! Sign up today >> First, a quick fantasy-relevant note about the trade sending Jacob Trouba to Anaheim: The fallout worth discussing about Trouba himself is minimal, considering he's already overwhelmingly rostered in ESPN Fantasy competition. Sure, the former 50-point player is going to see a bump in production with the Ducks (six assists in 24 games with the Rangers), but you either have him on your fantasy team or you don't. I'm more interested in who pairs with the new Duck defender, in light of Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek's post-trade comments: "He plays a more stay-at-home style and with our left side, we have a lot of offensive defensemen. I think they're going to complement each other really well. We haven't really decided who he's going to play with yet. That's a work in progress to see the chemistry, but I feel very confident that whoever we put with him is going to be very good." Young Jackson LaCombe is one such candidate. The second-year skater is already displaying a penchant for pitching in offensively. Tremendously available in ESPN Fantasy leagues, LaCombe is worth monitoring if he indeed ends up partnered with Trouba. Others who stand to benefit from this fresh presence include netminders Lukas Dostal and John Gibson . Trouba is an effective defender and penalty killer. The Ducks' Penalty kill, ninth-worse in the league, will improve. Then there's the veteran blueliner's physical, and often menacing, on-ice presence altogether. At his most imposing, Trouba has the wherewithal to help create a little more space for some scoring forwards out there. Like Troy Terry and, when healthy again, Trevor Zegras . The ex-Ranger is going to play significant minutes. His impact on others will be tangible. Resources: Goalie depth chart | Daily lines | Projections | Play for free | Player rater | Most added/dropped | Mock draft lobby | How to watch on ESPN+ Forwards Teuvo Teravainen , F, Chicago Blackhawks (31.1%): Moving back to the top line with Connor Bedard under new (interim) coach Anders Sorensen, the winger skated nearly 17 minutes and pitched in a power-play assist in Saturday's 4-2 loss to Winnipeg. If anyone, other than Bedard, stands to benefit from the latest "new coach bump" in Chicago, Teravainen appears a realistic contender. Matvei Michkov , F, Philadelphia Flyers (64.0%): Since taking a seat in the press box for two games, the leading Calder candidate has seven goals and eight assists in 13 games. Proving to be the real deal, Michkov should be rostered in all but the very shallowest of ESPN Fantasy leagues. Fantasy hockey essentials • Free agent pickups: Who to add • Weekly trends: Power play, goalie picks • Projections | Goalie depth chart • Rankings | Player rater • High production with few minutes • It's not too late, sign up today! Rickard Rakell , F, Pittsburgh Penguins (44.4%): The Penguins forward is proving himself rather useful as a fantasy performer these days, pitching in four goals -- including a tally with the extra skater -- and two assists in six games. Skating on a top line and power play with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust , the winger is one reason the Penguins have won five of their past six. Pius Suter , F, Vancouver Canucks (4.8%): First, scope out whether Jake DeBrusk is available in your league; the former Bruin is scoring up a storm at present. If unavailable, check on Conor Garland , who's served as a pleasant fantasy surprise since the start of this campaign. Also already rostered? Then turn to Garland's current center. Logging almost 20 minutes/game, Suter has five goals and three assists in his past seven contests. Alex Laferriere , F, Los Angeles Kings (48.6%): Skating with Phillip Danault and Kevin Fiala , Laferriere is zoned right in with three goals and three helpers in six games. With 12 goals and nine assists already, the Sophomore is well on pace for a breakout 60-plus-point season. See also: Nick Schmaltz , F, Utah Hockey Club (48.2%) Jake Neighbours , F, St. Louis Blues (11.1%) Josh Norris , F, Ottawa Senators (59.4%) Defensemen Aaron Ekblad , D, Florida Panthers (39.3%): Since Nov. 16, the former fantasy darling has scored one goal, seven assists, rifled 27 shots on net, and blocked another 18. That all works out to a tidy average of 2.2 fantasy points/outing. Not too shabby. Editor's Picks Fantasy hockey trade advice: Right time to move these three defensemen 6d Sean Allen December schedule hacks: Why you should add Rangers and Ducks to your roster 4d Victoria Matiash Lane Hutson , D, Montreal Canadiens (39.1%): The young Montreal defender has at least one assist in each of his most recent six games, including a pair with the extra skater. He also shoots on net and blocks shots often enough. Partnered with Mike Matheson , Hutson enjoyed almost 24 minutes of ice-time the other night against the Capitals. See also: Marcus Pettersson , D, Pittsburgh Penguins (11.5%) Jared Spurgeon , D, Minnesota Wild (14.2%) Goaltenders Darcy Kuemper , G, Los Angeles Kings (7.5%): The Kings' netminder was superb in his first game back from injury, denying all but one shot against a very good Wild team Saturday. Look for Kuemper to share the net with David Rittich - who himself has played well against everyone except the Sharks this past month - in the foreseeable future. Considering how well L.A. is performing altogether, both goalies merit rostering in deeper ESPN Fantasy leagues. Scott Wedgewood , G, Colorado Avalanche (6.1%): The veteran netminder recorded his first shutout for the Avs, stopping all 25 shots in a decisive 4-0 win over the Devils on Sunday. Before losing to Carolina last week, he was also perfect in relief of Alexandar Georgiev in Buffalo, denying 22 shots in support of Colorado's dramatic comeback 5-4 victory. This keeps up, and we'll see more Wedgewood and less Georgiev in the Avalanche's crease, moving forward. Short-term streamers It's your league. Run it how you want. Choose your league size, customize the scoring and set the rules you want to create the fantasy hockey league you want to play in. Create your custom league for free! New York Rangers : Playing on two "off" nights when most of the league is idle, the Rangers face the Blackhawks, Sabres, Kings, and Blues this week. If you need fantasy help up front and have yet to secure Will Cuylle , now would be the time. A too-dormant-of-late Alexis Lafreniere is also showing signs of breaking out of his recent slump. On the blue line, K'Andre Miller is benefitting from more ice time now that Trouba is California-bound. Dylan Cozens , F, Buffalo Sabres (51.4%): Like the Rangers, the Sabres also compete when most of the league is off Monday and Wednesday, then again Saturday and Sunday. After a quieter stretch in mid-November, Cozens appears back in a rather productive groove. Matthew Knies , F, Toronto Maple Leafs (41.7%): The Maple Leafs play the Devils, Ducks, Red Wings, and Sabres this week. Skating in Toronto's top-six and on the No. 1 power play, Knies appeals with a great deal of present-week potential. Forward Max Pacioretty also might be worth streaming in deeper fantasy leagues - as long as he sticks on a unit with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner . Dylan Holloway , F, St. Louis Blues (57.7%): The Blues forward is sizzling at present, with five goals and four assists in his past six contests. St. Louis faces Vancouver, San Jose, Dallas, and the Rangers this busy week.ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fluence Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLNC) ("Fluence” or the "Company”), a global market leader delivering intelligent energy storage, operational services, and asset optimization software, today announced its intention to offer, subject to market and other conditions, $300.0 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2030 (the "Notes”) in a private offering that is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act”), to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Fluence 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 $45.0 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes. The Notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of Fluence, will accrue interest payable semi-annually in arrears and will mature on June 15, 2030, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. Before March 15, 2030, noteholders will have the right to convert their Notes in certain circumstances and during specified periods. From and after March 15, 2030, noteholders may convert their Notes at any time at their election until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date. Fluence will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of its Class A common stock ("Class A common stock”) or a combination of cash and shares of its Class A common stock, at Fluence's election. The Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part (subject to certain partial redemption limitations), at Fluence's option at any time, and from time to time, on or after December 20, 2027 and on or before the 50th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, but only if (i) the Notes are "freely tradable”, and all accrued and unpaid additional interest, if any, has been paid in full, as of the date of the related redemption notice, and (ii) the last reported sale price per share of Fluence's Class A common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price for a specified period of time. The final terms of the Notes, including the interest rate, initial conversion rate and certain other terms of the Notes, will be determined at the pricing of the offering. If certain events that constitute a "fundamental change” occur, then, subject to a limited exception, noteholders may require Fluence to repurchase their Notes at a cash repurchase price equal to the principal amount of the Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid special interest, if any, to, but excluding, the applicable repurchase date. In connection with the pricing of the Notes, the Company intends to enter into privately negotiated capped call transactions (the "capped call transactions”) with one or more of the initial purchasers and/or their respective affiliates and/or other financial institutions (the "counterparties”). The capped call transactions will cover, subject to customary adjustments, the number of shares of the Company's Class A common stock that will initially underlie the Notes. The Company anticipates that the cap price of the capped call transactions will initially represent a premium over the last reported sale price of the Company's Class A common stock on the pricing date of the offering of the Notes. The capped call transactions are generally expected to offset the potential dilution to the Class A common stock and/or offset any cash payments the Company is required to make in excess of the principal amount of converted Notes, with such offset subject to a cap, as the case may be, as a result of any conversion of the Notes. If the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional Notes, the Company expects to enter into additional capped call transactions with the counterparties. In connection with establishing their initial hedge of these capped call transactions, the Company has been advised that the counterparties (i) may enter into various over-the-counter cash-settled derivative transactions with respect to the Class A common stock and/or purchase the Class A common stock in secondary market transactions concurrently with, or shortly after, the pricing of the Notes; and (ii) may enter into or unwind various over-the-counter derivatives and/or purchase the Class A common stock in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the Notes. These activities could have the effect of increasing or preventing a decline in the price of the Class A common stock concurrently with or following the pricing of the Notes and under certain circumstances, could affect the ability to convert the Notes. In addition, we expect that the counterparties may modify or unwind their hedge positions by entering into or unwinding various derivative transactions and/or purchasing or selling the Class A common stock or other securities of the Company in secondary market transactions following the pricing of the Notes and prior to maturity of the Notes (and are likely to do so (x) during any observation period related to a conversion of the Notes or following any redemption or fundamental change repurchase of the Notes, (y) following any other repurchase of the Notes if the Company unwinds a corresponding portion of the capped call transactions in connection with such repurchase and (z) if the Company otherwise unwinds all or a portion of the capped call transactions). The effect, if any, of these transactions and activities on the market price of the Class A common stock or the Notes will depend in part on market conditions and cannot be ascertained at this time, but any of these activities could adversely affect the value of the Class A common stock and the value of the Notes, and potentially the value of the consideration that a noteholder will