FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Wesley Celichowski's 22 points helped Air Force defeat Stony Brook 69-61 on Saturday. Celichowski shot 6 of 10 from the field, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 8 for 8 from the line for the Falcons (3-7). Ethan Taylor scored 17 points while going 6 of 11 (3 for 6 from 3-point range) and added eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Caleb Walker shot 6 of 6 from the field and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 14 points. The Seawolves (2-7) were led by CJ Luster II, who recorded 27 points. Stony Brook also got 13 points from Collin O'Connor. Andre Snoddy finished with 11 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Data Skrive. Get local news delivered to your inbox!American Canyon’s Mason Harris is the Times-Herald Athlete of the Week
The five-part series will debut globally on December 10, following elite global players on and off the field as they compete in the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. A trailer for the series titled Polo, executive produced by Harry and Meghan, was released on Thursday, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the “fast-paced and glamorous world of polo”. In a statement, Harry said: “This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. “We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.” It has been produced by the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions, having previously released three documentaries with Netflix as part of a multimillion-pound deal with the streaming giant. Heart Of Invictus, which aired last August, followed a group of service members on their road to the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style sporting competition set up by Harry in 2014 for injured and sick military personnel and veterans. Netflix also released the documentary series Live To Lead and the controversial six-part Harry & Meghan documentary in December 2022. Harry and Meghan moved to the US in 2020 after stepping down from royal duties.By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole, arguing that it was senseless and insulted the families of their victims. Biden said converting their punishments to life imprisonment was consistent with the moratorium imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. “Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” he wrote on his social media site. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!” Presidents historically have no involvement in dictating or recommending the punishments that federal prosecutors seek for defendants in criminal cases, though Trump has long sought more direct control over the Justice Department’s operations. The president-elect wrote that he would direct the department to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated,” but was vague on what specific actions he may take and said they would be in cases of “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.” He highlighted the cases of two men who were on federal death row for slaying a woman and a girl, had admitted to killing more and had their sentences commuted by Biden. Is it a plan in motion or more rhetoric? On the campaign trail, Trump often called for expanding the federal death penalty — including for those who kill police officers, those convicted of drug and human trafficking, and migrants who kill U.S. citizens. “Trump has been fairly consistent in wanting to sort of say that he thinks the death penalty is an important tool and he wants to use it,” said Douglas Berman, an expert on sentencing at Ohio State University’s law school. “But whether practically any of that can happen, either under existing law or other laws, is a heavy lift.” Berman said Trump’s statement at this point seems to be just a response to Biden’s commutation. “I’m inclined to think it’s still in sort of more the rhetoric phase. Just, ‘don’t worry. The new sheriff is coming. I like the death penalty,’” he said. Most Americans have historically supported the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to decades of annual polling by Gallup, but support has declined over the past few decades. About half of Americans were in favor in an October poll, while roughly 7 in 10 Americans backed capital punishment for murderers in 2007. Death row inmates are mostly sentenced by states Before Biden’s commutation, there were 40 federal death row inmates compared with more than 2,000 who have been sentenced to death by states. “The reality is all of these crimes are typically handled by the states,” Berman said. A question is whether the Trump administration would try to take over some state murder cases, such as those related to drug trafficking or smuggling. He could also attempt to take cases from states that have abolished the death penalty. Could rape now be punishable by death? Berman said Trump’s statement, along with some recent actions by states, may present an effort to get the Supreme Court to reconsider a precedent that considers the death penalty disproportionate punishment for rape. “That would literally take decades to unfold. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight,” Berman said. Before one of Trump’s rallies on Aug. 20, his prepared remarks released to the media said he would announce he would ask for the death penalty for child rapists and child traffickers. But Trump never delivered the line. What were the cases highlighted by Trump? One of the men Trump highlighted on Tuesday was ex-Marine Jorge Avila Torrez, who was sentenced to death for killing a sailor in Virginia and later pleaded guilty to the fatal stabbing of an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old girl in a suburban Chicago park several years before. The other man, Thomas Steven Sanders, was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and slaying of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana, days after shooting the girl’s mother in a wildlife park in Arizona. Court records show he admitted to both killings. Some families of victims expressed anger with Biden’s decision, but the president had faced pressure from advocacy groups urging him to make it more difficult for Trump to increase the use of capital punishment for federal inmates. The ACLU and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were some of the groups that applauded the decision. Biden left three federal inmates to face execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Michelle L. Price and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
Swiss Olympic snowboarder Sophie Hediger died in an avalanche on Monday. She was 26. Hediger, who competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics as a member of Switzerland ’s national snowboard cross team, died in an avalanche in the Swiss Alps . The 26-year-old was snowboarding with another person in Arosa, a village in east Switzerland, when they left the slope and were caught in an avalanche, The New York Times reports. Swiss Alpine Club rescuers, search dog specialists, nearby employees and Alpine police all responded in search of Hediger, according to the Times . Two hours later, rescuers found her. Hediger was pronounced dead at the scene after they tried to resuscitate her. “We are stunned and our thoughts are with Sophie’s family, to whom we express our deepest condolences,” Swiss-Ski CEO Walter Reusser said in a statement . “For the Swiss Ski family, the tragic death of Sophie Hediger has cast a dark shadow over the Christmas holidays,” he added. “We are immeasurably sad. We will keep an honorable memory of Sophie,” Reusser added. Hediger grew up in Horgen, Switzerland, and spent much of her time in Arosa, Switzerland. Hediger and fellow Swiss snowboarder Kalle Koblet placed seventh in the mixed team snowboard cross race at the Beijing Olympics. She also placed 19th in the women’s race. In 2023 and 2024, Hediger earned her first two World Cup podium places. She was set to compete at the home World Championships in Engadin, Switzerland, in March. Competing in the event was “one of her sporting dreams,” according to Swiss-Ski. Hediger posted on social media just days before her death, celebrating yet another victory in her sport. “p9 in the first worldcup of the season @cervinoskiparadise - crashed in 1/4-finals...happy about my riding and my best qualification I’ve ever had with p3,” she wrote on Instagram .North Macedonian political party demands ban on TikTok after at least 17 students injuredJubilation. Joy. Relief. Wonder. Pick your word for it — emotions, each and all of them felt by the masses, came pouring out as the clock struck zero inside Memorial Stadium. The Nebraska football program’s long eight-year bowl drought finally came to an end on a 50-degree November afternoon in downtown Lincoln. That achievement is worth celebrating on its own, but the way Nebraska got it done — dominating, rather than eking over the line against an opponent it knows well — made the accomplishment that much sweeter. Nebraska never trailed in a 44-25 win over Wisconsin on Saturday, securing the program’s first bowl game since the 2016 season. The victory also snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Badgers, and the four-game losing skid which NU entered the day with. For a Nebraska (6-5, 3-5 Big Ten) senior class which had never made the postseason before, their level of play on the field matched the seriousness of the opportunity in front of them. Particularly on the offensive side of the ball, improvements from last week’s loss to USC were evident. Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, calling his second game as a member of the Nebraska coaching staff, dialed up a blistering six-play, 55-yard touchdown drive to start the game. A 45-yard kickoff return from freshman Jacory Barney Jr. set Nebraska up on the drive, with junior Heinrich Haarberg scoring the 5-yard run to secure NU’s early 7-0 lead. Having parted ways with its offensive coordinator during the week, Wisconsin, (5-6, 3-5) showed no ill effects from that shakeup as it immediately responded with a scoring drive of its own. Helped by a key missed tackle near midfield, Wisconsin found the end zone on a 4-yard passing score from Braedyn Locke to Bryson Green. After the initial scoring drive, Wisconsin took three of its next four possessions into Nebraska territory but came away with just three points from those chances. A Janiran Bonner fumble deep inside Nebraska territory set up Wisconsin with a prime scoring opportunity, but a three-and-out and delay of game penalty contributed to a 34-yard field goal sailing wide. The Badgers pushed across a 33-yard kick later in the half but also missed a second field goal from 41 yards out, a miss which resulted in a 10-play drive netting zero points. Not all of Nebraska’s first-half drives were perfect — the Huskers punted twice and fumbled once — but when things clicked, Wisconsin could do little to slow down the surging Nebraska offense. Nebraska utilized its quick passing game during its second touchdown drive, with a 27-yard gain from Emmett Johnson on a screen pass quickly being followed by a 21-yard Barney gain on a touch pass in the backfield. Running back Dante Dowdell capped off the eight-play, 80-yard touchdown drive with a 12-yard rushing score in which Jahmal Banks and Nate Boerkircher sealed the edge with a pair of punishing blocks. Nebraska also took advantage of Wisconsin’s field goal miscues by scoring touchdowns immediately following both misses. An efficient drive just prior to the halftime break ended with a toe-tap catch from Banks in the back of the end zone, a 5-yard passing score from Dylan Raiola which extended Nebraska’s lead to 21-10. Taking the ball with just 17 seconds left in the half, Wisconsin could’ve kneeled out the clock but instead opted to give running back Tawee Walker a first down carry. NU’s Nash Hutmacher made Wisconsin regret that decision by jarring the ball loose for a Bager turnover. One completion later and Nebraska brought kicker John Hohl onto the field for a 37-yard try, one he dispatched to give the Huskers a 14-point halftime lead. The 24 first-half points scored by Nebraska marked the team’s second-most all season, and the most since NU’s win over Colorado in September. The Huskers came out firing after the halftime break, too, forcing a Wisconsin three-and-out prior to putting together a scoring drive of its own. While the Nebraska drive stalled out prior to the end zone, a 45-yard Hohl field goal gave the Huskers a three-score advantage, 27-10 in their favor. Unable to trust its kicker in a similar situation, Wisconsin instead opted to keep its offense on the field for a fourth down outside the NU red zone. Walker’s carry up the middle was stuffed by the Blackshirts, resulting in a turnover on downs midway through the third quarter. When Nebraska turned that opportunity into a touchdown of its own, the game just about escaped Wisconsin’s reach. Another well-executed scoring drive, this time a seven-play march down the field which took three-plus minutes, ended in a Dowdell 3-yard touchdown run. As Nebraska’s lead reached 34-10, it marked the most points NU has scored against a Big Ten foe under head coach Matt Rhule. Wisconsin did fire back with a touchdown drive late in the third quarter and another midway through the fourth quarter. A third made field from Hohl helped keep Nebraska’s lead safe to the end, though. Nebraska can take away many positives from its win over Wisconsin, with the all-around performance of Johnson at running back and its much-improved offense taking center stage. Most important of all was the fact that Saturday’s win meant six on the season, a mark Nebraska fans hadn’t celebrated since the 2016 season. That major season milestone now secured, Nebraska’s regular season will come to a close during a Black Friday matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Net sales increased 2% versus last year with comparable sales up 1% Operating margin of 9.3% improved 270 basis points versus last year Market share gains across all brands in the quarter Raises outlook for fiscal 2024 net sales, gross margin and operating income growth SAN FRANCISCO , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gap Inc. GAP , the largest specialty apparel company in the U.S. and a house of iconic brands including Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta, today reported financial results for its third quarter ended November 2, 2024. "I'm proud that Gap Inc. delivered another successful quarter, growing net sales for the 4 th consecutive quarter and gaining market share across all brands while meaningfully expanding operating margin," said President and Chief Executive Officer, Richard Dickson . "Consistent execution of our strategic priorities, including the rigor and repetition we're applying to our brand reinvigoration playbook, is making us a stronger company and demonstrates our continued progress in unlocking Gap Inc.'s full potential." Dickson continued: "Holiday is off to a strong start and we remain focused on executing with excellence in the fourth quarter. Our performance year-to-date gives us the confidence to raise our full year outlook for sales, gross margin and operating income growth." Third Quarter Fiscal 2024 – Financial Results Net sales of $3.8 billion were up 2% compared to last year. Comparable sales were up 1% year-over-year. Due to the 53 rd week in fiscal 2023, in order to maintain consistency, comparable sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 are compared to the 13 weeks ended November 4, 2023 . Store sales decreased 2% compared to last year. The company ended the quarter with 3,603 store locations in about 40 countries, of which 2,544 were company operated. Online sales increased 7% compared to last year and represented 40% of total net sales. Gross margin of 42.7% increased 140 basis points versus last year's gross margin. Merchandise margin increased 90 basis points versus last year primarily driven by improved inventory management. Rent, occupancy, and depreciation (ROD) as a percent of sales leveraged 50 basis points versus last year. Operating expense was $1.3 billion . Operating income was $355 million ; operating margin of 9.3%. The effective tax rate was 24%. Net income of $274 million ; diluted earnings per share of $0.72 . Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Highlights Ended the quarter with cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $2.2 billion , an increase of 64% from the prior year. Year-to-date net cash from operating activities was $870 million . Year-to-date free cash flow , defined as net cash from operating activities less purchases of property and equipment, was $540 million . Ending inventory of $2.33 billion was down 2% compared to last year. Capital expenditures were $330 million . Paid a third quarter dividend of $0.15 per share, totaling $57 million. The company's Board of Directors approved a fourth quarter fiscal 2024 dividend of $0.15 per share. Additional information regarding free cash flow, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is provided at the end of this press release along with a reconciliation of this measure from the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure for the applicable period. Third Quarter Fiscal 2024 – Global Brand Results Comparable Sales Third Quarter 2024 2023 Old Navy — % 1 % Gap 3 % (1) % Banana Republic (1) % (8) % Athleta 5 % (19) % Gap Inc. 1 % (2) % Old Navy: Third quarter net sales of $2.2 billion were up 1% compared to last year. Comparable sales were flat. The brand's continued focus on operational rigor and brand reinvigoration drove solid performance in the quarter, despite lapping tougher compares and facing weather-related headwinds. Gap: Third quarter net sales of $899 million were up 1% compared to last year. Comparable sales were up 3% representing the fourth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales at the brand. Gap's strong product and marketing execution have helped drive continued momentum and consistent results at the brand. Banana Republic: Third quarter net sales of $469 million were up 2% compared to last year. Comparable sales were down 1%. The brand saw strength in its men's business during the quarter and remains focused on fixing the fundamentals. Athleta: Third quarter net sales of $290 million were up 4% compared to last year. Comparable sales were up 5%. As expected, the brand returned to positive comparable sales in the quarter as its new product and marketing are resonating with customers. Fiscal 2024 Outlook As a result of its strong third quarter results, the company is raising its full year outlook for net sales, gross margin and operating income growth compared to prior expectations. Please note that the company's projected full year fiscal 2024 operating income growth below is provided in comparison to its full year fiscal 2023 adjusted operating income, which excludes $93 million in restructuring costs and a $47 million gain on sale of a building. Full Year Fiscal 2024 Current FY24 Outlook Prior FY24 Outlook FY23 Results Net sales Up 1.5% to 2.0% on a 52-week basis Up slightly on a 52-week basis $14.9 billion 1 Gross margin Approximately 220 bps expansion Approximately 200 bps expansion 38.8 % Operating expense Approximately $5.1 billion Approximately $5.1 billion $5.17 billion (adjusted) 2 Operating income Mid to High 60% growth range Mid to High 50% growth range $606 million (adjusted) 3 Effective tax rate Approximately 26.5% Approximately 28% 9.7 % Capital expenditures Approximately $500 million Approximately $500 million $420 million 1 Fiscal year 2023 consisted of 53 weeks and the extra week drove approximately $160 million of incremental sales. 2 Fiscal year 2023 adjusted operating expense of $5.17 billion excludes $89 million in restructuring costs and a $47 million gain on sale. 3 Fiscal year 2023 adjusted operating income of $606 million excludes $93 million in restructuring costs and a $47 million gain on sale. Webcast and Conference Call Information Whitney Notaro , Head of Investor Relations at Gap Inc., will host a conference call to review the company's third quarter fiscal 2024 results beginning at approximately 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time today. Ms. Notaro will be joined by President and Chief Executive Officer, Richard Dickson and Chief Financial Officer, Katrina O'Connell . A live webcast of the conference call and accompanying materials will be available online at investors.gapinc.com . A replay of the webcast will be available at the same location. Non-GAAP Disclosure This press release and related conference call include financial measures that have not been calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and are therefore referred to as non-GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP measures described below are intended to provide investors with additional useful information about the company's financial performance, to enhance the overall understanding of its past performance and future prospects, and to allow for greater transparency with respect to important metrics used by management for financial and operating decision-making. The company presents these non-GAAP financial measures to assist investors in seeing its financial performance from management's view and because it believes they provide an additional tool for investors to use in computing the company's core financial performance over multiple periods with other companies in its industry. Additional information regarding the intended use of non-GAAP measures included in this press release and related conference call is provided in the tables to this press release. The non-GAAP measures included in this press release and related conference call are adjusted operating expense/adjusted SG&A, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted diluted earnings per share, and free cash flow. These non-GAAP measures exclude the impact of certain items that are set forth in the tables to this press release. In addition, the company's outlook includes projected full year fiscal 2024 operating income growth compared to its full year fiscal 2023 adjusted operating income. The non-GAAP measures used by the company should not be considered as a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP and may not be the same as similarly titled measures used by other companies due to possible differences in method and in items or events being adjusted. The company urges investors to review the reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures included in the tables to this press release below, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate its business. The non-GAAP financial measures used by the company have limitations in their usefulness to investors because they have no standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and are not prepared under any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. Forward-Looking Statements This press release and related conference call and accompanying materials contain forward-looking statements within the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than those that are purely historical are forward-looking statements. Words such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," and similar expressions also identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the following: becoming a high performing company; unlocking Gap Inc.'s potential; our four strategic priorities, including maintaining and delivering financial and operational rigor, the reinvigoration of our brands, strengthening our operating platform, and energizing our culture; driving relevance and revenue by executing on our brand reinvigoration playbook; expectations for Old Navy for the holiday season; accelerating Old Navy's presence in the Active category; Old Navy's holiday activations and product; reigniting Gap brand's leadership in trend-right products and creative expression through big ideas and culturally relevant messaging; reestablishing Banana Republic to thrive in the premium lifestyle space; evolving Banana Republic's assortment and fit; continuing to fix the fundamentals at Banana Republic; Banana Republic's holiday product; Athleta's trajectory; Athleta's holiday product; enhancing Athleta's in-store and online experiences; driving high-performance across our teams; executing with excellence; Gap Inc.'s positioning going into the holiday season; expectations for our full year performance; expected year-end inventory levels; expected full year fiscal 2024 net sales; the expected impact of the loss of the 53rd week on full year fiscal 2024 net sales; expected fourth quarter fiscal 2024 net sales; the expected impacts of the loss of the 53rd week and the weekly calendar shift on fourth quarter fiscal 2024 net sales; expected full year fiscal 2024 gross margin; the expected impacts of commodity costs and better inventory management on full year fiscal 2024 gross margin; expected full year fiscal 2024 ROD; expected fourth quarter fiscal 2024 gross margin; the expected impact of the loss of the 53rd week on fourth quarter fiscal 2024 gross margin; expected full year fiscal 2024 SG&A/operating expense; continuing cost discipline and unlocking more efficiencies in the business; expected full year fiscal 2024 operating income; expected full year fiscal 2024 effective tax rate; expected full year fiscal 2024 capital expenditures; generating sustainable, profitable growth and delivering long-term shareholder value; and our dividend policy. