Pre-Money Valuation of JPY9 Billion is Approximately Multiples of Current Parent Company Market Capitalization. Strategic Investors Further Validation of Technology and Growth Potential. Further Commercialization with Recent 25,000 Unit Order from B2B Sales Channel. TOKYO, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: MRM) announces that its subsidiary MEDIROM MOTHER Labs Inc. raised to date an aggregate total of 260.3 million yen (approximtaely USD $ [1.7] million calculated at an exchange rate of JPY[153.64] to US$1) at a pre-money equity valuation of JPY9 billion (approximately USD $ [58.6] million calculated at an exchange rate of JPY[153.64] to US$1) in its Series A equity financing. NFES Technologies Inc. is the lead investor in the financing round, and several public companies in Japan, including M3, Inc. (TOKYO PRIME: 2413) and Elematec Corporation (TOKYO PRIME: 2715), as well as certain individual investors are also participating. The Series A equity financing round is still ongoing. MEDIROM MOTHER Labs has closed financings with six investors to date and intends to conclude the financing round by December 31, 2024. “We are very excited that our MEDIROM MOTHER Labs subsidiary has received such significant validation from strategic partners as our lead investor NFES Technologies Inc. as well as M3,Inc and Elematec Corporation. The pre money valuation of 9 billion yen is approximately multiples of MEDIROM’s current NASDAQ listing market capitalization which I believe further validates our technology, business model and growth potential.” said Kouji. The MOTHER Bracelet ® is currently in commercialization. From July 1, 2024 through October 31, 2024, MEDIROM MOTHER Labs received purchase orders for an aggregate of over 25,000 units from its B2B sales channel. “We believe the MOTHER Bracelet ® to be the world’s first fitness tracker that requires no electric charging by utilizing an innovative technology that enables the user’s body heat to generate electricity. We co-developed it with Matrix Industries, based in Silicon Valley and believe its features are cutting-edge technology with rich features and ease of use to track fitness levels, sleep patterns, pulse and body temperature We will continue to target markets such as hospitals, nursing homes and gyms, where such data is vital,” said Yoshio Uekusa, CEO of MEDIROM MOTHER Labs. ABOUT MEDIROM MOTHER Labs Inc. A subsidiary of MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: MRM) (“MEDIROM”), MEDIROM Mother Labs Inc. focuses on the health-tech sector. The company’s core activities include the "Specific Health Guidance Program" offered through the "Lav" health application and development and sales of the 24/7 recharge-free MOTHER Bracelet ®︎ smart tracker. By leveraging the features of the recharge-free MOTHER Bracelet ®︎ , MOTHER Labs offers customizable health management solutions across diverse sectors, including caregiving, logistics, manufacturing, and similar industries. Forward-Looking Statements Regarding MEDIROM and MOTHER Labs Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include estimates or expectations about MEDIROM’s possible or assumed operational results, financial condition, business strategies and plans, market opportunities, competitive position, industry environment, and potential growth opportunities. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “design,” “target,” “aim,” “hope,” “expect,” “could,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “goal,” or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements relate to future events or to MEDIROM’s future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause MEDIROM’s actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond MEDIROM’s control and which could, and likely will, affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects MEDIROM’s current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to MEDIROM’s operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. Some of the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release include: MEDIROM’s ability to achieve its development goals for its business and execute and evolve its growth strategies, priorities and initiatives; MEDIROM Mother Labs’s ability to close its Series A equity financing on the anticipated timeline or at all; MEDIROM’s ability to collaborate in the anticipated manner; changes in Japanese and global economic conditions and financial markets, including their effects on MEDIROM’s expansion in Japan and certain overseas markets; MEDIROM’s ability to increase sales of the MOTHER Bracelet and achieve and sustain profitability in its Digital Preventative Healthcare Segment; the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates, which affects MEDIROM’s expenses and liabilities payable in foreign currencies; MEDIROM’s ability to maintain and enhance the value of its brands and to enforce and maintain its trademarks and protect its other intellectual property; MEDIROM’s ability to raise additional capital on acceptable terms or at all; MEDIROM’s level of indebtedness and potential restrictions on MEDIROM under MEDIROM’s debt instruments; changes in consumer preferences and MEDIROM’s competitive environment; MEDIROM’s ability to respond to natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis, and to global pandemics, such as COVID-19; and the regulatory environment in which MEDIROM operates. More information on these risks and other potential factors that could affect MEDIROM’s business, reputation, results of operations, financial condition, and stock price is included in MEDIROM’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including in the “Risk Factors” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” sections of MEDIROM’s most recently filed periodic report on Form 20-F and subsequent filings, which are available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. MEDIROM assumes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. NASDAQ Symbol: MRM Tradepia Odaiba, 2-3-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan Web https://medirom.co.jp/en Contact: ir@medirom.co.jp MEDIROM MOTHER Labs Inc. Tradepia Odaiba, 2-3-1 Daiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan For more information visit: https://mother-bracelet.comGuardians of the Amazon: Kate Broug investigates the new high tech defenses of an Indigenous tribe
