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Seneca remained undefeated Saturday, beating Mount Vernon 55-26 in the state quarterfinal game. Saturday marked three years of those two teams meeting in the playoffs but the first of those that was for a state quarterfinal game instead of a district championship. Seneca (12-0) was in Class 3 District 6 this year and Mount Vernon (9-4) in District 5. The Globe is working on a full story.Smartsheet Announces Results of 2024 Special Shareholders’ Meeting
BOSTON (AP) — Forty years ago, Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie rolled to his right and threw a pass that has become one of college football’s most iconic moments. With Boston College trailing defending champion Miami, Flutie threw the Hail Mary and found receiver Gerard Phalen , who made the grab while falling into the end zone behind a pair of defenders for a game-winning 48-yard TD. Flutie and many of his 1984 teammates were honored on the field during BC’s 41-21 victory over North Carolina before the second quarter on Saturday afternoon, the anniversary of the Eagles’ Miracle in Miami. “There’s no way its been 40 years,” Flutie told The Associated Press on the sideline a few minutes before he walked out with some of his former teammates to be recognized after a video of The Play was shown on the scoreboards. It’s a moment and highlight that’s not only played throughout decades of BC students and fans, but around the college football world. “What is really so humbling is that the kids 40 years later are wearing 22 jerseys, still,” Flutie said of his old number. “That amazes me.” That game was played on national TV the Friday after Thanksgiving. The ironic thing is it was originally scheduled for earlier in the season before CBS paid Rutgers to move its game against Miami, thus setting up the BC-Miami post-holiday matchup. “It shows you how random some things are, that the game was moved,” Flutie said. “The game got moved to the Friday after Thanksgiving, which was the most watched game of the year. We both end up being nationally ranked and up there. All those things lent to how big the game itself was, and made the pass and the catch that much more relevant and remembered because so many people were watching.” There’s a statue of Flutie winding up to make The Pass outside the north gates at Alumni Stadium. Fans and visitors can often be seen taking photos there. “In casual conversation, it comes up every day,” Flutie said, when asked how many times people bring it up. “It brings a smile to my face every time we talk about it.” A week after the game-ending Flutie pass, the Eagles beat Holy Cross and before he flew off to New York to accept the Heisman. They went on to win the 49th Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. “Forty years seem almost like incomprehensible,” said Phalen, also standing on the sideline a few minutes after the game started. “I always say to Doug: ‘Thank God for social media. It’s kept it alive for us.”’ Earlier this week, current BC coach Bill O’Brien, 55, was asked if he remembered where he was 40 years ago. “We were eating Thanksgiving leftovers in my family room,” he said. “My mom was saying a Rosary in the kitchen because she didn’t like Miami and wanted BC to win. My dad, my brother and I were watching the game. “It was unbelievable,” he said. “Everybody remembers where they were for the Hail Mary, Flutie pass.” 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-footballPresident-elect Donald Trump's repeated support for TikTok has sparked speculation about potential solutions to prevent the app's impending ban in the United States, though the path forward remains unclear. "We got to keep this sucker around for a little while," Trump told supporters on Sunday, just days after meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew in Florida. Trump, who credits the wildly popular platform with delivering him a large young user base, opposes banning TikTok partly because he believes it would primarily benefit Meta, the Mark Zuckerberg-led company behind Instagram and Facebook. The situation is complex, according to University of Richmond School of Law professor Carl Tobias, given the various potential solutions and Trump's unpredictable nature. Congress overwhelmingly passed legislation, signed by President Joe Biden in April, that would block TikTok from US app stores and web hosting services unless Beijing-based ByteDance sells its stake by January 19. US officials and lawmakers grew wary of the potential for the Chinese government to influence ByteDance or access the data of TikTok's American users. Even with Trump's decisive election victory and incoming Republican-led Congress, acquiescing to the president-elect's desire and preventing the ban faces significant hurdles. The law enjoyed rare bipartisan support in a divided Washington, making its outright repeal through a vote in Congress politically unlikely even with Trump's influence over Republicans. The Supreme Court may offer the clearest path forward. TikTok has appealed to the nation's highest court, arguing the law violates First Amendment rights to free speech. The court, which is dominated by Trump-aligned conservatives, will hear the case on January 10, just nine days before the ban takes effect. This follows a lower appeals court's unanimous decision to uphold the law in December. Another possibility, according to Tobias, is that a Trump-led Department of Justice could determine ByteDance has addressed the law's national security concerns. However, such a move would likely be seen as caving to China by Congress and others. The final option is ByteDance selling to a non-Chinese buyer, though the company has consistently refused this possibility. With 170 million monthly active users, acquiring TikTok's US operations would require substantial resources. As president, Trump could extend the ban deadline by 90 days to facilitate a transaction. Few potential buyers have emerged, with major tech companies likely deterred by antitrust concerns. Former Trump Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin, who runs a private equity fund backed by Japan's SoftBank Group and Abu Dhabi's Mubadala sovereign wealth fund, has expressed interest. During a recent event with Trump, SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son pledged to invest $100 billion in the US economy, though specific investments weren't detailed. Other contenders include US real estate billionaire Frank McCourt, who aims to make social media safer through his Project Liberty organization. Elon Musk, given his proximity to Trump and ownership of X, could also have a role to play, as he has expressed plans to transform the text-focused platform into something more like TikTok. A senior Republican lawmaker recently suggested Trump might orchestrate a "deal of the century" satisfying both US concerns and ByteDance's interests. The chairman of the US House committee on China, John Moolenaar, told Fox News Digital that once ByteDance accepts it must comply with US law, the situation could progress rapidly. Any agreement would need Beijing's approval, with US-China relations expected to remain tense during Trump's upcoming term. This isn't the first attempt to resolve TikTok's US status. In 2020, Trump also threatened a ban unless ByteDance sold its US operations. While Oracle and Walmart reached a preliminary agreement with ByteDance for ownership stakes, legal challenges and the transition to the Biden administration prevented the deal's completion. arp/mlmNone