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, without limitation, the following risks, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, or reputation: the overall global economic and geopolitical environment, including the ongoing Russia - Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts and recent elections in the United States , and impacts on consumer spending patterns; social and political unrest in our sourcing countries, including Bangladesh , and disruptions to global trade and shipping capacity, including in the Red Sea; the risk that we or our franchisees may be unsuccessful in gauging apparel trends and changing consumer preferences or responding with sufficient lead time; the highly competitive nature of our business in the United States and internationally; the risk that we may be unable to manage our inventory effectively and the resulting impact on our gross margins and sales; the risk that our investments in customer, digital, and omni-channel shopping initiatives may not deliver the results we anticipate; the risk that we fail to maintain, enhance, and protect our brand image and reputation; the risk of loss or theft of assets, including inventory shortage; the risk that we fail to manage key executive succession and retention or continue to attract qualified personnel; reductions in income and cash flow from our credit card arrangement related to our private label and co-branded credit cards; the risk that changes in our business strategy or restructuring our operations may not generate the intended benefits or projected cost savings; the risk that trade matters could increase the cost or reduce the supply of apparel available to us; the risks to our business, including our costs and global supply chain, associated with global sourcing and manufacturing; the risks to our reputation or operations associated with importing merchandise from foreign countries, including failure of our vendors to adhere to our Code of Vendor Conduct; the risk that we or our franchisees may be unsuccessful in identifying, negotiating, and securing new store locations and renewing, modifying, or terminating leases for existing store locations effectively; engaging in or seeking to engage in strategic transactions that are subject to various risks and uncertainties; the risk that our efforts to expand internationally may not be successful; the risk that our franchisees and licensees could impair the value of our brands; the risk of data or other security breaches or vulnerabilities that may result in increased costs, violations of law, significant legal and financial exposure, and a loss of confidence in our security measures; the risk that failures of, or updates or changes to, our IT systems may disrupt our operations; the risk that our comparable sales and margins may experience fluctuations, that we may fail to meet financial market expectations, or that the seasonality of our business may experience fluctuations; the risk of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; the risk that our level of indebtedness may impact our ability to operate and expand our business; the risk that we and our subsidiaries may be unable to meet our obligations under our indebtedness agreements; the risk that changes in our credit profile or deterioration in market conditions may limit our access to the capital markets; natural disasters, public health crises (such as pandemics and epidemics), political crises (such as the ongoing Russia - Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts), negative global climate patterns, or other catastrophic events; evolving regulations and expectations with respect to ESG matters, including climate reporting; the adverse effects of climate change on our operations and those of our franchisees, vendors, and other business partners; our failure to comply with applicable laws and regulations and changes in the regulatory or administrative landscape; the risk that we will not be successful in defending various proceedings, lawsuits, disputes, and claims; the risk that our estimates and assumptions used when preparing our financial information are inaccurate or may change; the risk that changes in the geographic mix and level of income or losses, the expected or actual outcome of audits, changes in deferred tax valuation allowances, and new legislation could impact our effective tax rate, or that we may be required to pay amounts in excess of established tax liabilities; the risk that changes in our business structure, our performance or our industry could result in reductions in our pre-tax income or utilization of existing tax carryforwards in future periods, and require additional deferred tax valuation allowances; the risk that the adoption of new accounting pronouncements will impact future results; and the risk that additional information may arise during our close process or as a result of subsequent events that would require us to make adjustments to our financial information. Additional information regarding factors that could cause results to differ can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 19, 2024 , as well as our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on information as of November 21, 2024 . We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise our forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes make it clear that any projected results expressed or implied therein will not be realized. About Gap Inc. Gap Inc., a house of iconic brands, is the largest specialty apparel company in America. Its Old Navy , Gap , Banana Republic , and Athleta brands offer clothing, accessories, and lifestyle products for men, women and children. Since 1969, Gap Inc. has created products and experiences that shape culture, while doing right by employees, communities and the planet. Gap Inc. products are available worldwide through company-operated stores, franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. Fiscal year 2023 net sales were $14.9 billion . For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com . Investor Relations Contact: Nina Bari Investor_relations@gap.com Media Relations Contact: Megan Foote Press@gap.com The Gap, Inc. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS UNAUDITED ($ in millions) November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,969 $ 1,351 Short-term investments 250 — Merchandise inventory 2,331 2,377 Other current assets 580 646 Total current assets 5,130 4,374 Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation 2,546 2,552 Operating lease assets 3,217 3,200 Other long-term assets 960 926 Total assets $ 11,853 $ 11,052 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 1,523 $ 1,433 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 1,135 1,078 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 617 604 Income taxes payable 50 24 Total current liabilities 3,325 3,139 Long-term liabilities: Long-term debt 1,489 1,488 Long-term operating lease liabilities 3,360 3,456 Other long-term liabilities 544 509 Total long-term liabilities 5,393 5,453 Total stockholders' equity 3,135 2,460 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 11,853 $ 11,052 The Gap, Inc. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS UNAUDITED 13 Weeks Ended 39 Weeks Ended ($ and shares in millions except per share amounts) November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 Net sales $ 3,829 $ 3,767 $ 10,937 $ 10,591 Cost of goods sold and occupancy expenses 2,194 2,211 6,322 6,488 Gross profit 1,635 1,556 4,615 4,103 Operating expenses 1,280 1,306 3,762 3,757 Operating income 355 250 853 346 Interest, net (6) — (12) 8 Income before income taxes 361 250 865 338 Income tax expense 87 32 227 21 Net income $ 274 $ 218 $ 638 $ 317 Weighted-average number of shares - basic 377 371 376 369 Weighted-average number of shares - diluted 383 375 383 373 Earnings per share - basic $ 0.73 $ 0.59 $ 1.70 $ 0.86 Earnings per share - diluted $ 0.72 $ 0.58 $ 1.67 $ 0.85 The Gap, Inc. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS UNAUDITED 39 Weeks Ended ($ in millions) November 2, 2024 (a) October 28, 2023 (a) Cash flows from operating activities: Net income $ 638 $ 317 Depreciation and amortization 371 394 Gain on sale of building — (47) Change in merchandise inventory (344) (5) Change in accounts payable 156 133 Other, net 49 40 Net cash provided by operating activities 870 832 Cash flows from investing activities: Purchases of property and equipment (330) (288) Net proceeds from sale of building — 76 Purchases of short-term investments (343) — Proceeds from sales and maturities of short-term investments 97 — Net proceeds from divestiture activity, net of cash paid — 9 Net cash used for investing activities (576) (203) Cash flows from financing activities: Repayments of revolving credit facility — (350) Proceeds from issuances under share-based compensation plans 27 18 Withholding tax payments related to vesting of stock units (48) (16) Cash dividends paid (169) (166) Other (3) (2) Net cash used for financing activities (193) (516) Effect of foreign exchange rate fluctuations on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash (4) (7) Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 97 106 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period 1,901 1,273 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 1,998 $ 1,379 ____________________ (a) For the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2024 and October 28, 2023, total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash includes $29 million and $28 million, respectively, of restricted cash recorded within other long-term assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Gap, Inc. NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES UNAUDITED FREE CASH FLOW Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure. We believe free cash flow is an important metric because it represents a measure of how much cash a company has available for discretionary and non-discretionary items after the deduction of capital expenditures. We require regular capital expenditures including technology improvements as well as building and maintaining our stores and distribution centers. We use this metric internally, as we believe our sustained ability to generate free cash flow is an important driver of value creation. However, this non-GAAP financial measure is not intended to supersede or replace our GAAP results. 39 Weeks Ended ($ in millions) November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 870 $ 832 Less: Purchases of property and equipment (330) (288) Free cash flow $ 540 $ 544 The Gap, Inc. NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES UNAUDITED ADJUSTED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS METRICS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 2023 The following adjusted statement of operations metrics are non-GAAP financial measures. These measures are provided to enhance visibility into the Company's underlying results for the period excluding the impact of restructuring costs. Management believes the adjusted metrics are useful for the assessment of ongoing operations as we believe the adjusted items are not indicative of our ongoing operations, and provide additional information to investors to facilitate the comparison of results, on an annualized basis, against past and future years. However, these non-GAAP financial measures are not intended to supersede or replace the GAAP measures. Operating Expenses Operating Expenses as a % of Net Sales (b) Operating Income Operating Margin (b) Income Tax Expense Net Income Earnings per Share - Diluted ($ in millions) 13 Weeks Ended October 28, 2023 GAAP metrics, as reported $ 1,306 34.7 % $ 250 6.6 % $ 32 $ 218 $ 0.58 Adjustments for: Restructuring costs (a) (5) (0.1) % 5 0.1 % 2 3 0.01 Non-GAAP metrics $ 1,301 34.5 % $ 255 6.8 % $ 34 $ 221 $ 0.59 ____________________ (a) Primarily represents consulting and other associated costs related to our previously announced actions to further simplify and optimize our operating model and structure. (b) Metrics were computed individually for each line item; therefore, the sum of the individual lines may not equal the total. The Gap, Inc. NET SALES RESULTS UNAUDITED The following table details the Company's third quarter fiscal year 2024 and 2023 net sales (unaudited): ($ in millions) Old Navy Global Gap Global Banana Republic Global Athleta Global Other (2) Total 13 Weeks Ended November 2, 2024 U.S. (1) $ 1,949 $ 683 $ 406 $ 281 $ 21 $ 3,340 Canada 190 95 43 9 — 337 Other regions 11 121 20 — — 152 Total $ 2,150 $ 899 $ 469 $ 290 $ 21 $ 3,829 ($ in millions) Old Navy Global Gap Global Banana Republic Global Athleta Global Other (2) Total 13 Weeks Ended October 28, 2023 U.S. (1) $ 1,917 $ 664 $ 398 $ 267 $ 15 $ 3,261 Canada 193 96 42 10 — 341 Other regions 16 127 20 2 — 165 Total $ 2,126 $ 887 $ 460 $ 279 $ 15 $ 3,767 ____________________ (1) U.S. includes the United States and Puerto Rico. (2) Primarily consists of net sales from revenue-generating strategic initiatives. The Gap, Inc. REAL ESTATE Store count, openings, closings, and square footage for our stores are as follows: February 3, 2024 39 Weeks Ended November 2, 2024 November 2, 2024 Number of Store Locations Number of Stores Opened Number of Stores Closed Number of Store Locations Square Footage (in millions) Old Navy North America 1,243 19 7 1,255 19.9 Gap North America 472 3 14 461 4.9 Gap Asia 134 — 9 125 1.1 Banana Republic North America 400 3 10 393 3.3 Banana Republic Asia 43 2 5 40 0.1 Athleta North America 270 2 2 270 1.1 Company-operated stores total 2,562 29 47 2,544 30.4 Franchise 998 121 60 1,059 N/A Total 3,560 150 107 3,603 30.4 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gap-inc-reports-third-quarter-fiscal-2024-results-raises-full-year-outlook-302313560.html SOURCE Gap Inc. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — There's more than just school pride and bragging rights to all that bellyaching over who might be in and who might be out of college football 's first 12-team playoff. Try the more than $115 million that will be spread across the conferences at the end of the season, all depending on who gets in and which teams go the farthest. According to the College Football Playoff website , the 12 teams simply making the bracket earn their conferences $4 million each. Another $4 million goes to conferences whose teams get into the quarterfinals. Then, there's $6 million more for teams that make the semifinals and another $6 million for those who play for the title. Most of this bonanza comes courtesy of ESPN, which is forking over $1.3 billion a year to televise the new postseason. A lot of that money is already earmarked — more goes to the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference than the Big 12 or Atlantic Coast — but a lot is up for grabs in the 11 games that will play out between the opening round on Dec. 20 and the final on Jan. 20. In all, the teams that make the title game will bring $20 million to their conferences, all of which distribute that money, along with billions in TV revenue and other sources, in different ways. In fiscal 2022-23, the Big Ten, for instance, reported revenue of nearly $880 million and distributed about $60.5 million to most of its members. The massive stakes might help explain the unabashed lobbying coming from some corners of the football world, as the tension grows in advance of Sunday's final rankings, which will set the bracket. Earlier this week, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark lit into the selection committee, which doesn't have a single team higher than 15 in the rankings. That does two things: It positions the Big 12 as a one-bid league, and also threatens to makes its champion — either Arizona State or Iowa State — the fifth-best among conference titlists that get automatic bids. Only the top four of those get byes, which could cost the Big 12 a spot in the quarterfinals — or $4 million. “The committee continues to show time and time again that they are paying attention to logos versus resumes,” Yormark said this week, while slamming the idea of teams with two losses in his conference being ranked worse than teams with three in the SEC. The ACC is also staring at a one-bid season with only No. 8 SMU inside the cut line of this week's projected bracket. Miami's loss last week all but bumped the Hurricanes out of the playoffs, a snub that ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said left him “incredibly shocked and disappointed." “As we look ahead to the final rankings, we hope the committee will reconsider and put a deserving Miami in the field," Phillips said in a statement. The lobbying and bickering filters down to the campuses that feel the impact. And, of course, to social media. One of the most entertaining episodes came earlier this week when athletic directors at Iowa State and SMU went back and forth about whose team was more deserving. There are a few stray millions that the selection committee cannot really influence, including a $3 million payment to conferences that make the playoff. In a reminder that all these kids are going to school, after all, the conferences get $300,000 per football team that meets academic requirements to participate in the postseason. (That's basically everyone). Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballThe stage belonged to Lindsey Vonn, the 40-year-old who took another step on her comeback trail Saturday with her first races in nearly six years. Vonn wasn't particularly speedy and finished in the middle of the pack on a cold but sunny day at Copper Mountain. Times and places weren't the mission, though, as much as getting used to the speed again and gaining the necessary points to compete on the World Cup circuit this season. Vonn accomplished both, finishing 24th in the first downhill race of the day and 27th in the second. She posted on social media after the FIS races that she had enough points to enter World Cup events. The timing couldn't be more perfect — the next stop on the women's circuit is Beaver Creek, Colorado, in a week. Vonn, who used to own a home in nearby Vail, hasn't committed to any sort of timetable for a World Cup return. “Today was a solid start and I had a blast being in start with my teammates again!” Vonn wrote on X. “While I’m sure people will speculate and say I’m not in top form because of the results, I disagree. This was training for me. I’m still testing equipment and getting back in the groove.” Her competition — a veritable who's who of high-profile ski racers — applauded her efforts. “I don't expect her to come back and win — just that she comes back and she has fun,” said Federica Brignone of Italy, a former overall World Cup champion and three-time Olympic medalist. “She's having fun, and she’s doing what she loves. That’s the best thing that she could do.” In the first race on a frigid morning, Vonn wound up 1.44 seconds behind the winning time of 1 minute, 5.79 seconds posted by Mirjam Puchner of Austria. In her second race through the course later in the morning, Vonn was 1.53 seconds behind Cornelia Huetter of Austria, who finished in 1:05.99. Huetter is the reigning season-long World Cup downhill champion. “It’s really nice to compare with her again, and nice to have her (racing) again,” Huetter said. “For sure, for the skiing World Cup, we have a lot of more attention. It's generally good for all racers because everyone is looking.” Also in the field were Nadia Delago of Italy, who won a bronze medal in downhill at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and Puchner, the Olympic silver winner in super-G in Beijing. In addition, there was Marta Bassino of Italy, a winner of the super-G at the 2023 world championships, and two-time Olympic champion Michelle Gisin of Switzerland. “For me, it was really a training, but it was fun to have a World Cup race level right here,” Gisin said. “It was a crazy race.” Vonn remains a popular figure and took the time after each run to sign autographs for young fans along with posing for photos. When she left the sport, Vonn had 82 World Cup race victories, which stood as the record for a woman and within reach of the all-time Alpine record of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s mark held by Vonn was surpassed in January 2023 by Mikaela Shiffrin, who now has 99 wins — more than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport. Shiffrin is currently sidelined after a crash in a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, last weekend. Vonn’s last major race was in February 2019, when she finished third in a downhill during the world championships in Sweden. The three-time Olympic medalist left the circuit still near the top of her game. But all the broken arms and legs, concussions and torn knee ligaments took too big a toll and sent her into retirement. She had a partial knee replacement last April and felt good enough to give racing another shot. “It's very impressive to see all the passion that Lindsey still has,” Gisin said. Also racing Saturday was 45-year-old Sarah Schleper, who once competed for the United States but now represents Mexico. Schleper was the next racer behind Vonn and they got a chance to share a moment between a pair of 40-somethings still racing. “I was like, ‘Give me some tips, Lindsey,’” Schleper said. “She’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a highway tuck, the whole thing.’ Then she’s like, ‘It’s just like the good old days.’"
OOH Campaign Highlights the Power of Donating During the Thanksgiving Season NEW YORK , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OUTFRONT Media (NYSE: OUT), one of the largest out-of-home (OOH) media companies in the U.S., has unveiled a new campaign with The Farmlink Project, the fastest-growing solution in the charitable food space, to drive home an important food insecurity fact on Thanksgiving. The campaign, running now through Friday, Dec. 6 , features the line " $1 = 17 lbs of food saved" to jolt audiences into action. OUTFRONT Studios and Farmlink's creative team produced the campaign, which also marks the debut of Farmlink's rebrand. The creative can be seen on digital billboards across the country, securing additional impressions with holiday traffic at an all time high. The campaign's message encourages audiences to make a big impact toward battling food insecurity through a small action during Thanksgiving, the largest event for food consumption in the U.S., and Giving Tuesday, an annual global generosity movement. For the month of December, every dollar donated to Farmlink will be matched to provide 32 pounds of food to families in need. "In collaboration with OUTFRONT, we are able to expand our mission of supporting farmers and feeding families by inspiring people to take simple actions," said Aidan Reilly , Head of Partnerships at Farmlink. "Collectively, those efforts can add up to help us reach our goal of raising $100K in December." As a partner of OUTFRONT since 2021, Farmlink has helped further OUTFRONT's purpose of helping people, places and businesses grow stronger. "Fighting food insecurity continues to be one of OUTFRONT's most important causes, driven by our employees," said Liz Rave , Vice President, Marketing at OUTFRONT. "This timely Thanksgiving campaign is our latest effort to support and amplify Farmlink's mission at a critical time for food insecurity solutions. We are also proud to be making a monetary donation of our own this holiday season." The Farmlink Project was born as a student movement at the onset of the pandemic in an effort to support a local food bank in Los Angeles . Having delivered nearly 300 million pounds of food which otherwise would have gone to waste to families across North America , Farmlink is driven by the belief that hunger can be solved in the U.S. using already grown food. About OUTFRONT Media Inc. OUTFRONT leverages the power of technology, location and creativity to connect brands with consumers outside of their homes through one of the largest and most diverse sets of billboard, transit, and mobile assets in the United States . Through its technology platform, OUTFRONT will fundamentally change the ways advertisers engage audiences on-the-go. OUTFRONT Media Contacts: Matt Biscuiti Courtney Richards The Lippin Group OUTFRONT Media 212-986-7080 646-876-9404 outfront@lippingroup.com courtney.richards@OUTFRONT.com Stephan Bisson OUTFRONT Media 212-297-6573 stephan.bisson@outfront.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/outfront-media-and-the-farmlink-project-unveil-new-campaign-to-fight-food-insecurity-302317001.html SOURCE OUTFRONT Media Inc.Briefly |Bennet sends 9 bills to President Biden's desk