New York Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Aaron Rodgers “absolutely” will remain the team's starting quarterback and start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Rodgers, who turns 41 next Monday, has been hampered at times during the Jets' 3-8 start by various injuries to his left leg, including a sore knee, sprained ankle and balky hamstring. Ulbrich said Monday the quarterback came back from the team's bye-week break ready to go. “All I can say, and you'd have to ask Aaron if he's fully healthy, but he's better off today than he's been as of late,” Ulbrich said. "So he's definitely feeling healthier than he has probably for the past month. A healthy Aaron Rodgers is the Aaron Rodgers we all love. “So, I'm excited about what that looks like.” NFL Network reported on Sunday that Rodgers, who missed all but four snaps last season with a torn left Achilles tendon, has declined having medical scans on his injured leg so he can continue to play. GM: The New York Jets are turning to one of their former general managers to help them find their next GM and head coach. The franchise announced Monday that The 33rd Team, a football media, analytics and consulting group founded by former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, will assist team owner Woody Johnson in the searches. Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman, former GM of the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, will be The 33rd Team's primary representatives in helping find replacements for former coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas. SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy took part in some light throwing on Monday after missing his first career game because of an injury and the 49ers are hoping he can return this week. Purdy hurt his throwing shoulder during a loss to Seattle on Nov. 17. Purdy underwent two MRIs last week that showed no structural damage. But Purdy he felt discomfort after making a few throws at practice on Thursday and was shut down for the game at Green Bay on Sunday that San Francisco lost 38-10. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Purdy made it through the session without pain and will rest on Tuesday and hopefully be able to return to practice on Wednesday as the Niners prepare to play at Buffalo this coming week. “We rested it throughout the weekend hoping that would help,” Shanahan said. “He threw lighter today to see if that rest helps and the rest did help him. So we’ll see again, going through the same things we did last week. We’re going to let him rest all the way up to Wednesday. We’ll see how it feels on Wednesday and then we’ll take the exact same course throughout the week. Hopefully it responds better this week than it did last week with the rest.” Brandon Allen went 17 for 29 for 199 yards with a touchdown, an interception and a lost fumble in his first start since the 2021 season. Allen would play once again if Purdy is unable to go on Sunday at Buffalo. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The NFL removed New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers from the commissioner exempt list on Monday, making him eligible to participate in practice and play in the team’s games. Peppers missed seven games since being placed on the list on Oct. 9 after he was arrested and charged with shoving his girlfriend’s head into a wall and choking her. The league said its review is ongoing and is not affected by the change in Peppers’ roster status. Braintree, Massachusetts, police said they were called to a home for an altercation between two people on Oct. 7, and a woman told them Peppers choked her. Police said they found at the home a clear plastic bag containing a white powder, which later tested positive for cocaine. Peppers, 29, pleaded not guilty in Quincy District Court to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class “B” substance believed to be cocaine. At a court appearance last week a trial date was set for Jan. 22. HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew is out for the rest of the season with a broken collarbone, coach Antonio Pierce said Monday. Minshew was injured with 3:12 left in Sunday's 29-19 loss to the Denver Broncos. Pierce will have to decide whether Aidan O'Connell or Desmond Ridder will start Friday's game at Kansas City. The Raiders, who have lost seven consecutive games to fall to 2-9, could use a spark. Minshew's grip on the starting job was tenuous even before he was injured. He threw 10 interceptions to just nine touchdown passes this season and Minshew also lost four fumbles. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will practice Monday and “we'll see where he's at from there,” coach Doug Pederson said. Lawrence missed the past two games, losses to Minnesota and Detroit, with a sprained left shoulder. Lawrence had extra time to rest during Jacksonville's bye week. The Jaguars (2-9) host AFC South-leading Houston (7-5) on Sunday and need a victory to avoid being eliminated from playoff contention. Pederson said Lawrence is “feeling better" and they will know more about his playing status following practice Wednesday. Lawrence took a hit to his left shoulder while scrambling at Philadelphia on Nov. 3. Instead of sliding, he chose to go head-first and got hammered by linebacker Zack Baun. Lawrence has practiced some in a limited role since, but was inactive for both games. BRIEFLY LIONS: Detroit wide receiver Jameson Williams won't be charged with a crime after he was found with a gun in a car driven by his brother in October. Prosecutor Kym Worthy says Michigan law is “far from clear” when applied to the 1 a.m. traffic stop in Detroit. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Article content Vernon Fiddler scratched and clawed his way to almost 900 NHL games as a dogged, heart-and-soul centre after everybody passed on him come NHL Draft time. But Fiddler’s son Blake, 17, in his second junior season with Fiddler’s hometown Edmonton Oil Kings, will likely be a first-round pick this upcoming June. Blake looks today like what every NHL team is after—a right-shot, possible top-4 defender with impressive size (six-foot-four, 210 pounds). He could go in the No. 20 range in the 2025 draft after he was the first player taken in the WHL’s U.S. import priority draft in 2022, but before the draft next summer, Blake will be auditioning as alternate captain of the CHL rep team against the U.S. Development Program squad in a much-anticipated, highly-scouted two-game series in Ontario—in London Tuesday, in Oshawa Wednesday. The Canada-U.S. exhibition series could feature as many as 15 potential first-round choices in the 2025 draft, so half of the first round, and Fiddler is one of those who brings a lot to the table. “He’ll play in the NHL, probably as a support player to a No. 3, a second-pairing guy. He really defends well, plays within himself. Yeah, he’s going in the first round I would say,” assessed a long-time NHL amateur scout. The scouts will be watching—ex-Oiler captain Shawn Horcoff’s son Will, a forward, will be on the U.S. team, a nice twist because Will and Blake used to hang out at the Dallas Stars rink when Horcoff, now Detroit Red Wings’ assistant GM, and Fiddler were playing for the Stars. Blake’s pro pops Vern, 44, who lives in the Dallas area after playing for the Stars, and is in the residential real estate business, is more dad than instructor these days even if he coached Blake on rep teams in the 10-gallon Texas minor hockey market. Vern’s certainly keen on the Canada-U.S. bragging rights matchup this week but more the Oil Kings because it’s where Vern grew up. When the Oil Kings drafted Blake, it didn’t get any better than that. “Everything has just fallen into place,” said Vern, whose mother Pat looks after Blake at a townhouse in Sherwood Park that Vern bought for the family. “There were opportunities with the U.S. Development program for Blake but we started talking with the Oil Kings the January of his (import) draft year and we always looked at him playing junior,” said