Patrik Laine and Kirby Dach power the Canadiens to a 3-2 shootout win over the DucksUnited Rentals ( NYSE:URI – Free Report ) had its price target boosted by Argus from $840.00 to $880.00 in a report issued on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. Argus currently has a buy rating on the construction company’s stock. Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Barclays lifted their price objective on United Rentals from $400.00 to $565.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, October 25th. Citigroup increased their price objective on United Rentals from $930.00 to $955.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 25th. Evercore ISI upped their target price on shares of United Rentals from $774.00 to $795.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, August 19th. Truist Financial lifted their price target on shares of United Rentals from $954.00 to $955.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, October 25th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of United Rentals from $780.00 to $940.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, September 23rd. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $751.67. View Our Latest Report on United Rentals United Rentals Stock Performance United Rentals ( NYSE:URI – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 23rd. The construction company reported $11.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $12.49 by ($0.69). The firm had revenue of $3.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.01 billion. United Rentals had a return on equity of 34.73% and a net margin of 17.12%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $11.73 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that United Rentals will post 43.46 EPS for the current fiscal year. United Rentals Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 27th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, November 13th will be issued a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, November 13th. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.77%. United Rentals’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 17.03%. Insider Transactions at United Rentals In related news, SVP Anthony S. Leopold sold 900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, October 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $823.24, for a total transaction of $740,916.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 2,044 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,682,702.56. This represents a 30.57 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website . Company insiders own 0.53% of the company’s stock. Institutional Inflows and Outflows A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of United Rentals by 82,462.2% during the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 1,606,661 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $1,300,962,000 after buying an additional 1,604,715 shares during the period. Capital International Investors purchased a new stake in shares of United Rentals during the first quarter valued at approximately $332,349,000. AMF Tjanstepension AB lifted its position in shares of United Rentals by 77.7% during the second quarter. AMF Tjanstepension AB now owns 457,056 shares of the construction company’s stock worth $295,626,000 after purchasing an additional 199,810 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP grew its holdings in United Rentals by 259.3% during the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 150,152 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $97,108,000 after purchasing an additional 108,360 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AGF Management Ltd. grew its holdings in United Rentals by 4,778.7% during the 2nd quarter. AGF Management Ltd. now owns 103,672 shares of the construction company’s stock valued at $67,048,000 after purchasing an additional 101,547 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 96.26% of the company’s stock. United Rentals Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) United Rentals, Inc, through its subsidiaries, operates as an equipment rental company. It operates in two segments, General Rentals and Specialty. The General Rentals segment rents general construction and industrial equipment includes backhoes, skid-steer loaders, forklifts, earthmoving equipment, and material handling equipment; aerial work platforms, such as boom and scissor lifts; and general tools and light equipment comprising pressure washers, water pumps, and power tools for construction and industrial companies, manufacturers, utilities, municipalities, homeowners, and government entities. Read More Receive News & Ratings for United Rentals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for United Rentals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Global to join forces with Motors & Armatures; Philip Windham named CEO of growing HVAC/R platform LOS ANGELES , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Platinum Equity announced today a significant investment in Global, the Source ("Global"), a leading master distributor of HVAC/R components, and its subsidiary AmRad Manufacturing LLC. The transaction marks Platinum Equity's second investment in the HVAC/R industry this year. In July, the firm invested in Motors & Armatures Inc. (MARS). Global and MARS, which have a longstanding history, will now join forces, helping strengthen the product and service offerings for both companies. Founded in 1982 and based in Universal City, Texas , Global is a leading master distributor of HVAC/R components such as capacitors, relays, transformers, contactors, disconnects, whips, and more. Global serves HVAC/R wholesalers throughout the United States. The company has vertically integrated design and manufacturing operations, including via its AmRad Manufacturing LLC subsidiary located in Palm Coast, Florida , which proudly manufactures USA -made capacitors and Turbo 200® products. MARS, based in Hauppauge, New York , is a leading distribution platform for HVAC/R parts, supplies and equipment in North America , and has been the exclusive sub-distributor for select Global products since 2012. "The partnership between MARS and Global is a natural one as both companies have worked together for decades," said Global Owner and President Dickie Sirotiak. "The investment from Platinum will allow us to introduce more products to market while continuing to maintain the outstanding service levels that both MARS and Global customers demand." In connection with the Global investment, Platinum Equity announced an integrated leadership structure for the combined platform: "We are thrilled to welcome Global to our growing platform," said Chernoff. "This move brings together two great family-owned businesses and will strengthen our position