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'Coalition of Failure' -- France Gets Fourth Government of the Year, Already Predicted to Collapse
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville has approved a five-year contract extension through June 2030 for athletic director Josh Heird, whose 2 1/2-year tenure has included the hirings of two men’s basketball coaches and football coach Jeff Brohm. The university’s Board of Trustees on Thursday authorized President Kim Schatzel to execute the deal, three days after the University of Louisville Athletic Association board approved the agreement. Heird was named interim AD in December 2021 before being elevated to the full-time job the following June. Schatzel said in a release that the extension signals the school’s faith in Heird and added, “He is the right person and right leader” to take the athletic program forward to a bright future. Several significant personnel moves marked Heird’s initial tenure. He fired basketball coach Chris Mack in January 2022 and subsequently hired former Cardinals player Kenny Payne two months later. Heird fired Payne last March after two historically bad seasons and replaced him with Pat Kelsey on March 28. Heird also hired ex-Louisville quarterback and assistant Brohm in December 2022. The Cardinals won 10 games to reach the ACC championship game for the first time last season and are headed for a second consecutive postseason under the Louisville native with a berth in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas. Heird has also extended contracts for women’s basketball coach Jeff Walz, volleyball coach Dani Busboom-Kelly and baseball coach Dan McDonnell. The AD’s other achievements include a $41 million naming rights deal for the Cardinal Stadium football field along with a $4 million club renovation. He also secured a $1 million donation to enhance Louisville's Jim Patterson Stadium baseball field. Heird also serves on the NCAA women’s basketball selection committee. AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsWhen building a portfolio, it is probably best to look for (ASX: XJO) shares with defensive qualities, strong business models, positive long-term outlooks, and a track record of payments By doing this, you should be left with a portfolio that has the potential to grow at a solid rate in the future whilst also providing you with a growing source of in retirement. But which ASX 200 shares could be top options for a retirement portfolio right now? Let's look at three that analysts are tipping as buys. They are as follows: ( ) This supermarket giant could be a quality option for a retirement portfolio. That's because Coles boasts all the desirable traits outlined above. This is particularly the case with its qualities. You only need to look at the company's performance during the COVID pandemic to see how defensive its earnings are. In respect to dividends, Bell Potter is expecting Coles to pay fully dividends of 68 cents per share in FY 2025 and then 78 cents per share in FY 2026. This represents yields of 3.75% and 4.3%, respectively. Bell Potter has a buy rating and $20.50 price target on its shares. ( ) Another ASX 200 share that could be a great option for retirees is Telstra. It is of course Australia's largest telco, providing millions of people and businesses with internet and phone services. If times were hard, my phone and internet would be the last things I would give up. And I'm sure I'm not alone in that. It is because of this, that Telstra can be considered to have defensive earnings as well. And with the company now growing its earnings at a solid and sustainable rate thanks to its T25 strategy, analysts at Goldman Sachs believe Telstra is positioned to continue increasing its dividend in the coming years. It is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 19 cents in FY 2025 and then 20 cents in FY 2026. This will mean dividend yields of 4.9% and 5.15%, respectively. Goldman has a buy rating and $4.35 price target on its shares. ( ) A final ASX 200 share that could be a buy for a retirement portfolio is Transurban. It is a toll road operator with a collection of important roads across Australia and the United States. These include CityLink in Melbourne, WestConnex in Sydney, and the Logan Motorway in Brisbane. Transurban looks well-placed for long-term growth thanks to population growth, urbanisation, inflation, and the time savings its roads offer. UBS expects this to underpin dividends per share of 65 cents in FY 2025 and then 69 cents in FY 2026. This equates to yields of 5.1% and 5.45%, respectively. The broker has a buy rating and $14.55 price target on the ASX 200 share.