Vern, who was in the WHL once upon a time. “We wanted him in a big city so it would be easier for us to come and watch him. I was honest upfront and told the Kings (before the import draft) that I would like it if it was Seattle or Spokane (for better U.S. travel) but Edmonton would be perfect for my brothers and sisters there. “When it came to fruition and they took Blake, it was almost too good to be true.” Familiar surroundings for Blake. “We came up to Edmonton lots when I was younger, spent a couple of Christmases here and we would also be here in the summer. I’m pretty familiar with the city,” said Blake. “Living with my grandma, it’s awesome. She loves and so I do. I get great meals.” In an age when all NHL clubs are looking for offensive young D, Blake doesn’t fall into that realm. But he’s a right shot, something all teams crave for on the back-end. He’s a big teenage body, a player who shoos opposing players away from his net, and is an excellent, efficient skater. “For me it starts in the D zone, when I’m defending hard, making good first passes. That leads to getting my legs going, joining the rush. But the D zone...that’s a priority of mine,” said Blake, who is averaging about 22 minutes a game with the Oil Kings, and has had several phone calls and Zoom calls with NHL clubs already. He’s much taller than his dad, who is 5’11”. “I think I get my height from my mum’s side. Her side of the family is Croatian and my great grandpa was seven feet apparently and I have a cousin who played basketball and is 6’10”, said Blake. Being the son of a former NHLer always leads to questions about having a leg up on what being a pro is all about, of course. “It’s definitely an advantage. I was lucky that my kids caught the last four or five years of my NHL career and they remember the rinks, the dressing room, the morning skates. These kids soak everything in. They see dad cold-tubbing, and they’re curious about what that does,” said Vern. “Sometimes I question whether it was the right thing to get my kids into hockey but when you grow up around dressing rooms, you see your dad working out all the time, stretching, eating the right things,” said Vern. “Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of parents doing the right thing but it’s definitely an advantage (apple falling not far from the tree). And in the summers, you’re working out, or shooting pucks in the garage.” “It’s your line of work and the mental side, that’s the biggest part...being able to tell them what to hang onto and what not. We had other dads (NHL players) around too. Ray Whitney’s boy, Horcoff’s son, Travis Moen’s youngster,” he said. All good stuff for Blake. “My dad played in the NHL for a long time and I’ve got to spend a lot of time around pros, seeing how they prepare and play. It’s pretty cool,” said Blake. “From a young age, I’ve seen how hard NHLers work in the gym and it leads to their success on the ice.” ‘I coached him...but I’m his dad forever’ Blake never felt behind the 8-ball, growing up in Dallas, rather than in hockey-mad Canada. “We were on the planes a lot, we would have about 12 tournaments a year (rep hockey) and we would skate pretty much every day. I knew I was always getting enough work in,” said Blake. Seconded by dad Vern. “In the summers now Blake’s able to train at the Dallas Stars facility which is just down the street from where we live. He’s bumping elbows with Jamie Benn and skating with Wyatt Johnston. It’s not just me he’s learning from. He’s keeping an eye on Jamie or Tyler Seguin in the gym,” said Vern. “Yeah, later in the summers I’ve been able to skate with those guys (Benn, Johnston, Kevin Connauton), seeing what I could take away from those guys,” said Blake. Trying to steal some of their tricks of the trade? “For sure,” said Blake, with a knowing smile. Fiddler steadfastly has allowed to breathe. No telling him what he did wrong in the car after games. “When I was coaching him we had a rule. We just talked at the rink and once we got in the car if Blake asked me something I would talk, but I grew up in a family where everything was positive. In the car, it was always ‘You had a great game.’ If you had a bad game, you evaluated that yourself,” said Vern. “I coached him a little bit but I’m his dad forever.” “Blake can reach out to me and ask questions and I will give him information,” said Vern. “Sometimes it’s more honest than he would like it to be but I’m not there attacking him.” “I”ve tried to step away and the coaching staff is just outstanding (Luke Pierce, Devan Praught, Kyle Chipchura and Ladislav Smid),” he said. “He’s a long way from home but Luke and (GM) Kirt Hill are looking after him. He’s in good hands and it’s taken a lot of stress off us.” “It’s allowed me to be a dad,” said Vern. And Blake is living the hockey dream like his pops. Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.Georgian police fired tear gas to disperse thousands of pro-EU demonstrators on Monday, who had rallied in the centre of Tbilisi amid a deepening political crisis in the Black Sea nation. The country's prime minister hours earlier had vowed "no negotiations" with the opposition, enraged by the ruling Georgian Dream party's decision to shelve EU accession talks after it claimed victory in an election they decried as fraudulent. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Sonya Tayeh Says Former “SYTYCD” Costar tWitch 'Took My Breath Away' When Dancing: 'Changed My Way of Thinking' (Exclusive)Kentucky will aim to improve upon its best start in seven seasons when it hosts Western Kentucky on Tuesday night in Lexington, Ky., in the final game of the BBN Invitational. The Wildcats (5-0) are ranked No. 8 in the latest Associated Press poll and are setting impressive offensive milestones even for a program as tradition-rich as Kentucky, which includes eight national championships. The Wildcats have scored 97 or more points in their first four home games for the first time in program history and eclipsed the 100-point mark in three of those games. Their lone trip out of state was a solid 77-72 victory over Duke in a matchup of top-10 teams in Atlanta. Kentucky has also made at least 10 three-pointers in each of its first five games of a season for the first time ever. "I think Kentucky attracts good people," Kentucky coach Mark Pope said after the Wildcats' 108-59 win over Jackson State on Friday. "It's the one place in all college basketball where you represent just a fanbase in a different, unique way." Otega Oweh and Koby Brea have led the Wildcats' early scoring outburst. Oweh, who is averaging 16.2 points per game, had 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting against Jackson State. "He gets us off to unbelievable starts every night," Pope told reporters after that game. "He's probably been our most consistent guy in games." Brea, who scored 22 points against Jackson State and is averaging 16.0 points per game, is leading the nation in 3-point accuracy at 74.1 percent. As a team, the Wildcats are shooting 42.3 percent from beyond the arc. And the few times they miss, Amari Williams has been doing the dirty work on the glass, averaging 10.8 boards in addition to 9.6 points per game. Kentucky faces a different challenge