Mosaic Announces Company UpdatesThe 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Asunción, Paraguay, on 2-7 December, decided to add the Myanmar Traditional Ata Thingyan Festival, also known as the Myanmar Traditional New Year Water Festival, to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture issued a press release on acknowledgement of active participation of the Myanmar cultural heritage preservation body, ethnic literature and culture groups from regions and states, Bagan heritage protection group, the Shwedagon Pagoda Board of Trustees, the Botahtaung Pagoda Board of Trustees, Bagan’s Ananda Temple Board of Trustees, Myanmar Inter-Faith Dialogue Group (Central), Botahtaung Township, Myanmar Music Association, Myanmar Theatrical Association, Myanmar Artists Association, Myanmar Sculptors Association, Withakha Foundation, TMW Enterprise Limited, Myanmar Women Entrepreneurs Network (Yangon), Myanmar Veda Research Group, Hninsigon Home for Aged Trusteeship Board (Bahan Township), Myanmar Restaurants Association, Myint Myat Thu Cetana Blood Donor Association, Bramaso Social Welfare Association and other associations, all contributors, the Ministry of Information and Living Myanmar Media Group which provided records on Thingyan festival and performed narration, the French Language Department of the Yangon University of Foreign Languages under the Ministry of Education for necessary translation in submitting the nomination file, the Myanmar Ambassador to France and embassy staff giving information and technological data for the dossiers, officers and staff from the Department of Archaeology and National Museum under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, entire people who have been preserving the Myanmar traditional Thingyan festival from the Bagan era to date, the organizations, persons and all contributors who were unintentionally omitted from the acknowledgement for adding Myanmar Traditional Ata Thingyan Festival to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage as the first-ever identification on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. — Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture
SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — A political party in North Macedonia on Saturday demanded authorities ban social networks whose content incites violence and self-destructive behavior after several young people were seriously injured in connection with the popular “Superman challenge” on TikTok. Health authorities said at least 17 students, ages 10 to 17, were brought to hospitals in the capital Skopje and other towns over the past week with broken bones, contusions and bruises. The children were injured after being thrown into the air by their friends to fly like superheroes and get applause on the internet. The Liberal-Democratic Party, which was part of the left-led coalition that ruled the country from 2016 to earlier in 2024, issued a press statement Saturday strongly condemning “the irresponsible spread of dangerous content on social media, such as the latest TikTok 'challenge' known as ‘Superman,’ which has injured six children across (the country) in the past 24 hours.” “The lack of adequate control over the content of social media allows such ‘games’ to reach the most vulnerable users,” the party statement said. It demanded the “immediate introduction of measures to ban content that incites violence and self-destructive behavior, increase surveillance, and sanction platforms that enable dangerous trends.” North Macedonia’s education minister Vesna Janevska said students should focus on education, not TikTok challenges. “The ban on mobile phones in schools will not have an effect. Phones will be available to children in their homes, neighborhoods and other environments,” she said. Psychologists have warned that the desire to be “in” with the trends on social networks, combined with excessive use of mobile phones, is the main reason for the rise in risky behaviors among children. They urged parents and schools to talk with students.They have seen him smiling on a hostel security camera, but don’t know his name. They found the backpack he discarded while fleeing, but don’t know where he's gone. As the search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson ’s killer goes on, investigators are reckoning with a tantalizing dichotomy: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. > Watch NBC Bay Area News 📺 Streaming free 24/7 Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it, though they are confident it was a targeted attack instead of a random act. “The net is tightening,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Saturday. Hours after he spoke, police divers were seen searching a pond in Central Park, where the killer fled after the shooting. Officers have been scouring the park for days for any possible clues and found his bag there Friday. Late Saturday, police released two additional photos of the suspected shooter that appeared to be from a camera mounted inside a taxi. The first shows him outside the vehicle and the second shows him looking through the partition between the back seat and the front of the cab. In both, his face is partially obscured by a blue, medical-style mask. Retracing the gunman’s steps using surveillance video, police say, it appears he left the city by bus soon after the shooting Wednesday morning outside the New York Hilton Midtown. He was seen on video at an uptown bus station about 45 minutes later, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. With the high-profile search expanding across state lines, the FBI announced late Friday that it was offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, adding to a reward of up to $10,000 that the NYPD has offered. Police say they believe the suspect acted alone. Police provided no updates on the hunt Saturday, but investigators are urging patience — even with a killer on the loose. Hundreds of detectives are combing through video recordings and social media, vetting tips from the public and interviewing people who might have information, including Thompson’s family and coworkers and the shooter’s randomly assigned roommates at the Manhattan hostel where he stayed. “This isn’t ‘Blue Bloods.’ We’re not going to solve this in 60 minutes," Kenny told reporters Friday. “We’re painstakingly going through every bit of evidence that we can come across.” The shooter paid cash at the hostel, presented what police believe was a fake ID and is believed to have paid cash for taxi rides and other transactions. He didn't speak to others at the hostel and almost always kept his face covered with a mask, only lowering it while eating. But investigators caught a break when they came across security camera images of an unguarded moment in which he briefly showed his face soon after arriving in New York on Nov. 24. Police distributed the images to news outlets and on social media but so far haven't been able to ID him using facial recognition — possibly because of the angle of the images or limitations on how the NYPD is allowed to use that technology, Kenny said. On Friday evening, investigators found a backpack in Central Park that had been worn by the gunman, police said. They didn’t immediately reveal what, if anything, it contained but said it would be tested and analyzed. Another potential clue, a fingerprint on an item he purchased at a Starbucks minutes before the shooting, has so far proven useless for identifying him, Kenny said. Aided by surveillance cameras on nearly every building and block, police have been able to retrace the shooter’s movements. They know he ambushed Thompson at 6:44 a.m. as the executive arrived at the Hilton for his company’s annual investor conference, using a 9 mm pistol that resembled the guns farmers use to put down animals without causing a loud noise. They know ammunition found near Thompson’s body bore the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” mimicking a phrase used by insurance industry critics. Kenny said the fact that the shooter knew UnitedHealthcare group was holding a conference at the hotel and what route Thompson might take to get there suggested that he could possibly be a disgruntled employee or client. Investigators know from surveillance video that the shooter fled into Central Park on a bicycle and ditched it around 7 a.m. near 85th Street. He then walked a couple blocks and got into a taxi, arriving at 7:30 a.m. at the George Washington Bridge Bus Station, which is near the northern tip of Manhattan and offers commuter service to New Jersey and Greyhound routes to Philadelphia, Boston and Washington. Investigators don't know what happened next. They are searching through more surveillance video but have yet to locate video of the shooter getting on a bus or exiting the station. “We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told CNN on Friday. Police have determined from video that the gunman was in the city for 10 days before the shooting. He arrived at Manhattan’s main bus terminal on a Greyhound bus that originated in Atlanta, though it's not clear whether he embarked there or at one of about a half-dozen stops along the route. Immediately after that, he took a cab to the vicinity of the Hilton and was there for about a half hour, Kenny said. At around 11 p.m. on the night he arrived, he went by taxi to the HI New York City Hostel. It was there, while speaking with an employee in the lobby, that he briefly pulled down the mask and smiled, giving investigators the brief glimpse they are now relying on to identify and capture a killer.