as a category leader in electronic components for the HVAC/R aftermarket." Chernoff praised Windham as a great fit to lead the combined platform. "Philip brings 25 years of industry experience to the job," said Chernoff. "He is passionate about developing people and building high-performance teams. He has a customer-centric mindset and I'm confident he's the right leader to guide these businesses into their next phase of growth." Windham said he's excited about the new role. "Both the Sirotiak and Chernoff families have built impressive businesses over the past several decades, becoming true leaders in the HVAC/R industry," said Windham. "I am honored to continue their legacies and work with both teams to expand our reach within the industry." Platinum Equity expects to continue pursuing additional opportunities to invest in the industry. "We are optimistic about the prospects for growth in the sector and will work with MARS and Global to add more value for their customers," said Platinum Equity Co-President Jacob Kotzubei and Managing Director Dan Krasner in a joint statement. "We will partner with the leadership team to identify and pursue additional opportunities to diversify and increase scale, both organically and through strategic M&A." Financial terms of the Global investment were not disclosed. O'Melveny & Myers served as legal counsel to Platinum Equity and MARS. About Platinum Equity Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores , Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with more than $48 billion of assets under management and a portfolio of approximately 60 operating companies that serve customers around the world. Platinum Equity specializes in mergers, acquisitions and operations – a trademarked strategy it calls M&A&O ® – acquiring and operating companies in a broad range of business markets, including manufacturing, distribution, transportation and logistics, equipment rental, metals services, media and entertainment, technology, telecommunications and other industries. Over the past 28 years Platinum Equity has completed more than 450 acquisitions. Contact : Dan Whelan Platinum Equity dwhelan@platinumequity.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/platinum-equity-invests-in-hvacr-distributor-global-the-source-302325210.html SOURCE Platinum Equity
6 Money Moves You Should Make Before the End of the YearLawyer says ex-Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller met with NCAA for hours amid gambling probe
Honda shares set for best day in more than 16 years on share buyback plan, Nissan dealTAMPA, Fla. — A federal judge said Monday that he is not inclined to give prison time in the case against members of the St. Petersburg-based Uhuru Movement, who were convicted in September of conspiring to act as Russian agents. In a sentencing hearing Monday for Augustus C. Romain Jr., a former member of the Black activist group and one of the four convicted defendants, U.S. District Judge William Jung said their conduct ultimately amounted to the exercise of free speech. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A state attorney in Florida told his staff he can't legally help take over his seat because Gov. Ron the Democrat from the office, according to an internal email obtained by The Associated Press. An executive order issued by DeSantis in 2023 suspending then-State Attorney Monique Worrell from office is still in effect, argued state attorney Andrew Bain in a message sent to staff on Monday. The governor appointed Bain to the 9th Judicial Circuit to replace Worrell, who beat him in last month's election to retake the Orlando metro area's top prosecutor's office. “While I accept the results of the election and wish to do everything I can to ensure the Office is successful going forward, I do not yet feel I can assist her in that transition,” Bain wrote. Worrell's new term is slated to begin Jan. 7, 2025. She is one of two elected state attorneys, both Democrats, who DeSantis has removed from office. Worrell failed to prosecute minors and didn’t seek mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes, putting her central Florida district in danger. She disputed his criticism as false and . across the U.S. have called Democratic prosecutors' decisions into question. Bain said in the email shared with the AP that Worrell's suspension must be resolved by either another executive order by DeSantis or a decision by the Florida Senate, which reviews the cases of elected officials suspended from office. “Without one of these things, I do not feel I can lawfully assist in a transition to an individual whose lawful suspension was ,” Bain wrote. “We are living through an unprecedented legal event without clear answers.” Representatives for Bain did not respond to phone and email inquiries from the AP. A statement posted to the state attorney's website Monday appeared to contradict Bain's message to staff. “The state attorney is ready and willing to ensure a smooth transition,” reads a message released by the agency's public information office. “The state attorney’s term ends Jan. 6, 2025, and he will no longer be in office. Ms. Worrell’s term will begin Jan. 7, 2025. It is the intent of the state attorney to enforce the will of the people.” Worrell criticized Bain's statements as a “betrayal of democratic principles” and argued that the executive order suspending her expired with the 2024 election. “No executive order, no political maneuver, and certainly no personal grievance can override the will of the people,” Worrell said in a statement. “Any delay in the transition process is a direct affront to the very people this office serves.” A spokesperson for DeSantis pointed to the statement released by the state attorney's public information office and didn't respond to other questions from the AP. ___ Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Kate Payne, The Associated Press
Mexico has been taking a bashing lately for allegedly serving as a conduit for Chinese parts and products into North America, and officials here are afraid a re-elected Donald Trump or politically struggling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could try to leave their country out of the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement. Mexico’s ruling Morena party is so afraid of losing the trade deal that President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday the government has gone on a campaign to get companies to replace Chinese parts with locally made ones. “We have a plan with the aim of substituting these imports that come from China, and producing the majority of them in Mexico, either with Mexican companies or primarily North American companies,” Sheinbaum said. While Sheinbaum claimed Mexico had been working on that effort since t he 2021 global supply chain crisis — when factories around the world were stalled by a lack of parts and particularly computer chips from Asia — it appears to be an uphill battle. Even the United States has faced big challenges in moving chip production back home despite billions in subsidies and incentives. Mexico gained tens of thousands of jobs when U.S. and foreign automakers moved their plants to Mexico under the free