than it's had to contend with so far in the Hilltoppers (3-2), who have won three in a row after losing their first two games to Wichita State and Grand Canyon. Their up-tempo play hasn't exactly resulted in great offensive output, but in the Hilltoppers' 79-62 win over Jackson State on Wednesday, they shot 45.2 percent from 3-point range (14 for 31). "I was happy to see a lot of different guys contribute tonight and, hopefully, get their feet under them a little bit and get some confidence," said Western Kentucky coach Hank Plona, who is in his first season as head coach. "Obviously, Tuesday will be quite a test and challenge for us and we'll need them to be at their absolute best." Western Kentucky has an experienced group, which returned mostly intact from last season. The team is led by Conference USA first-team selection Don McHenry, who is leading the team with 17.2 points and 2.2 steals per game. McHenry is one of four Hilltoppers with scoring averages in double figures. Julius Thedford (11.4 points per game) and Babacar Faye (15.0) are each shooting 40 percent or better from 3-point range. Western Kentucky also figures to challenge the Wildcats on the boards as it enters the game ranked in the top 25 in defensive rebounding (30.4 per game). Faye leads the Hilltoppers in that department, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game and figures to battle Williams inside. "We're not the biggest team in the world, but our depth and our quickness are our strengths," Plona said. --Field Level Media
Memphis beats No. 2 UConn 99-97 in overtime to tip off Maui Invitational LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Tyrese Hunter scored 17 of his 26 points after halftime to lead Memphis to a 99-97 overtime win against two-time defending national champion and second-ranked UConn in the first round of the Maui Invitational. Hunter shot 7 of 10 from 3-point range for the Tigers, who were 12 of 22 from beyond at the arc as a team. PJ Haggerty had 22 points and five assists, Colby Rogers had 19 points and Dain Dainja scored 14. Tarris Reed Jr. had 22 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for the Huskies. Alex Karaban had 19 points and six assists, and Jaylin Stewart scored 16. Judge rejects request to sideline a San Jose State volleyball player on grounds she’s transgender A judge has rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she’s transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player to continue competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship in Las Vegas this week. His order also upholds the seedings and pairings in the tournament. The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed by nine current players against the Mountain West Conference challenging the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. Pitcher Yusei Kikuchi and Los Angeles Angels agree to a $63 million, 3-year contract, AP source says A person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press left-hander Yusei Kikuchi and the Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a $63 million, three-year contract. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal, first reported by the New York Post, was subject to a successful physical. An All-Star with Seattle in 2021, Kikuchi was 9-10 with a 4.05 ERA this year for Toronto and Houston, which acquired him on July 30. Kikuchi was 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts with the Astros. He is 41-47 with a 4.57 ERA in six seasons. Conference title games a chance at a banner, bragging rights and, for some, a season-wrecking loss Indiana should be able to breathe easy. The Hoosiers have very little chance of making it to the Big Ten championship game. In the Southeastern Conference, Georgia has a spot in the league title game but with that comes a lot of worry. Conference title games give teams a chance to hang a banner, but for national title contenders it is an additional chance for a season-wrecking loss — even with an expanded 12-team College Football Playoff field. US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer. Naeher is on the team’s roster for a pair of upcoming matches in Europe but those will be her last after a full 11 years playing for the United States. Naeher was on the U.S. team that won the Women’s World Cup in 2019 and the gold medal at this year's Olympics in France. She’s the only U.S. goalkeeper to earn a shutout in both a World Cup and an Olympic final. Formula 1 expands grid to add General Motors' Cadillac brand and new American team for 2026 season LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 will expand the grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a federal investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti, who has since stepped aside. The 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew is out for the season with a broken collarbone HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said Monday that quarterback Gardner Minshew is out for the rest of the season with a broken collarbone. Pierce said Aidan O’Connell is on injured reserve with a broken thumb. He could be available to start when the Raiders visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday. The Raiders also could turn to Desmond Ridder. He replaced Minshew when he was injured late in Sunday’s 29-19 loss to the Denver Broncos. UCLA moves up to No. 1 in AP Top 25 women's basketball poll for first time in history UCLA has earned the school's first No. 1 ranking in in The Associated Press Top 25 women's basketball poll. The Bruins knocked off the previous top team, South Carolina, which had held the No. 1 spot for the previous 23 polls. UCLA moved up four spots. UConn remained No. 2. Notre Dame pulled off its own upset, beating then-No. 3 USC and moving up to third. South Carolina dropped to fourth, Texas is fifth and USC fell to sixth. Iowa is in the poll for the first time in the post-Caitlin Clark era, coming in at No. 22. Kansas stays at No. 1 ahead of showdown vs. No. 11 Duke; Ole Miss, Mississippi St back in AP Top 25 Kansas remained solidly entrenched at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll ahead of its showdown with Duke in Las Vegas. The Jayhawks received 51 of 62 first-place votes from the national panel of media, putting them well ahead of two-time reigning national champion UConn, which was second with six first-place votes. Gonzaga was third with two first-place votes, Auburn was next with three, and Iowa State rounded out a top five that was unchanged from the previous week. Xavier, Ole Miss and Mississippi State entered the poll at the expense of Illinois, St. John's and Rutgers. Wake up the ghosts! Texas, Texas A&M rivalry that dates to 1894 is reborn AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Any Texas or Texas A&M player who grew up in the state has heard the lore of the rivalry between the two schools, a grudge match that dates to 1894. But for more than a decade it has been only ghostly memories of great games and great plays made by heroes of the distant past. That changes this week when one of college football’s great rivalries is reborn after a 12-year hiatus. Third-ranked Texas plays at No. 20 Texas A&M with a berth in the conference championship game on the line.Ilona Maher explains why she has her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit pic on the back of her phone
