NY Fed: Consumer Optimism About Household Financial Situation ‘Improved Considerably’Castonguay, Doherty make final eight; World Cup starts SaturdayIt’s been a wild week for investors clawing their way into Databricks’ record-breaking $10 billion fundraising, one of the VCs leading the deal told TechCrunch. “There were calls that went well late into the night, and that’s okay, that’s how good opportunities emerge,” George Mathew, managing director at Insight Partners, described with a grin. Along with new investor Thrive, Joshua Kushner’s firm, Insight was one of the six firms that led the deal. All but Thrive were existing investors. “We worked to make sure that we could be a co-lead, despite being already an investor on the cap table,” Mathew said. Insight first invested in Databricks in 2021. But to get into this enormous deal, Insight had to tap into the Insight Partners Public Equities fund, which was set up to buy public stocks, under managing director John Wolff. There was so much rabid interest that the allocation — and valuation — rose fast. In mid-November, the deal was on track to be around $8 billion, Reuters reported at the time. A few days later, it was $9.5 billion at a $60 billion valuation, and by Tuesday, it had closed at $10 billion with a $62 billion valuation. For perspective, this is bigger than OpenAI’s $6.6 billion raise in October , the largest venture round of all time, “There was so much institutional demand and interest for a generational company,” Mathew said. “I’ve been an investor at Insight for the last four years on all things related to data, AI, ML. This is the thing I live for.” The investment involved a large secondary tender offer, where Databricks employees or other existing investors can sell shares. New preferred shares were issued to the new investor. Databricks didn’t specify how much of the raise was secondary, except to call the $10 billion “non dilutive,” which implies a good chunk. Interestingly, Databricks, founded in 2013, could have been a tragic tale. A decade ago its founders created a technology, Spark, that was key to yesteryear’s “big data” trend. Spark helped enterprises analyze their in-house big data super fast. With the rise of data hosted in the cloud, the company was processing data then handing it over to other players. It could have found itself slowly relegated to an irrelevant big data feature. Databricks cofounder and CEO Ali Ghodsi (pictured) sought out advice from Mathew, who had run big data company Alteryx as COO before becoming a VC. The two had been friends since Databricks’ early days. “Ali called me a few years ago and said, ‘Hey, I’m thinking about going into the data warehousing market.’ And I just said, ‘That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard’. And I could not have been more wrong,” Mathew laughs, adding he’s glad Ghodsi didn’t listen to him, nor hold his bad advice against him. At the time, traditional data warehouse vendors – which store vast amounts of enterprise data used for analytics – were also struggling against the likes of rising cloud stars like Snowflake and products owned by the cloud vendors, like AWS’s Redshift. But, in late 2020 Databricks launched its data warehouse product anyway – Databricks SQL – and quickly became a big Snowflake competitor. Then came LLMs, which are continuously thirsty for high-quality enterprise data. “Where is this high quality data coming from? For the enterprise, it’s going to come from a place like Databricks,” Mathew said. Flash forward to the end of 2024, with an IPO market still locked and investors dying to get a piece of AI infrastructure products, like data warehouses that can serve LLMs. Databricks says that by the end of its fiscal fourth quarter, it will be on a $3 billion revenue run rate, with a $600 million revenue run rate for Databricks SQL, up 150% for the year.