trade pact to take advantage of much lower wages. But the idea that Chinese parts — or even whole cars — could be piggybacking on that arrangement to further hollow out the U.S. auto industry has enraged some people north of the border. So Mexico is scrambling with private companies to get them to move parts production here. “Next year, God willing, we are going to start making microchips in Mexico,” Mexican Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said on Thursday. “Of course they’re not yet the most advanced chips, but we are going to start producing them here.” Mexico’s nationalistic ruling party, which is normally very resistant to being seen as bending to U.S. demands, is scrambling in other ways, too. The ruling party is in the process of eliminating a half-dozen independent regulatory and oversight agencies that were established by former presidents. That includes the anti-monopoly, transparency and energy regulatory bodies. Together with reforms that will make all judges stand for election in Mexico, that has sparked concern in the U.S. and Canada. Countries are required under the agreement to have some independent agencies, in part to protect foreign investors. For example, they could prevent a government from approving a monopoly for a state-owned company that could force competitors out of the market. So ruling-party legislators are actually re-writing the proposed laws to exactly mimic the minimum accepted requirements under the trade accord. “What is being done is to create a reform so that its almost exactly equal to what exists in the United States, so we can clear that up,” Ebrard said. It’s all part of a very legalistic defense of the trade accord, signed in 2018 and approved in 2019. Mexico hopes the rules of the agreement would prevent the U.S. or Canada from simply walking away when the trade pact comes up for review in 2026. Experts agree, saying that totally abandoning the accord is unlikely. Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis of the financial group Banco Base notes that if a country is dissatisfied with the trade agreement during the periodic reviews, like in 2026, there is a clause in the pact that says they can ask for a review each year to work out a solution, and keep doing that for a decade while the agreement remains in force. “That is, they wouldn’t be able to get out until 2036,” Siller said. “I think they will play hardball with Mexico in the 2026 review.” Like any marriage, when the pact no longer works for one party, it may still drag on for years but it’s death by a thousand cuts. C.J. Mahoney. who served as deputy U.S. trade representative in Trump’s first administration, said in a talk for the Texas-based Baker Institute in September that the United States probably wouldn’t end the trade agreement. But with growingly vocal critics of the pact it could hold up renewing it for years. “The costs of not renewing immediately are actually quite relatively low,” Mahoney said. “I think the inclination to just kick the can down the road will be pretty strong.” Because many companies won’t make big investments in production facilities without certainty, that could be a serious if not fatal blow to the pact. How much does Mexico actually buy from China? Mexican officials say they have fewer imports of Chinese parts and products than the United States does. But given the enormous size difference between the two countries’ economies, it is a true but weak argument. In July, the U.S. imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum shipped from Mexico that were made elsewhere, in an attempt to stop China from avoiding import taxes by routing goods through Mexico. It includes a 25% tariff on steel not melted or poured in Mexico and a 10% tariff on aluminum. Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, has called for stopping Mexican steel imports, saying “the alarming rise in Chinese steel and aluminum coming into the country through Mexico ... is unsustainable and a threat to American jobs, as well as our economy and national security.” In the end, Mexico may be forced to crack down on Chinese imports, but it won’t be easy. “Reducing the dependence on Chinese imports is not going to be achieved in the short or medium term,” said José María Ramos, a professor of public administration at the Colegio de la Frontera Norte in Tijuana.Satellogic Announces Closing of $10 Million Private Placement and Filing of Shelf Registration Statement
It feels like you can’t escape AI these days – in one form or another, the technology seems to have permeated most aspects of our lives. If nothing else, it has become the choice du jour of marketing tools for many brands. In the past decade movies like Her (2013) and Ex Machina (2014) have presented, perhaps, extreme visions of a world in which our existence is intertwined with that of non-sentient technologies made of zeroes and ones. But, the truth is, it’s nothing new: AI – or, artificial intelligence – has existed for decades and people have (perhaps unknowingly) used it some capacity almost daily. That sentence your phone finished typing for you? AI. The new show your TV suggested you’d like? AI. All those ads you see on your social media feed that feel strangely relevant to your interests? That’s AI, too. The difference, now, is that technology has advanced to a point where it is allowing brands to super-charge their AI-based products, resulting in popular applications, such as ChatGPT , to be adopted en masse and used by billions of people worldwide, and causing the average person to redefine their expectations of what’s actually possible with AI. All of this has happened in a relatively short space of time, too, the cumulative effect of which is the current cultural fervor around the topic. In October, Microsoft announced the latest version of Copilot , its generative artificial intelligence chatbot launched in 2023. And, earlier this year, the brand revealed the formation of a brand new division, Microsoft AI, which it announced it had hired the British AI-leader Mustafa Suleyman to run. Suleyman, an AI-industry-veteran, had previously co-founded both the artificial intelligence research laboratory DeepMind in 2010 (later selling it to Google in 2014) and the machine learning company, Inflection AI , more recently in 2022 – one that the WSJ valued at $4B USD last year. At 40, Suleyman – the son of a Syrian immigrant taxi driver and NHS nurse – holds the enviable title of EVP and CEO, Microsoft AI . Born in London and raised as a Muslim, Suleyman doesn’t fit the mold of a typical big-tech leader, so his appointment as head of AI at Microsoft – the Washington-based company founded by Bill Gates in 1975, which has been at the forefront of computing for decades – is at once both industrially and culturally significant. (Curiously, he shares a heritage similar to that of another half-Syrian tech leader ). Aided by technology, the world is changing faster than ever. “We’re living through a technological paradigm shift,” Suleyman says, and artificial intelligence is as much a tool as it is an an agent of change. Hypebeast caught up with the new CEO of AI to talk about the technology and its impact on people and culture. What were