DAMASCUS (AP) — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad , gathering in the capital's historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. The newly installed interim prime minister delivered the sermon at the Umayyad Mosque, declaring that a new era of “freedom, dignity and justice” was dawning for Syria. The gatherings illustrated the dramatic changes that have swept over Syria less than a week after insurgents marched into Damascus and toppled Assad. Amid the jubilation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. Blinken arrived in Iraq on a previously unannounced stop after talks in Jordan and Turkey, which backs some of the Syrian insurgent factions. So far, U.S. officials have not talked of direct meetings with Syria's new rulers. The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has worked to establish security and start a political transition after seizing Damascus early Sunday. The group has tried to reassure a public both stunned by Assad's fall and concerned about extremist jihadis among the rebels. Insurgent leaders say the group has broken with its extremist past, though HTS is still labeled a terrorist group by the United States and European countries. HTS's leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message Friday congratulating “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” “I invite them to head to the squares to show their happiness without shooting bullets and scaring people,” he said. “And then after, we will work to build this country, and as I said in the beginning, we will be victorious by the help of God.” Huge crowds, including some insurgents, packed the historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital's old city, many waving the rebel opposition flag — with its three red stars — which has swiftly replaced the Assad-era flag with with its two green stars. Syrian state television reported that the sermon was delivered by Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister installed by HTS this week. The scene resonated on multiple levels. The mosque, one of the world's oldest dating back some 1,200 years, is a beloved symbol of Syria, and sermons there like all mosque sermons across Syria were tightly controlled under Assad's rule. Also, in the early days of the anti-government uprising in 2011, protesters would leave Friday prayers to march in rallies against Assad before he launched a brutal crackdown that turned the uprising into a long and bloody civil war. “I didn’t step foot in Umayyad Mosque since 2011," because of the tight security controls around it, said one worshipper, Ibrahim al-Araby. “Since 11 or 12 years, I haven’t been this happy.” Another worshipper, Khair Taha, said there was “fear and trepidation for what’s to come. But there is also a lot of hope that now we have a say and we can try to build.” Blocks away in Damascus' biggest roundabout, named Umayyad Square, thousands gathered, including many families with small children — a sign of how, so far at least, the country's transformation has not caused violent instability. “Unified Syria to build Syria,” the crowd chanted. Some shouted slurs against Assad and his late father, calling them pigs, an insult that would have previously led to offenders being hauled off to one of the feared detention centers of Assad’s security forces. One man in the crowd, 51-year-old Khaled Abu Chahine — originally from the southern province of Daraa, where the 2011 uprising first erupted — said he hoped for “freedom and coexistence between all Syrians, Alawites, Sunnis, Shiites and Druze.” The interim prime minister, al-Bashir, had been the head of a de facto administration created by HTS in Idlib, the opposition's enclave in northwest Syria. The rebels were bottled up in Idlib for years before fighters broke out in a shock offensive and marched across Syria in 10 days. Similar scenes of joy unfolded in other major cities, including in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia and Raqqa. Al-Sharaa, HTS' leader, has promised to bring a pluralistic government to Syria, seeking to dispel fears among many Syrians — especially its many minority communities — that the insurgents will impose a hard-line, extremist rule. Another key factor will be winning international recognition for a new government in a country where multiple foreign powers have their hands in the mix. The Sunni Arab insurgents who overthrew Assad did so with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the U.S.-backed Kurds . Turkey controls a strip of Syrian territory along the shared border and backs an insurgent faction uneasily allied to HTS — and is deeply opposed to any gains by Syria's Kurds. In other developments, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey’s Embassy in Damascus would reopen Saturday for the first time since 2012, when it closed due to the Syrian civil war. The U.S. has troops in eastern Syria to combat remnants of the Islamic State group and supports Kurdish-led fighters who rule most of the east. Since Assad's fall, Israel has bombed sites all over Syria, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands. It has also seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, calling it a buffer zone. After talks with Fidan, Blinken said there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the U.S. on what they would like to see in Syria. That starts with an "interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said. Fidan said the priority was “establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant” — referring to the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers Party. Ankara considers the PKK within Turkey's borders a terrorist group, as it does the Kurdish-backed forces in Syria backed by the U.S. A U.S. official said that in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fidan both told Blinken that Kurdish attacks on Turkish positions would require a response. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic talks. The U.S. has been trying to limit such incidents in recent days and had helped organize an agreement to prevent confrontations around the northern Syrian town of Manbij, which was taken by Turkey-backed opposition fighters from the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces earlier this week. In Baghdad, Blinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, saying both countries wanted to ensure the Islamic State group — also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh — doesn't exploit Syria's transition to re-emerge. “Having put Daesh back in its box, we can’t let it out, and we’re determined to make sure that that doesn’t happen," Blinken said. The U.S. official who briefed reporters said that Blinken had impressed upon al-Sudani the importance of Iraq exercising its full sovereignty over its territory and airspace to stop Iran from transporting weapons and equipment to Syria, either for Assad supporters or onward to the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon. Lee reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.