receive upon the conversion of the Notes and could affect a noteholder's ability to convert the Notes. Fluence intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from the offering to fund the cost of entering into the capped call transactions. If the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional Notes, Fluence expects to use a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of additional Notes to fund the cost of entering into additional capped call transactions. Fluence intends to transfer the remaining net proceeds of the offering directly to purchase an intercompany subordinated convertible promissory note issued by Fluence Energy, LLC, the proceeds of which Fluence Energy, LLC intends to use for working capital needs, upgrading one of its battery cell production lines from 305 amp hour cells to 530 amp hour cells, and general corporate purposes. The offer and sale of the Notes and any shares of Class A common stock 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 to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Rule 144A under the Securities Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, the Notes or any shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes or any such shares, in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any offers of the Notes will be made only by means of a private offering memorandum. There can be no assurances that the offering of the Notes will be completed as described herein or at all. About Fluence: Fluence Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FLNC) is a global market leader delivering intelligent energy storage and optimization software for renewables and storage. The Company's solutions and operational services are helping to create a more resilient grid and unlock the full potential of renewable portfolios. With gigawatts of projects successfully contracted, deployed and under management across nearly 50 markets, the Company is transforming the way we power our world for a more sustainable future. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, operational performance, anticipated growth and business strategy, future revenue recognition and estimated revenues, future capital expenditures and debt service obligations, projected costs, prospects, plans, and objectives of management for future operations, including, among others, statements regarding expected growth and demand for our energy storage solutions, services, and digital application offerings, relationships with new and existing customers and suppliers, introduction of new energy storage solutions, services, and digital application offerings and adoption of such offerings by customers, assumptions relating to the Company's tax receivable agreement, expectations relating to backlog, pipeline, and contracted backlog, current expectations relating to legal proceedings, and anticipated impact and benefits from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and related domestic content guidelines on us and our customers as well as any other proposed or recently enacted legislation, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you may identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may,” "will,” "should,” "expects,” "plans,” "anticipates,” "could,” "seeks,” "intends,” "targets,” "projects,” "contemplates,” "grows,” "believes,” "estimates,” "predicts,” "potential”, "commits”, or "continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. Accordingly, we caution you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions, and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Among those risks and uncertainties are market conditions and the satisfaction of the closing conditions related to the offering of the Notes and the consummation of the capped calls transactions. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, our relatively limited operating and revenue history as an independent entity and the nascent clean energy industry; anticipated increasing expenses in the future and our ability to maintain prolonged profitability; fluctuations of our order intake and results of operations across fiscal periods; potential difficulties in maintaining manufacturing capacity and establishing expected mass manufacturing capacity in the future; risks relating to delays, disruptions, and quality control problems in our manufacturing operations; risks relating to quality and quantity of components provided by suppliers; risks relating to our status as a relatively low-volume purchaser as well as from supplier concentration and limited supplier capacity; risks relating to operating as a global company with a global supply chain; changes in the cost and availability of raw materials and underlying components; failure by manufacturers, vendors, and suppliers to use ethical business practices and comply with applicable laws and regulations; significant reduction in pricing or order volume or loss of one or more of our significant customers or their inability to perform under their contracts; risks relating to competition for our offerings and our ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers; ability to maintain and enhance our reputation and brand recognition; ability to effectively manage our recent and future growth and expansion of our business and operations; our growth depends in part on the success of our relationships with third parties; ability to attract and retain highly qualified personnel; risks associated with engineering and construction, utility interconnection, commissioning and installation of our energy storage solutions and products, cost overruns, and delays; risks relating to lengthy sales and installation cycle for our energy storage solutions; risks related to defects, errors, vulnerabilities and/or bugs in our products and technology; risks relating to estimation uncertainty related to our product warranties; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; risks related to our current and planned foreign operations; amounts included in our pipeline and contracted backlog may not result in actual revenue or translate into profits; risks related to acquisitions we have made or that we may pursue; events and incidents relating to storage, delivery, installation, operation, maintenance and shutdowns of our products; risks relating to our impacts to our customer relationships due to events and incidents during the project lifecycle of an energy storage solution; actual or threatened health epidemics, pandemics or similar public health threats; ability to obtain financial assurances for our