the first challenges you faced since starting your new role in March? The first thing that we had to do was rebuild the app. T he old version [of Copilot], frankly, was a bit slow, it was a bit ugly, it was kind of hard to read. And I believe that this [new version] is going to be something that a lot of younger will people love, because it is snappy, clean, modern, and it’s beautiful. And that, I think, is what people expect. If you’ve been a digital native, it’s bonkers to you that something would be buggy or brittle or slow. So that’s table stakes: Rebuild it from scratch, new aesthetic, much more humanist. We took out all those bright neons, the electric blues, the kind of old-school greys, and layered it with much softer human colors. Looking forward, we really want to turn this into a proper companion. It’s going to be a friend, it’ll get to know you over time. It’ll have perfect memory. It’ll be very reliable. At the moment there are still some hallucinations , but it’s going to feel much less so – almost to the point where it’s more accurate than a Google search result or a Bing search result, so that you can actually rely on it every day for giving you factual information. It has got access to real time information, so it gives you citations and references – so you can go and check the underlying source if you want to – and it knows what’s happened 15 minutes ago in on the web, like, if there’s a big news event, or if there’s a meme trending, or, you know something’s happened during the day, it’ll be able to talk to you about that. How are you going about attracting a younger audience? The first thing is quality. The product just has to be really high quality and smooth. The second thing is the aesthetic – it looks and feels just a little bit different to your traditional app, at least from a Microsoft perspective. It’s much softer and more calming, and the tone of the AI itself has got personality. It will make a little joke, it will be self deprecating, it will be... I wouldn’t say slang, but it’s not writing in formal adult English. It’s not just regurgitating the encyclopedia. It’s talking to you as I’m talking to you now, as a regular person on the street would. That tone is fresh and it’s different – and it’s how everyday people like to speak. So what I’m really crafting is the personality of the AI as well as the UI. The aesthetic has to look a certain way, but interacting with it has to feel a certain way as well. That’s the balance. It’s going to start living life alongside you. That’s what I’m building. A companion that will really see what you see and hear what you hear. AI has been a buzzword for a couple of years, but how much of the work we see today was actually done over many years previously? I co-founded DeepMind in 2010 and I started working on AGI, Artificial General Intelligence, almost 15 years ago. Then in 2014 we were acquired by Google and I led Applied AI at DeepMind, then AI at Google on the product side for many years. I’ve been working on this for a very long time – and I’ve seen these models get bigger, better and stronger. And, with each year, we’ve managed to put out a new model that is more accurate with less hallucinations, that has more capabilities. There’s been a very steady progression of improvement. And the next wave that is coming is that the AI models will be able to use websites on the front end. It’s going to be able to click around buttons, you know, buy things, book things. It’ll be able to enter things into your calendar. It’ll be able to browse your email, pick out the ones that are useful to you, send you a distilled summary of those emails, let you know that you gotta take an action off the back of it, like cancel your subscription, or remind you that your flight is at this time or that time and tell you that the traffic’s this or that and like. It’s going to start living life alongside you. That’s what I’m building. It’s a companion that will really see what you see and hear what you hear. A few weeks ago, we launched a feature called Copilot Vision , and Vision basically sees everything that you do in the browser. It basically looks at the images, the video, all the content that you’re looking at in real time and it understands it. So, you could say, “Do you think that rug will look good in my apartment?” Or ask it, “How will that poster look like?” You can actually talk about what you’re seeing [and] it is going to feel like you are browsing with a friend or a partner. Like you’re on one laptop, they’re on another, and you’re both looking for something together, talking about the same thing. That’s what a companion is going to feel like. Do you think the technology is taking anything away from our “humanity”? I think technology has made us more connected to each other than ever before. W hat happens is culture gets changed by technology, then we collectively decide whether it feels good or we don’t like it and we evolve. Or we resist and change it. So, there’s this dynamic interaction where we shape technologies that shape our culture, which we then shape. T hat’s going to happen again with the creation of AI companions. We’re all going to have a conversational AI assistant that we live with, that supports us, that we learn from, and that’s... that is a profound shift. So, to come back to your question about what it means for culture? What does it mean for people? It’s going to be a profound transformation. I think it’s going to be incredible, like everyone is going to have a super intelligent teacher, doctor, lawyer, therapist, friend, entertainer, scheduler in their pocket. All those tasks are going to become available to everybody, and that just leaves us with human ingenuity to take advantage of all of those things and create new things, you know? My dad drove a taxi and worked in a sandwich shop for 30 years. My mom was a nurse. There’s just no way, if I’d grown up in the 70s, that I would have had a chance of doing this kind of thing. AI is a relatively young industry and it is still being shaped in many ways. What are you doing to ensure there’s a wide representation of people working on the creation of AI within your organization? As far back as 2015 I started hiring machine learning researchers and engineers – specifically from women’s recruiting conferences like Women in Machine Learning or the Grace Hopper conference . We were the first to to attend that – even before Google. We actually got Google to go to it. It has always been central to my belief and everything that I’ve done, even before getting into technology, [to be] about community organizing and activism. I cared a lot about representation, and still do, so I’ve made it a priority personally to make sure that my teams are as diverse as they can be, that our hiring pipelines are diverse, and that we have broad representation because it makes us smarter and makes us better at our jobs and it makes our products richer. My own presence right here [as CEO of Microsoft AI], doing what I’m doing, is a sign of the times changing a little bit, given my background and how I grew up. I think things are changing – slowly, but surely. I think the good news is that these [AI] tools are going to be widely available