Saturday Night Live has lined up its last trio of hosts for 2024. After a season full of nostalgic bits, political bites, and even some emotional moments, Season 50’s first stretch will conclude with three back-to-back-to-back episodes in December. Here’s what to know about how to tune in for the last three episodes of the year.0 Yes! Saturday Night Live is new this weekend, on Saturday (December 7), with Gladiator II star Paul Mescal hosting and Shaboozey as musical guest. This marks Shaboozey’s first stint on SNL . After this week’s episode, two more consecutive shows have been announced. On December 14, Chris Rock will host for the fourth time, with Gracie Abrams as the musical guest of the week, making her SNL debut in support of her new album The Secret of Us . Then, on December 21, for the holiday episode, Martin Short will host for the third time, and Hozier will take the stage as musical guest, his second stint on the show in support of his new album Unreal Unearth . Saturday Night Live airs on Saturday evenings at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Episodes are also available to stream Peacock , which boasts a sprawling library of all 49 seasons. SNL kicked off its 50th season early in October. Here’s a list of the episodes so far. The show will celebrate its 50th anniversary with an NBC special airing Sunday, February 16. Find out everything to know about that right here . More Headlines:
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As takes over pop culture with its theatrical release, the wonderful world of Oz has long been in 's heart. We've seen Ari's emotional reactions during the film's press tour over the past few weeks (holding space with the lyrics of "Defying Gravity," etc.), and the star has continued her streak on social media. In a never-before-seen clip, the R.E.M. Beauty founder starts crying as she wraps her final scene in Glinda's iconic bubble. "The attachment I felt to my wand and my bubble was comically overwhelming. (Please feel free to laugh)! Many, many long, beautiful days were spent here, in the sunshine, in the freezing rain and wind," Ariana wrote in her lengthy caption accompanying the video, which included an off-camera cameo from 's director Jon M. Chu. In the video, Ari laughs through tears as she reflects on moments in Glinda's bubble, from her last line to the first time she wore the Good Witch's signature bubblegum pink ballgown. "I'm very emotional because we're done with my bubble. I don't want to get out," she said through tears before adding, "I need to call my therapist. I really do." The hitmaker also explained that Glinda's props "hold so much" emotion for herself and the character in the post's caption. "Her bubble was a home away from home. A protective shell and a quiet, safe place for all of her little secrets and truths. Her wand filled a void in her heart, it gave her a sense of purpose, strength, and magic, even if that magic was somewhat in her head," she added in her caption, which she joked "sounds like a eulogy." As for her personal connection to the beloved Broadway character, Ari got candid during a November 9 screening of the film. After revealing that she loved Glinda because of her comedic timing, high notes, and pink-filled wardrobe, Ari admitted that their similarities are rooted in "harder" emotions. "I think life kind of prepared me in the strangest of ways to give myself to this role," she said, via . "There's a very specific thing that happens to Glinda that is really strange, and I've seen a fair amount of loss and grief and tragedy. I've been close to it, and I've had to be in a similar position to Glinda where...the Ozians look to her for hope." She continued, "I think she's trying her very best to provide that strength and that goodness for others when at the same time, she is needing that, too...our lives are strange adjacent in that way." Turns out there were tears left for her to cry—but at least it's because she was changed for good.An attorney representing North Dakota in a lawsuit challenging its ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors asked a state judge on Monday to throw out the case. Special Assistant Attorney General Joseph Quinn presented two main arguments: that the plaintiffs don’t have the right to bring the lawsuit, and that the state has presented enough evidence for the judge to rule in its favor without requiring a trial, the North Dakota Monitor reported. The law, signed by Gov. Doug Burgum in April 2023, makes it a crime for medical professionals to provide gender-affirming treatment to anyone under the age of 18. It contains an exemption for adolescents who had been receiving treatment before it took effect. Three families with transgender children and a pediatric endocrinologist filed suit over the ban in September 2023. They allege the ban violates their parental freedoms and medical autonomy, and that it discriminates against children with gender dysphoria because it prevents them from accessing treatments available to kids with