Stampede: COPDEM Advocates Robust Social Security, Accountability, System Overhaul
I 'work from home' in Bali and love the lifestyle - but there's a huge catch all Aussies should know (and it could land you in BIG trouble at the office) Young woman warns Aussies after her friend was caught out WFH in Bali READ MORE: I moved to Greece - here's why you should follow in my footsteps By BELINDA CLEARY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 17:15 EST, 7 December 2024 | Updated: 17:40 EST, 7 December 2024 e-mail View comments A young woman has warned Aussies about sneakily working from Bali after her friend's 'super important' meeting was interrupted by dancers in their hotel. Montana , who posted a video of the disruptive dance on TikTok , described the spontaneous celebration as the 'one thing' Australian workers need to know if they plan to 'work from home' abroad. Many Australians have been moving to Bali for extended stays and working their office jobs from glamorous villas or the beach - with some failing to inform their bosses first. Montana, a journalist and social media expert, has been working remotely for two years, gladly trading the daily grind for a life in paradise. 'I used to live and work on the Gold Coast , I would wake up, go to the gym, go to work, come home and have dinner and go to bed. Every day,' she said. 'Now I know there is more to life and we don't have to be tied to that, I can't see myself living like that ever again.' The 29-year-old says she has never been happier or had a better lifestyle than she does now where she works from her laptop at the beach or a local café. 'We wake up, go to the beach, have a coffee with friends, work from a café, catch a Pilates class, work for a bit and then head to watch sunset with a friend,' she said. A young woman has warned Aussies about sneakily working from Bali after her friend's 'super important' meeting was interrupted by Balinese dancers in their hotel She is currently working from Bali and doesn't understand why workplaces are so keen to get everyone back to the office grind. She says she's never been happier or more productive There are downsides to working remotely - you have to relinquish control of your environment as Montana's friend found out when this Balinese dance kicked off at the same time as an important meeting 'I do more - and better - work now because I can do it on my terms. My imagination is working better and I know if I get the job done quickly and well then I can go to the beach or do something fun.' Montana's work from Bali lifestyle was thrown into the spotlight after she filmed her British friend's poorly-timed meeting. 'My friend was working remote from Bali and had just jumped online to give this very important presentation she's been prepping for for weeks. At the same time this Balinese dance performance started outside our door,' she said in a video. 'I am howling, it is so loud and it's so obvious she is not in London right now.' Still amused a week later, the young woman explained her friend's bosses knew she was working abroad - but not all the stakeholders in the meeting did. 'She kept a straight face the entire time,' Montana recalled, laughing. 'She said afterwards that her laptop is built for people working from abroad so the others in the meeting didn't hear anything due to good sound masking.' The Balinese performance included lots of shouting, banging and bells as they paraded through the grounds. The pair had planned their day around being back in the hotel room for the big meeting. The young woman says living in your favorite holiday destination gives you the ability to prioritise life over the 9-5 'grind' 'That's the one thing people who want to work from a holiday destination need to know - you can't control the surroundings,' she said. 'I know a lot of people who have been caught out in meetings because of the noise in the background.' Montana spent time in Gili T recently and said the call to prayer was distracting for some of her fellow nomads. The tale promoted many to share their own 'working from home from abroad' stories too. 'I wanted to work from Bangkok but when I got there the IP was detected and I got blocked from Outlook,' one expat said. 'I almost got fired when my boss found out I was attending a meeting from a beach club bar in Malaga, Spain,' another woman added. 'I had a call once from inside the Colosseum in Rome, I didn't want to cancel the day trip for one call,' one more recalled. Montana said she has been surprised by how many people do their 'big jobs' remotely. 'I know CEOs, lawyers and managers who all work in Bali - some of them even have families here with them. They just want the lifestyle,' she said. And she's right, with many higher-ups sharing their own examples with her. She now works from cafes, bars and beaches 'I once defended a deposition from the hotel pool in Cabo,' one said. 'I am a stenographer and I have done it from an Airbnb,' said another. 'I work in aviation as flight support, which is remote,' a woman wrote. Others were 'furious' with the women for living abroad and working online. 'This is the exact behaviour that's ruining work from home for the rest of us,' one raged. 'There is a difference between working from home and remotely. A lot of legal and insurance stuff changes when you switch countries,' another said. Montana says her friend locked eyes with her once she got off her call and they both burst into laughter. 'I was cracking up. I said "girl I don't know how you kept a straight face". She was just relieved, the meeting went well,' she said. The young woman plans to work remotely for at least five more years and doesn't understand why so many businesses are cracking down on it. 'Honestly I don't want to be rude but the world is changing and they should change or be left behind,' she said. 'Staff happiness boosts productivity and creativity. If Covid taught us anything it is that life is short and most of us can work remotely.' Her life used to look very 'eat, sleep, work, repeat'. But now every day is sprinkled with fun activities, socialisation and work Montana says the cost of living in Bali is similar for her as it was on the Gold Coast, but that the quality of her life is much higher. 'We shouldn't be stuck in an office, we can do anything anywhere - when you are living the life you want you are so much more creative and effective,' she said. Working from home has been a hot topic of late, with Australians who continue to do so at a risk of jeopardising their tax return if they fail to keep a diary of their rostered hours. H&R Block director of tax communications Mark Chapman said the Australian Taxation Office was likely to demand proof that someone worked from home during the last financial year. 'We expect the ATO to check claims thoroughly, particularly to verify whether taxpayers have a record of all their working from home hours over the entire tax year, in the form of timesheets, a diary or copy of work rosters,' he told Daily Mail Australia. New rules came into effect in March 2023 requiring work-from-home professionals to keep a diary of every hour worked at home to claim the 67-cent-an-hour flat rate on their tax return. Read More EXCLUSIVE I'm 54 and moving to Bali with my family because we can't afford to retire in Australia That would make 2023-24 the first full financial year where time worked from home needed to be recorded. 'If you don't keep a record of all your working hours spent at home from 1 July through to 30 June - so, for the entire tax year - you won't be entitled to claim the 67 cents per hour fixed rate,' Mr Chapman said. The flat rate method is much simpler than itemising out every single expense related to working from home. 'This method is generally preferred by taxpayers because - apart from the requirement to keep a record of all your hours worked - the documentation requirements are much less stringent,' Mr Chapman said. 'The ATO believes that work-related expenses claims are the biggest element in that 'tax gap' and have signalled that they'll be looking closely at these deductions this year,' he said. 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