at basically zero marginal cost – they’re basically going to be free. Everyone is going to be able to access them. There’s not really going to be an equality of access issue, [but] there’s still going to be an education issue – like knowing how to access and how to take advantage is still a structural privilege that comes from having a calm and supportive family, and having a good education. More than any decade in human history, the gap is narrower. I never would have been able to do what I’m doing today in 1970 – that’s a crazy thought. My dad drove a taxi and worked in a sandwich shop for 30 years. My mom was a nurse. There’s just no way, if I’d grown up in the 70s, that I would have had a chance of doing this kind of thing. Is there something that has surprised you in your career journey with AI? Not to be like difficult about the question, but surprise is a function of your expectation. I haven’t really been surprised. I think it’s been quite predictable partly because I’ve been working on it 15 years, but there’s also a steady march where if you add more compute and more data, tune the algorithms, and focus on what you’re trying to build, you do get there. I think the thing that has definitely surprised me is how quickly people have tried out chat bots and how quickly they’ve become second nature to people. I mean, [it is] the fastest spreading technology in history! We went from zero understanding or access or use, to a billion users in 18 months. No other technology, no matter how useful – not TV or the car or the spread of electricity, even the rise of mobile phones – has spread that quickly in such a short space of time. And people are hungry for more! The crazy thing is, people are like, “it’s not good enough” or “I want this fixed, I want to have real time information” or “why can’t it do generation of video?” And you’re just like, “Dude!” [laughs]. It is already insane. And people are just demanding more and more and more, and that’s kind of amazing. The “Godfather of AI”, Geoffrey Hinton, thinks AI will “take over” within 20 years. Is this something you ever think about? To honest with you, it’s something that I’ve thought about pretty much constantly since 2010. I care very deeply about [AI], so my job is to take that question seriously – even though it sounds wacky. I don’t think we’re on that path in the next 10 years, but I can’t rule out that happening before 2100, you know. I think the problem is most people just don’t think about the far future. Geoffrey Hinton gave that interview after winning the Nobel Prize for his work in AI, and he’s someone who spends his whole life thinking about the long term future. And I’m also one of those people who really thinks decades ahead, so it’s second nature to think about those things. Are we evolving? It’s a good question... it is a good question. I mean, we’ve been evolving for tens of thousands of years, hundreds of thousands of years – or millions of years, if you consider where we really came from. I don’t know. The difference is that we have the intelligence and the self control to steer evolution this time. Evolution has never been steered before.“Relentless demand, inadequate supply, surging rents, and growing concerns around affordability make this the most challenging rental environment in Peterborough’s history.” That is just one finding of a housing report released in early December by the United Way Peterborough & District that explores the challenges with securing a place to call home in Peterborough and area. Year-over-year Peterborough’s rental market continues to be tighter and more expensive, notes author Paul Armstrong in the 19th edition of the “Housing is Fundamental” report. The report provides an analysis of Peterborough’s worsening rental market and “underscores the ongoing challenges posed by housing affordability and accessibility,” stated a press release about the document. “Affordability” is defined as spending no more than 30 per cent of total before-tax income on housing. But with the average market rent in the Peterborough area now $1,325, that means a household has to make $53,000 for a rental unit to be “affordable.” The report states this means there’s little, if any, affordable housing for people who have low incomes. A significant portion of renter households are in “core housing need,” with some spending well in excess of 50 per cent of their household incomes on rent, the report found. “Meagre” additions to the Peterborough CMA rental stock in 2023 mean hundreds of units are still required, with the demand for rental units far exceeding supply. Meanwhile, Trent University and Fleming College place a substantial demand on the city’s rental market, the report notes. New immigrants and foreign students to the area require housing. Housing suitable to transition people out of homelessness is also needed. According to the report, the housing and homelessness crisis has been mainly caused by governments withdrawing from providing public housing, leaving it to the for-profit market to provide housing. “Governments will need to return to direct provision of social housing and render additional support for non-profit housing,” the report states. “We need to build more, much more. We need to make it more affordable. And greater density will likely result. All of this calls upon governments to assert a leading role.” The document also points out that the maximum benefit for people receiving Ontario Works is $733 per month, but the average rent in Peterborough in 2023 for the smallest unit — a bachelor — was $877 per month. A single bedroom unit went for $1,173 while a two-bedroom apartment was $1,411, and a three-bedroom unit cost, on average, $1,640. On a broader scale, the Canada-wide vacancy rate was 1.5 per cent as of October 2023, which was a new low, with Peterborough’s vacancy rate standing at one per cent. Recent renter households (43.2 per cent) were also more likely to live in unaffordable housing than existing renter households (30.5 per cent), with unaffordable housing meaning more than 30 per cent of pre-tax household income is spent on shelter costs. “When inadequate supply of rental units produces a one per cent vacancy rate in Peterborough, something has to change,” Amstrong notes. “When housing costs are now the primary driver of inflation and 20 per cent of Canadian rental stock is owned by large capital enterprises, something’s inequitable. When homelessness grows, but social housing builds don’t materialize, something’s unjust. The housing crisis deepens with little indication of relief.” On the other end of the scale, high ownership prices have prevented renter households from making the move to jp,eownership. And, finally, 2023 saw an unprecedented period of multiple converging crises, which included homelessness, housing precarity, food insecurity, income precarity, mental health challenges, and addictions. “Flawed government policy has resulted in profound crises in an otherwise prosperous country,” Armstrong states. “Clearly, the government’s chosen, market-driven model for housing provision and personal security has failed.” To read the report and learn more about the call to action, visit uwpeterborough.ca/our-research/ .