other medical conditions. The plaintiffs also claim that the law is unconstitutionally vague and puts medical providers at risk for prosecution because it does not sufficiently explain when its exemptions apply. In his June order on a motion to temporarily halt enforcement of the law, South Central Judicial District Judge Jackson Lofgren concluded the ban is not unconstitutionally vague and that patients who were being treated before the law went into effect can receive “any medical care for the treatment of gender dysphoria.” Quinn argued Monday that the three plaintiff families don’t have standing to bring the lawsuit because their kids were all receiving treatment before the ban, and therefore qualify for the exemption and aren’t affected by the law. Quinn also said that because Lofgren’s order clarified how to apply the law, the endocrinologist plaintiff, Dr. Luis Casas, also does not have standing to sue. Brittany Stewart — an attorney for Gender Justice, one of the groups representing the plaintiffs — said that in spite of Lofgren’s order, none of the children of the plaintiff families have been able to access gender-affirming care in North Dakota since the ban took effect in April 2023. Minors with gender dysphoria, even those who were receiving treatment prior to the ban, must go out of state to receive medical treatment or do without it altogether, she said. “We’re here today because the plaintiffs in this case have suffered and continue to suffer actual injury,” she said. Stewart added that Casas is not only representing himself in the case, but also the interests of his current and future patients — including minors who may have a gender dysphoria diagnosis but have never been able to access gender-affirming care because of the ban. Quinn argued that the safety and effectiveness of gender-affirming medical treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy is disputed and that North Dakota has “wide discretion to legislative areas of medical and scientific uncertainty” and that the law is necessary to protect kids. Parental freedoms are never absolute, he added, and the state can step in on behalf of parents when it’s in the best interest of the public. Quinn also argued the law does not discriminate against transgender children because the state of North Dakota does not recognize being transgender as a protected status. The plaintiffs have maintained throughout the lawsuit that every major medical association in America accepts gender-affirming care as safe and the standard treatment for gender. Tanya Pellegrini, another attorney representing the plaintiffs, said the lawsuit should be allowed to go to trial because of the “extensive, disputed and technically complex” evidence involved in the case — which includes testimony from numerous expert witnesses. Quinn said that the fact that the plaintiffs and state have conflicting evidence should not be taken as a reason to let the case go to trial, but as proof that the efficacy and safety of gender-affirming care is not settled science — and therefore reason Lofgren should rule in favor of the state. Pellegrini also said there’s evidence some North Dakota lawmakers approved the ban at least in part because of personal bigotry toward LGBTQ people, pointing to testimony made by legislatures during hearings on the bill and statements by lawmakers deposed for the lawsuit. “Lawmakers openly discussed wanting to drive LGBTQ people and their supporters from their own homes in North Dakota, and that is exactly what the law accomplishes,” she said. If bigotry was the motivation for passing the law, she reasoned, the state does not have an interest in defending it. If the state disputes this claim, the parties should at least be allowed to hash out their arguments at trial, she said. Quinn said the plaintiffs only have evidence that a few lawmakers have expressed anti-transgender views, and that there’s no proof the majority of state lawmakers who voted in favor of the law felt similarly. Lofgren said he will take the motions under advisement. The lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in January. North Dakota’s ban on gender-affirming care passed North Dakota’s Republican-dominated Legislature with more than two-thirds approval in each chamber. The law makes it a class A misdemeanor to administer gender-affirming treatments like puberty blockers or hormone therapy to a minor. Anyone found guilty of doing so could face up to 360 days in jail, fines of up to $3,000 or both. Medical professionals also fear a violation of the ban could jeopardize their medical licenses, according to records filed in court. The law also makes it a class B felony to perform transition-related surgery on a minor. Anyone convicted of doing so could face up to 10 years in prison, a maximum $20,000 fine or both. Experts have testified in the case that medical professionals do not perform such surgeries on minors in North Dakota. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!Once again, Newsom gets Trumped by the calendar.