Dec 17 (Reuters) - Companies ranging from finance majors to Silicon Valley behemoths are pledging donations to Donald Trump 's inaugural fund as business leaders rush to ensure a favorable relationship with the U.S. president-elect after his November election win . Trump is set to take office in January and executives are hoping a positive rapport with his administration, such as the one Tesla boss Elon Musk has established , could mean notable benefits for their companies. Below is a list of companies that are contributing funds for Trump's inauguration for his second term in the White House. Uber Technologies (UBER.N) , opens new tab and its CEO Dara Khosrowshahi donated $1 million each, a company spokesperson told Reuters. Amazon (AMZN.O) , opens new tab is donating $1 million . The company will also air the inauguration event on its Prime Video service, an Amazon spokesperson said. Meta Platforms (META.O) , opens new tab has donated $1 million , a company spokesperson told Reuters. CEO Sam Altman is planning to make a personal donation of $1 million to the inaugural fund, an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed. "President Trump will lead our country into the age of AI, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead," Altman said in a statement. Bank of America (BAC.N) , opens new tab , the second-largest U.S. lender, and investment bank Goldman Sachs (GS.N) , opens new tab plan to contribute to Trump's inaugural committees, but have yet to decide on the amount, spokespersons for each bank said. Sign up here. Reporting by Jaspreet Singh, Deborah Sophia and Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
NoneSouth Florida beats San Jose State in 5 OTs at Hawaii BowlFrom Botox jabs to ‘eating poop’ – Kim Kardashian admits there’s nothing she won’t do to look younger
None
AP Business SummaryBrief at 6:26 p.m. EST
Experts' tip for RBA's interest rate decision todayPaul Finebaum wants to keep Indiana out of the College Football Playoff with blowout loss to Ohio State, shows fairly obvious SEC bias | Sporting News
Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• I found a certain amount of irony and hypocrisy in the front-page article in the Christmas Eve edition of the Minnesota Star Tribune, “37 of 40 U.S. death row inmates spared.” I am not here to debate whether the death sentence is a justifiable consequence for criminals who commit horrific crimes. That is a subject of significant ethical, moral and legal debate. What I did find troubling was the statement, “Some pleas also invoked Biden’s Catholic faith.” It is well known that President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion has evolved over time. Early in his career following the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which established a constitutional right to abortion, Biden, a practicing Catholic, expressed reservations. He believed the court’s ruling was too expansive and he supported measures that allowed states to overturn Roe. Fast-forward to his 2020 presidential campaign, Biden fully embraced a pro-choice platform and ensured that there was federal funding for abortion services. In fact, in July 2022 he signed an executive order aimed at safeguarding access to reproductive health care services, including abortion and contraception. So, in essence, he has spared people guilty of serious crimes from the death penalty but continues to support abortion and terminating a pregnancy and an innocent baby before the fetus can survive outside the womb. I don’t believe these actions are congruent in the Catholic religion. Tim Rubash, Apple Valley The DOJ is also culpable I woke up early on Friday, and as one of those people who deliberately avoided cable and network news after the election and is not a user of social media, I decided to read about the House Ethics Committee report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz. And lo and behold, there were multiple letters in the Strib Voices section that day that commented on the report, with all three writers commenting on Rep. Michelle Fischbach’s cowardice in voting to keep the report private ( Readers Write , Dec. 27). After reading about Gaetz’s “exploits” — all seemingly well documented in the report — I came to the conclusion that this cowardice extended to the Department of Justice by refusing to indict this guy back in 2020. After reading the report and its conclusions, it seemed pretty clear to me that charges could have been brought, even notwithstanding the character of the potential witnesses. Aside from the appalling conduct of Gaetz and his “bros,” his behavior in blocking, ignoring and obfuscating the committee was all par for the course in the last eight years. If any readers decide to read the report, my advice is to prepare to take a shower and wash your hands after reading about the disgusting activities it describes. As for Fischbach, don’t think too badly of her. After all, it’s likely any of Minnesota’s other three Republican House members, had they been on the committee, would have also voted not to release the report. Mike Cassidy, Wayzata ••• Gaetz isn’t quite there yet. But if he can get convicted of some financial crimes, bankrupt a few companies and try to overturn a free and fair election, he could become presidential material. Karl Karst, Woodbury ‘Vindicated’ isn’t quite the word Thursday’s 2024 in review article states that Rep. Dean Phillips was vindicated by President Biden ultimately stepping aside from this year’s campaign, with