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U.S. small-cap stocks are delivering a standout performance in November, aligning with a well-established seasonal trend that often paves the way for a strong December. Historically, small caps tend to excel in the final two months of the year, with November’s impressive gains often rolling into December as part of the so-called “Santa Rally.” The Russell 2000 index, the leading benchmark for small-cap equities, has climbed an impressive 8% this November, on track for the second-best monthly performance of the year. See Also: Google, Anthropic Deal In Jeopardy As Regulators Look To Break Up Search Monopoly Data spanning more than two decades shows that November delivered the highest average returns for small-cap stocks. From the year 2000 onward, the iShares Russell 2000 ETF IWM , has averaged a 2.6% gain in November, marking it as the strongest month of the year. What's even more striking is the reliability of this trend—79% of the time, the month ends with small-cap stocks in the green. The Russell 2000 has ended November in negative territory only four times: A decline of 9.97% in 2000, 6.97% in 2007, 11.93% in 2008, and 4.33% in 2021. In all other years, small-cap stocks have delivered gains during the month. The strongest rally occurred in November 2020, when the Russell soared 18.24% buoyed by the discovery of the Covid-19 vaccine. Yet, history suggests this isn't the time to cash out just yet. Investors tempted to take profits after November's gains might reconsider, as December historically ranks as the second-best month for small caps. On average, the Russell 2000 rose 1.46% in December, with 67% of years showing positive performance. The combination of these two months often gives small-cap investors a powerful year-end boost. Russell 2000 Monthly Seasonality: November And December Show The Highest Average Gains Why Are Small Caps Outperforming in November 2024? As of late November, the Russell 2000's 8% rally far surpasses the 4% rise of the S&P 500, tracked by the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY . This outperformance is being driven by three major catalysts: 1. Federal Reserve Rate Cuts The Federal Reserve has shifted into rate-cut mode, lowering rates by 25 basis points in November following a 50-basis-point reduction in September. Policymakers have signaled that further cuts are likely, albeit at a slower pace, as long as inflation continues to decelerate. Lower interest rates disproportionately benefit small-cap companies, which rely more heavily on bank financing than their larger-cap counterparts. With borrowing costs falling, small businesses are better positioned to invest, grow, and improve profitability, giving them a significant tailwind compared to multinational firms. 2. Political Tailwinds From 2024 Elections The outcome of the 2024 U.S. elections — a Republican trifecta (presidency, Senate and House of Representatives) — has fueled optimism among small-cap investors expecting the Trump administration to roll back regulations. Additionally, the potential reintroduction of trade tariffs could act as a buffer for small-cap businesses by reducing competition from international firms facing higher regulatory or import costs. Financial services and industrial stocks, heavily represented in small-cap indices, have been among the top beneficiaries of this shift. 3. Economic Resilience The U.S. economy is showing remarkable resilience by delivering strong GDP growth rates. The Atlanta Fed's GDPNow estimate pegs fourth-quarter real GDP growth at 2.6%, following robust gains of 3.0% and 2.8% in the second and third quarters, respectively. The labor market, a key indicator of economic health, also remains resilient. Despite disruptions from strikes and hurricanes affecting October payrolls data, jobless claims have fallen to their lowest levels in seven months in mid-November, indicating a tight labor market and sustained consumer confidence. These factors collectively underpin the performance of small-cap stocks, which are often more sensitive to domestic economic trends. What's Next For Small Caps? With November's gains already in the books, historical patterns suggest that small caps could keep their momentum into December. Whether fueled by seasonal trends, macroeconomic tailwinds, or political optimism, small-cap stocks are positioning themselves as a standout opportunity for year-end trading. Now Read: 7 US Natural Gas Stocks To Watch As Henry Hub Prices Surge 50% In November Image: Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Tottenham head coach Ange Postecoglou has said he does not regret his confrontation with supporters at Bournemouth on Thursday, insisting he will never back down from doing "the right thing". Postecoglou exchanged heated words with fans in the away end after full-time of Spurs' 1-0 loss at the Vitality Stadium. The Spurs manager revealed his wife disapproved of his behaviour but, speaking ahead of Sunday's derby against Chelsea , said he had no regrets about the incident. "No, they felt like they needed to give me feedback, so I thought I’d get close enough for them to make sure they were heard," Postecoglou said. "Hopefully after 18 months, you [the media] have realised that I am who I am. I don’t really care. "Whether people think I’m an easy target, soft target. I’m going to shy away from it. I’ve fought my whole life and I’m not going to race down the tunnel because some people feel like they need to give me some direction. It doesn’t bother me, it doesn’t. "From my perspective, what motivates me and what drives me on a daily basis is to continually stay true to my values and what I believe is the right thing to do in every situation. Maybe people thought it wasn’t the right thing to do. My wife certainly didn’t. "So I got some feedback there as well. But that’s ok. I’m not going to change. It’s who I am, mate. I’ve been like that my whole career and I won’t change.” Postecoglou approached fans after his players had received a mixed reception from the travelling support and could be seen pointing to his chest during the exchange. Asked if he was taking