Analysis: Trump’s second administration set to be filled with losersWINDHOEK: Political veteran Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah hopes to win Namibia’s election Wednesday, becoming the country’s first female president as her party prepares for its toughest race since independence. Current vice president and candidate of the ruling South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), NNN - as she is known - is facing at least two major challenges. One is convincing young voters hit by high unemployment to pick her as next leader, and the second is persuading the electorate to support a woman in a country analysts like John Mendelsohn describe as “patriarchal”. “Probably a lot of people (in Namibia) would not be terribly enthusiastic about voting for a woman. But we have seen it in other parts of Africa,” said the author of an atlas on Namibia. Since Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won elections in Liberia in 2006, becoming Africa’s first female head of state, the number of women leaders on the continent has been low. “It’s very difficult to judge if they (Namibians) are all willing to vote for a woman,” said Henning Melber, of the Nordic Africa Institute at the University of Uppsala. Especially “in the northern regions”, he said, where the influence of traditional leaders is strong. Conservative views Her nomination by the party was highly contested and even challenged unsuccessfully in court. “Does that mean they (Namibians) won’t vote for her?” asked Melber. Another obstacle she faces is her advanced age in a country where more than 60 percent of the population is under 30. “They say I am too old and we need young people...” NNN said back in 2022, brushing away the accusations. “I do not deny my age,” the 72-year-old added. Recognizable by her gold-framed glasses, she has tried to vaunt the wisdom of her years during the campaign where she was often wearing blue, red and green, the colors of her party and of the national flag. But she’s also seen as a “SWAPO stalwart” according to Marisa Lourenco, a political analyst based in Johannesburg, which might not play in her favor. Daughter of an Anglican pastor, Nandi-Ndaitwa has conservative views on issues like abortion, which is illegal in most cases in the largely Christian country. “She is a strict advocate of strong abortion laws,” said Melber. Among her promises, NNN said she intends to “create jobs by attracting investments using economic diplomacy.” Despite being rich in mineral resources including uranium and recently discovered oil offshore, Namibia is the second most unequal country on Earth after South Africa, according to the World Bank. Apart from advertising her initials as “November, Namibia, Netumbo” her campaign staff have struggled to find something new to highlight about their candidate. A senior party official, she has been a member of the national assembly since 1990 and a minister since 2000. “She’s been there for ages and just seems to be part of the status quo... and that’s just not so appealing to voters,” said Lourenco. After going into exile in the 1990s, NNN spent some years in Russia where she joined the Komsomol, a Soviet Union-era political youth organisation. She also studied in the UK, but according to Melber, “her links to Moscow seem to have affected her much more.” “She has internalized a kind of an anti-Western feeling,” he said. But as the country hopes to attract foreign investors in particular from the oil industry, analysts doubt she would turn her back to the West if she became president. — AFP
American rugby sevens star Ilona Maher will join 15-a-side club Bristol in January in a bid to play in next year's women's Rugby World Cup, the English club announced on Monday. Maher, 28, helped the USA to a bronze medal at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris and is the sport's most popular player on social media. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Lawyers for a voting machine company that’s suing Fox News want to question founder Rupert Murdoch about his contentious efforts to change his family trust, the attorneys told a court Monday. Election-tech company Smartmatic’s $2.7 billion defamation suit regards Fox’s reporting on 2020 voting fraud claims. But Smartmatic’s attorneys suggest the separate succession fight over Murdoch’s media empire might shed light on any Fox Corp. involvement in editorial matters. It’s an important, if technical, question as Smartmatic seeks to hold the deep-pocketed Fox parent company responsible for statements that the news network aired. Fox contends that there’s no such liability and that it was engaging in journalism, not defamation, when it broadcast election-fraud allegations made by then-President Donald Trump ‘s attorneys. Rupert Murdoch may already have given a deposition — out-of-court questioning under oath — in the defamation suit. Such records aren’t public at this stage, but plans for his deposition were briefly mentioned at a 2022 hearing. Smartmatic now is seeking to talk to Murdoch about his efforts to rewrite his plans for his businesses after his death. The matter is playing out behind closed doors and in sealed files in a Nevada probate court. The New York Times has reported that Rupert Murdoch wants to keep his eldest son, Lachlan, in charge of the conglomerate’s newspapers and television networks in order to ensure a continued conservative editorial outlook. Smartmatic wants to get the 93-year-old patriarch on record while the probate matter plays out, company attorney Edward Wipper told a judge Monday. Fox News lawyer K. Winn Allen said the probate case “has nothing at all to do with” Smartmatic’s claims and is “not appropriate” fodder for the suit. Fox Corp. declined to comment after court. Fox News’ lawyers, meanwhile, want Smartmatic to provide records about a U.S. federal criminal case against people, including Smartmatic co-founder Roger Piñate, accused of scheming to bribe a Filipino election official. Piñate has pleaded not guilty. Smartmatic isn’t charged in the criminal case, and Smartmatic attorneys have said the matter was irrelevant to the defamation suit. Fox lost prior bids for a court order to get the information, but a hearing on the network’s renewed request is set next week. It’s unclear how soon Judge David B. Cohen will decide on that request or on Smartmatic’s bid to dig into the Murdoch family trust case. Both requests are part of pretrial information-gathering, and no trial date has been set. Smartmatic says it was a small player, working only with California’s heavily Democratic Los Angeles County, in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. In subsequent Fox News appearances, Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell portrayed Smartmatic as part of a multi-state scheme to steal the vote from the Republican. Federal and state election officials, exhaustive reviews in battleground states and Trump’s own attorney general found no widespread fraud that could have changed the outcome of the 2020 election. Nor did they uncover any credible evidence that the vote was tainted. Dozens of courts, including by judges whom Trump had appointed, rejected his fraud claims. Fox News ultimately aired an interview with an election technology expert who refuted the allegations against Smartmatic — an interview done after the company demanded a retraction. The network is countersuing Smartmatic, claiming it violated a New York law against baseless suits aimed at squelching reporting or criticism on public issues. The New York defamation suit is one of several stemming from conservative-oriented news outlets’ reports on Trump’s 2020 vote-rigging claims. Smartmatic recently settled with One America News Network and Newsmax. Fox News settled for $787 million last year with Dominion Voting Systems, another election-technology company that sued over conspiracy theories blaming its election equipment for Trump’s 2020 loss.Goldman Sachs Group Inc. stock outperforms competitors despite losses on the dayALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state government agencies will have to conduct reviews and publish reports that detail how they're using artificial intelligence software, under a new law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hochul, a Democrat, signed the bill last week after it was passed by state lawmakers earlier this year. The law requires state agencies to perform assessments of any software that uses algorithms, computational models or AI techniques, and then submit those reviews to the governor and top legislative leaders along with posting them online. It also bars the use of AI in certain situations, such as an automated decision on whether someone receives unemployment benefits or child care assistance, unless the system is being consistently monitored by a human. State workers would also be shielded from having their hours or job duties limited because of AI under the law. State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, called the law an important step in setting up some guardrails in how the emerging technology is used in state government.