Donald Trump subsequently ascending to the presidency ( “Year was defined by Walz’s VP bid, legislative chaos,” Dec. 26). Aside from the question of however much or little effect Phillips’ efforts actually had on the results of this year’s election, as compared to the achievements of the Trump fog machine and a complicit corporate media, “vindicated” is a narrow and limited word to apply to such substantial results. A more comprehensive and accurate adjective might be “culpable.” Peter Hill, Minnetonka It’s not that serious Editors: What is the purpose of “ ‘We hate them, they hate us’ ” — a really inflammatory headline in the Dec. 27 paper? Is it to encourage some nut case to do some mayhem on either the Vikings or Packers? Football is only a game. We have enough violence in our country and we surely don’t need more. Trash talk like that should never appear in a newspaper like the Star Tribune. Florian Lauer, St. Paul Help us out here We’re feeling more division than ever in our local politics, and I’m writing to suggest the Star Tribune play a bigger role in brokering true objectivity through some kind of weekly “Fact Check” column. It’s going to be especially important as we head toward what could be the most important local elections in the history of Minneapolis next fall. Case in point: the completely different “facts” shared by Mayor Jacob Frey and our Ward 7 representative Katie Cashman in their weekly newsletter updates. The newsletters are generally a great way to stay up-to-date on local happenings — but the versions they each shared about the recent 2025 budget details could not have been more confusing to unpack. The mayor made very convincing points about the unhealthy depletion of rainy day funds, cuts in police-recruiting budgets and other safety programs that have been proven for years. Cashman claimed no cuts were made to MPD policing and safety, and asserted the council’s budget increased that support. Who to believe — especially without time in the day to dig into the nuances of all those claims. But you, the Star Tribune, can do just that — and we need the help! The key to a functioning democracy (do we still have one?) is everyone debating from a core set of actual facts. Hope is all but lost nationally on this topic — but locally, the Strib could be a powerful force for clarity and objectivity as we deal with a radical left steering us closer to a Portland-esque dumpster fire and a real need to get our city back on track. It is likely both sides are cherry-picking, exaggerating or obfuscating important facts we need to understand, so please help shine a less-biased light! Starting with that budget that just passed despite the mayor’s veto — was recruiting for critically needed police recruiting actually cut or not? Did we dive into a critical budget reserve that may be needed should the new federal administration cut us deeply next year? It would help to see a side-by-side comparison by line item of the mayor’s budget and the one the City Council passed, with highlights of the biggest differences. Doug Moore, Minneapolis ••• I have friends and family who get all their information from FOX News. When they share tidbits with me, I wonder if any mainstream media bother to shed daylight on the outrageous commentary. The latest is that President Biden sold Trump’s wall materials — materials Trump would use during his second coming ... the analogy intentional on my part — for pennies on the dollar to spite the president-elect, wasting our tax dollars. The reality is that the sale of those leftover materials was included in the Department of Defense budget prepared by the DOD and approved by Congress in 2023. The sale was not ordered by President Biden. It seems silly that the mainstream media needs to counter this nonsense but somebody has to do it. JoAnn Wright, New Hope
Walmart employees now wearing body cameras in some storesLiverpool beat holders Real Madrid with Aston Villa denied win against Juventus
Wafer Bumping Service Market Analysis By Top Keyplayers - ASE Global, Fujitsu, Amkor Technology, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, Maxell, JCET Group, Unisem Group, Powertech Technology, SFA Semicon, Semi-Pac Inc, ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES, NEPES, TI, Int 11-27-2024 09:06 PM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: Verified Market Report The "Wafer Bumping Service Market" is expected to reach USD xx.x billion by 2031, indicating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of xx.x percent from 2024 to 2031. The market was valued at USD xx.x billion In 2023. Growing Demand and Growth Potential in the Global Wafer Bumping Service Market, 2024-2031 Verified Market Research's most recent report, "Wafer Bumping Service Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2023-2030," provides an in-depth examination of the industry that includes insights into the market analysis. Along with competition and geographical research, the report also covers recent developments in the worldwide industry. The market for cosmetic packaging has been rising dramatically in recent years due to a variety of important factors, including rising product demand, a greater client base, and developments in technology. The market is thoroughly examined in this study, along with its size, trends, factors driving and impeding growth, competitive aspects, and potential for expansion. Download Full PDF Sample Copy of Wafer Bumping Service Report @ https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/download-sample/?rid=227702&utm_source=Openpr&utm_medium=202 Wafer Bumping Service Market business report has been produced with a thorough grasp of the business environment that best fits the client's needs. This market analysis can also help businesses understand sustainability initiatives and financial growth. This report's explanation of market drivers and constraints helps readers understand how many factors might affect how much demand a given product has from consumers. All of the leading companies' and brands' company profiles are included in this market analysis. In-depth research and analysis are used to appropriately elaborate on each area in order to produce an accurate Wafer Bumping Service Market survey report. Who is the largest manufacturers of Wafer Bumping Service Market worldwide? ASE Global Fujitsu Amkor Technology MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions Maxell JCET Group Unisem Group Powertech Technology SFA Semicon Semi-Pac Inc ChipMOS TECHNOLOGIES NEPES TI International Micro Industries Raytek Semiconductor Jiangsu CAS Microelectronics Integration Tianshui Huatian Technology Chipbond LB Semicon KYEC Union Semiconductor (Hefei) Wafer Bumping Service Market Segmentation Analysis Segmentation analysis involves dividing the market into distinct groups based on certain criteria such as type and application. This helps in understanding the market dynamics, targeting specific customer groups, and devising tailored marketing strategies. Wafer Bumping Service Market By Type Copper Pillar Bumping Solder Bumping Gold Bumping Wafer Bumping Service Market By Applications 4&6 Inch 8&12 Inch Get Discount On The Purchase Of This Report @ https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/ask-for-discount/?rid=227702&utm_source=Openpr&utm_medium=202 Detailed TOC of Global Wafer Bumping Service Market Research Report, 2023-2030 1. Introduction of the Wafer Bumping Service Market ►Overview of the Market ►Scope of Report ►Assumptions 2. Executive Summary 3. Research Methodology of Verified Market Reports ►Data Minin ►Validation ►Primary Interview ►List of Data Sources 4. Wafer Bumping Service Market Outlook ►Overview ►Market Dynamics ►Drivers ►Restraints ►Opportunities ►Porters Five Force Model ►Value Chain Analysis 5. Wafer Bumping Service Market, By Product 6. Wafer Bumping Service Market, By Application 7. Wafer Bumping Service Market, By Geography ►North America ►Europe ►Asia Pacific ►Rest of the World 8. Wafer Bumping Service Market Competitive Landscape ►Overview ►Company Market Ranking ►Key Development Strategies 9. Company Profiles 10. Appendix For More Information or Query, Visit @ https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/product/wafer-bumping-service-market/ Contact us: Mr. Edwyne Fernandes US: +1 (650)-781-4080 US Toll-Free: +1 (800)-782-1768 About Us: Verified Market Reports Verified Market Reports is a leading Global Research and Consulting firm servicing over 5000+ global clients. We provide advanced analytical research solutions while offering information-enriched research studies. We also offer insights into strategic and growth analyses and data necessary to achieve corporate goals and critical revenue decisions. Our 250 Analysts and SMEs offer a high level of expertise in data collection and governance using industrial techniques to collect and analyze data on more than 25,000 high-impact and niche markets. Our analysts are trained to combine modern data collection techniques, superior research methodology, expertise, and years of collective experience to produce informative and accurate research. This release was published on openPR.Michael Hiltzik: Black spatulas and mystery drones: Your guide to the unfounded panics of the seasonHeisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders financially are protected against potential injuries in Saturday's Alamo Bowl against BYU, according to Colorado coach Deion Sanders. The coach confirmed Monday that the school has taken out record disability insurance policies for the two players, who are both projected top-five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. "We happen to have two players that are probably gonna be the first two picks of the NFL Draft," Sanders said at a press conference in San Antonio. "And they have received, I think, the highest number of coverage that has ever been covered in college football. ... It far exceeds anyone (who) has ever played this game of college football." High-caliber players such as Sanders and Hunter typically skip non-playoff bowl games rather than risking injury and potential lost income as top draft selections. The No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft is in line for a four-year deal worth about $40 million. A spokesman for Colorado's athletic department confirmed to Front Office Sports that several Buffaloes players are insured for the game, but he did not provide specific costs or benefits. No. 23 Colorado (9-3) meets No. 17 BYU (10-2) at the Alamodome on Saturday. Shedeur Sanders has completed 74.2 percent of his passes this season for 3,926 yards with 35 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Hunter, the team's two-way star, won the Heisman earlier this month. He has 92 receptions for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a wide receiver and four interceptions, 11 passes defensed and 31 tackles as a cornerback. --Field Level MediaTrue Anomaly achieves milestone with Jackal satellite deployment