projects; risks relating to whether renewable energy technologies are suitable for widespread adoption or if sufficient demand for our offerings do not develop or takes longer to develop than we anticipate; estimates on size of our total addressable market; barriers arising from current electric utility industry policies and regulations and any subsequent changes; risks relating to the cost of electricity available from alternative sources; macroeconomic uncertainty and market conditions; risk relating to interest rates or a reduction in the availability of tax equity or project debt capital in the global financial markets and corresponding effects on customers' ability to finance energy storage systems and demand for our energy storage solutions; reduction, elimination, or expiration of government incentives or regulations regarding renewable energy; decline in public acceptance of renewable energy, or delay, prevent, or increase in the cost of customer projects; severe weather events; increased attention to ESG matters; restrictions set forth in our current credit agreement and future debt agreements; uncertain ability to raise additional capital to execute on business opportunities; ability to obtain, maintain and enforce proper protection for our intellectual property, including our technology; threat of lawsuits by third parties alleging intellectual property violations; adequate protection for our trademarks and trade names; ability to enforce our intellectual property rights; risks relating to our patent portfolio; ability to effectively protect data integrity of our technology infrastructure and other business systems; use of open-source software; failure to comply with third party license or technology agreements; inability to license rights to use technologies on reasonable terms; risks relating to compromises, interruptions, or shutdowns of our systems; changes in the global trade environment; potential changes in tax laws or regulations; risks relating to environmental, health, and safety laws and potential obligations, liabilities and costs thereunder; failure to comply with data privacy and data security laws, regulations and industry standards; risks relating to potential future legal proceedings, regulatory disputes, and governmental inquiries; risks related to ownership of our Class A common stock; risks related to us being a "controlled company” within the meaning of the NASDAQ rules; risks relating to the terms of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws; risks relating to our relationship with our Founders and Continuing Equity Owners; risks relating to conflicts of interest by our officers and directors due to positions with Continuing Equity Owners; risks related to short-seller activists; we depend on distributions from Fluence Energy, LLC to pay our taxes and expenses and Fluence Energy, LLC's ability to make such distributions may be limited or restricted in certain scenarios; risks arising out of the Tax Receivable Agreement; unanticipated changes in effective tax rates or adverse outcomes resulting from examination of tax returns; risks relating to improper and ineffective internal control over reporting to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley Act; risks relating to changes in accounting principles or their applicability to us; risks relating to estimates or judgments relating to our critical accounting policies; and the factors described under the headings Part I, Item 1A. "Risk Factors” and Item 7. "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024. If one or more events related to these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what we anticipate. Many of the important factors that will determine these results are beyond our ability to control or predict. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. We qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this press release by these cautionary statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and, except as otherwise required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict which will arise. In addition, we cannot assess the impact of each factor on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. CONTACT: Contacts: Analyst Lexington May, Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations +1 713-909-5629 Email: [email protected] Media Email: [email protected]
Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara released a statement Friday slamming the "100% false" media reports that suggested he had thrown his final pass for the Hawkeyes. McNamara has been sidelined since sustaining a concussion during the Oct. 26 win against Northwestern. Backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan has started the last two games for the Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) but is out with an ankle injury for Saturday's game at Maryland (4-6, 1-6). Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said earlier this week that Jackson Stratton will be the likely starter against the Terrapins if McNamara is unavailable. McNamara's cloudy status prompted speculation on a podcast this week that he was "not mentally ready to play." The podcast hosts from the Des Moines Register and The Athletic also suggested that McNamara -- who played three years at Michigan (2020-22) before transferring to Iowa -- is not "fit to play quarterback in the Big Ten right now." "We don't want to bury his career yet, but it does seem like that interception against Northwestern was his last snap as a Hawkeye," Leistikow said. McNamara, who passed for 1,017 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games this season, released a statement updating his current status. "My status is the same as it's always been -- a proud member of this football team," he said. McNamara said he has not yet been cleared to play. He said he was cleared to practice on Sunday but suffered an "adverse reaction" and was unable to practice this week and therefore unable to travel with the team to Maryland. "I have been working with the University of Iowa doctors and trainers, a concussion specialist focused on vision training, as well as engaging in hyperbaric treatments as frequently as possible," McNamara said. "I have every intention to play versus Nebraska next Friday night and I am confident that my teammates will return from Maryland with a win." Including his time with the Wolverines, McNamara has completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 4,703 yards with 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 34 games. --Field Level Media