responsibility for Spurs' performance and result, he said: "Yeah, [I was saying], 'It’s on me but also whatever you’ve got to direct, direct it at me. And I’m listening. I’m listening, I’m looking, I’m understanding.'" After last season's home game with Chelsea, Postecoglou's side were applauded off after bravely sticking to Postecoglou's high defensive line and attacking principles, despite having two players sent off before the hour and losing two more to injuries. Asked about the connection with fans, Postecoglou admitted that he would have "to find a way" to get the majority of supporters behind him, adding: "That will be dependent on what people see, what people feel. "The only way I can affect that is by what we produce on game days. "I’ve got to concentrate on the controllables, and the controllables are the team, how we prepare, how we play and hopefully through that vehicle we get everyone on board. "I’m sure at other clubs, if you stick to a plan and go through difficult moments, there’s dissension among supporters in these moments. You forget about that when you’re on the other side. Yeah it’s about winning but it’s about belief as well in what you’re doing sometimes. You look beyond the results I think. "That’s what happened at the start of my tenure last year. We lost against Chelsea but there was a sense that we were building something. Obviously it kind of went off the rails after that game. It’s not just about winning, but where we are right now it will certainly help." A depleted Spurs, who were again missing seven players to injuries, illness and suspension, started well against Bournemouth but they were abject after Dean Huijsen ghosted in at the far post to head home a corner after 17 minutes. "It can’t be a physical thing when it happens early in the game, I don’t think," Postecoglou said, when asked what went wrong on the south coast. "It’s not a physical thing. We started the game well. It’s not like we started sluggishly. The first two chances that came fell to Deki and Dom. Two chances where you go: ‘Ok, we’ve started the game really well.’ “And literally the first time they go up, they get a set-piece and they score an unopposed header. That kind of tells you that, nah ... You can’t go into a game like that and allow the opposition then to take control of the game. "We prepared ourselves for a tough game, that was going to be tougher than any other game we were going to face last night. And the disappointing thing is, like I said, that in a game where we started well, we once again allowed the opposition to play the game on their terms by us lacking discipline and conviction in a key moment. And we can’t keep doing that."
Rachel Zegler And Jaeden Martell Explained The Millennial Pause To Kyle Mooney In A Generational Trivia ChallengeFor many years there has been something special about matches between Newcastle and Liverpool that guarantees entertainment. Fans were not disappointed in the midweek clash at St James' Park as they witnessed a 3-3 thriller in a game that some called the best of the season. Two goals from the amazing Mohamed Salah looked like they would clinch matters for the league leaders but a last minute strike by Fabien Schar ensured the Magpies shared the points. It reminded many people of the classic 1996 meeting between the two sides which Liverpool won 4 -3 and contributed to Newcastle's failure to win the league that season. Despite dropping two precious points, Liverpool fans will have been encouraged by what manager Arne Slot had to say after the game concerning Salah's future at the club. He called Salah's performance "outstanding" and commented "we are hoping and expecting that he can continue this for a long time." But the action was not confined to Newcastle as on Wednesday night alone 25 goals were scored in the six matches. And when you get down to the nitty gritty of football it's goals spectators want to see. With another 10 in the four matches on Tuesday and Thursday the net total for the 10 games was a healthy 35 goals. It doesn't quite match the record 45 goals scored in the 10 games one February weekend last year, but it's not a bad effort. Aside from the action at St James' catching the eye was Chelsea's 5-1 demolition of a very poor Southampton side at St Mary's. Once again the Saints self-destructed with disastrous playing out from the back and some fragile goalkeeping. And then there was a silly sending off when captain Jack Stephens pulled Marc Cucurella's hair, although some might argue that it hardly warranted a red card. The win moved Chelsea into second place but they should have a more demanding fixture tomorrow when they travel to Tottenham Hotspur despite Spurs' surprise mid-week loss to Bournemouth. Perhaps the most significant result on Wednesday was defending champions Manchester City ending their losing streak with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest. They were still below their best but it brought a huge sigh of relief from manager Pep Guardiola. It also gave City fans hope that maybe they could claw their way back into contention. Another important result was Arsenal's 2-0 victory over Manchester United. Once again Arsenal looked dangerous from corner kicks and both of their goals were scored by defenders, Jurrien Timber and William Saliba who admittedly didn't know much about his goal as it went in off his backside. It put an end to Ruben Amorim's three-match unbeaten run with United although he will be confident of bouncing back with today's home fixture against Forest. The most surprising scoreline came from Goodison Park where Everton, not known for their goalscoring prowess, thrashed Wolves 4-0 although they did benefit from two own goals by unlucky Wolves defender Craig Dawson. It was an important win for Everton and will give them much-needed confidence when they take on Liverpool at Goodison today. Another side enjoying a return to form were Aston Villa who earned a 3-1 win against Brentford thanks to an excellent first-half performance. After the mid-week excitement we can probably expect a goal drought this weekend as nervous managers bid to tighten up their defences.