LIVERPOOL, England (Reuters) -Liverpool came back after conceding early to beat Leicester City 3-1 at Anfield on Thursday and open a seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League. Struggling Leicester took a shock sixth minute lead through Jordan Ayew but lived a charmed life until Cody Gakpo equalised on the stroke of halftime. Liverpool then put Leicester under siege straight from the break and took just four minutes into the second half to go ahead through Curtis Jones before Mohamed Salah made sure of the points with a superb 82nd-minute finish. The victory extended their unbeaten league run to 13 games and advanced Liverpool to 42 points at the top of the standings. They also have a game in hand over second-placed Chelsea, who are on 35, as well as third-placed Nottingham Forest on 34. On a misty night in Liverpool, Leicester silenced the Anfield crowd with their early goal, as Stephy Mavididi’s run down the left culminated in a square cross into the penalty area that found Ayew, who used his strength to see off the challenge of Andy Robertson and then turn to slot home. DESERVED EQUALISER Robertson came close to atoning when his header hit the upright in the 25th minute and a curling left footed shot from Salah struck the crossbar in the 45th minute. Seconds later Gakpo cut in from the left and struck a superb curling effort beyond Leicester goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk for a deserved equaliser. Jones’ goal came after Liverpool moved the ball around in tight spaces before Alexis Mac Allister’s square pass was steered in by the Englishman. There was a lengthy VAR check before the goal was confirmed and a similarly long wait for a check when Gakpo found the net again in the 67th minute. That was eventually ruled offside. Salah’s strike was another classy finish as he marked his 100th home Premier League goal with a characteristic cut inside off the right flank, followed by an expertly placed finish across the face of the goal. Liverpool could have won by a larger margin such was their dominance. Leicester dropped into the relegation zone before kickoff after Wolverhampton Wanderers went above them earlier on Boxing Day after their 2-0 home win over Manchester United. Leicester remained on 14 points after a third successive league loss, two points above second from bottom Ipswich Town. Liverpool are away at West Ham United next on Sunday while Leicester host champions Manchester City the same day. (Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );‘Gavin & Stacey’ star Laura Aikman shares family’s reaction to surprise appearance in the show’s finale
NoneBerlin confirmed plans to reform its legal framework make it a clear criminal offence to “facilitate the smuggling of migrants to the UK” as part of the agreement, the Home Office said. The Home Office said the move would give German prosecutors more tools to tackle the supply and storage of dangerous small boats. Both countries will also commit to exchange information that may help to remove migrant-smuggling content from social media platforms and tackle end-to-end routes of criminal smuggling networks as part of the deal. It comes ahead of the UK and Germany hosting the so-called Calais Group in London, which sees ministers and police from the two countries, alongside France, Belgium and the Netherlands, gather to discuss migration in Europe. Delegates are expected to agree a detailed plan to tackle people-smuggling gangs in 2025 at the meeting on Tuesday. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “For too long organised criminal gangs have been exploiting vulnerable people, undermining border security in the UK and across Europe while putting thousands of lives at risk. “We are clear that this cannot go on. “Germany is already a key partner in our efforts to crack down on migrant smuggling, but there is always more we can do together. “Our new joint action plan with deliver a strengthened partnership with Germany, boosting our respective border security as we work to fix the foundations, and ultimately saving lives.” Nancy Faeser, German federal minister of the interior said: “We are now stepping up our joint action to fight the brutal activities of international smugglers. “This is at the core of our joint action plan that we have agreed in London. “It will help us end the inhumane activities of criminal migrant smuggling organisations. “By cramming people into inflatable boats under threats of violence and sending them across the Channel, these organisations put human lives at risk.” She said that “many of these crimes are planned in Germany” and the deal would help to counter “this unscrupulous business with even more resolve.” “This includes maintaining a high investigative pressure, exchanging information between our security authorities as best as possible, and persistently investigating financial flows to identify the criminals operating behind the scenes,” Ms Faeser said. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the announcement “doesn’t go far enough”. “The British public deserves a serious plan to control our borders and stop criminal gangs,” he said. “The National Crime Agency has said a deterrent is necessary to reduce the number of crossings, yet Labour scrapped the only deterrent before it even got started. “Meanwhile the numbers of illegal immigrants coming here continue to climb, with an 18% increase compared to the same period last year, with more than 20,000 people having made the crossing since the election.”