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a "tragic incident" following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. Putin's apology came as allegations mounted that Russian air defenses shot down the plane while attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference Saturday at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner "repeatedly" attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The statement said Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev "for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace." People are also reading... The readout said Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident, and Azerbaijani state prosecutors have arrived in Grozny to participate. The Kremlin also said that "relevant services" from Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while attempting to land. There were 29 survivors. According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev's press office, the Azerbaijani president told Putin that the plane was subject to "external physical and technical interference," though he also stopped short of blaming Russian air defenses. Part of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane lies on the ground Thursday near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan. Aliyev noted the plane had holes in its fuselage and the occupants sustained injuries "due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight." He said that a team of international experts began a probe of the incident at Azerbaijan's initiative, but provided no details. Earlier this week, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's office confirmed that investigators from Azerbaijan are working in Grozny. On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon, echoing those made by aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. U.S. President Joe Biden, responding Saturday to a reporter asking whether he thought Putin should take responsibility for the crash, said: "Apparently he did but I haven't spoken to him." Biden made the comment after leaving church in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Passengers and crew members who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it circled over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. Yadrov said after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau. People attend a funeral Saturday for Mahammadali Eganov, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau at the age of 13, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Earlier this past week, Rosaviatsia cited unspecified early evidence as showing that a bird strike led to an emergency on board. In the days following the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines blamed "physical and technical interference" and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn't say where the interference came from or provide any further details. If proven that the plane crashed after being hit by Russian fire, it would be the second deadly civil aviation accident linked to fighting in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people aboard, as it flew over the area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014. Russia denied responsibility but a Dutch court in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their role in downing the plane with an air defense system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base. The grave of Mahammadali Eganov, 13, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's Aktau airport, is seen Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Following Wednesday's suspension of flights from Baku to Grozny and nearby Makhachkala, Azerbaijan Airlines announced Friday that it would also halt service to eight more Russian cities. Several other airlines made similar announcements since the crash. Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air on Friday said it would stop flying from Astana to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains for a month. Turkmenistan Airlines, the Central Asian country's flagship carrier, on Saturday halted flights to Moscow for at least a month, citing safety concerns. Earlier this past week, Israel's El Al carrier suspended service from Tel Aviv to the Russian capital, citing "developments in Russia's airspace." Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
U.S. stocks traded higher toward the end of trading, with the Dow Jones index gaining more than 200 points on Tuesday. The Dow traded up 0.53% to 43,132.84 while the NASDAQ climbed 1.05% to 19,972.38. The S&P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.78% to 6,020.96. Check This Out: Wall Street’s Most Accurate Analysts Give Their Take On 3 Utilities Stocks With Over 4% Dividend Yields Leading and Lagging Sectors Consumer discretionary shares jumped by 1.8% on Tuesday. In trading on Tuesday, health care shares rose by just 0.1%. Top Headline The composite manufacturing index in the U.S. Fifth District increased to -10 in December compared to a reading of -14 in the previous month. Equities Trading UP Greenfire Resources Ltd . GFR shares shot up 13% to $7.00 after Waterous Energy Fund acquired 9,311,424 common shares and 2,654,179 common share purchase warrants of the company. Shares of Carbon Revolution Public Limited Company CREV got a boost, surging 103% to $7.87 after the company announced it has reached an agreement with OIC for a further $25 million in financing to support the ongoing liquidity of the business. Jet.AI Inc. JTAI shares were also up, gaining 73% to $5.91 after the company announced it launched “Ava” an agentic AI model for private jet booking. Equities Trading DOWN Canoo Inc. GOEV shares dropped 8% to $1.4606. Shares of Limoneira Company LMNR were down 8% to $24.80 after reporting fourth-quarter results. Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc RIGL was down, falling 7% to $16.00. Commodities In commodity news, oil traded up 1.5% to $70.28 while gold traded up 0.1% at $2,630.20. Silver traded up 0.1% to $30.205 on Monday, while copper rose 0.6% to $4.1085. Euro zone European shares were higher today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 gained 0.17%, Germany's DAX fell 0.18% and France's CAC 40 rose 0.14%. Spain's IBEX 35 Index rose 0.33%, while London's FTSE 100 rose 0.42%. Asia Pacific Markets Asian markets closed mixed on Tuesday, with Japan's Nikkei 225 falling 0.32%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gaining 1.08%, China's Shanghai Composite Index gaining 1.26% and India's BSE Sensex falling 0.09%. Economics U.S. Redbook index increased 5.9% year-over-year in the latest week, following a prior reading of 4.8% gain. The composite manufacturing index in the U.S. Fifth District increased to -10 in December compared to a reading of -14 in the previous month. Now Read This: How To Earn $500 A Month From Apple Stock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Putin apologizes for crash but stops short of saying Azerbaijani plane was shot downPresident Joe Biden on Thursday commuted the sentences of around 1,500 people convicted of crimes and pardoned 39 people. This follows his pardoning of his son, Hunter Biden, earlier this month. The White House stated that those pardoned “have shown successful rehabilitation and a strong commitment to making their communities safer,” adding that they have “successfully reintegrated into their families and communities” since the pandemic release. Those 1,500 people have been serving out home sentences for at least one year under the CARES Act, which was passed in 2020 during the pandemic. They include a woman who led emergency response teams during natural disasters, a church deacon who works as a counselor, and a military veteran. The president had previously issued 122 commutations and 21 other pardons. He’s also broadly pardoned those convicted of the use and possession of marijuana on federal lands and in the District of Columbia and pardoned former U.S. service members convicted of violating a now-repealed military ban. Earlier this month, the president pardoned Hunter Biden for two federal tax and gun convictions, which were scheduled for sentencing in the coming weeks. Biden also pardoned his son for any other crime he may have committed between Jan. 1, 2014, and Dec. 1, 2024. “He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who, along with Biden and other White House officials, had previously said that Hunter Biden would not get a pardon. It’s customary for a president to grant pardons or commutations at the end of his term, using the power of the office to wipe away records or end prison terms. The power of clemency has its roots in English law. It made it across the ocean to the American colonies and stuck around. The U.S. Supreme Court has found the presidential pardon authority to be very broad. In his first term, President Donald Trump granted 237 acts of clemency, while President Barack Obama granted clemency 1,927 times in his eight years. Presidents have forgiven drug offenses, fraud convictions, Vietnam-era draft dodgers, fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War, and many other things. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and 34 other lawmakers are urging the president to pardon environmental and human rights lawyer Steven Donziger, who was imprisoned or under house arrest for three years because of a contempt of court charge related to his work representing farmers in a lawsuit against Chevron. Others have called on Biden to commute the sentences of federal death row prisoners. Some Democratic lawmakers have publicly said Biden should issue preemptive pardons for certain people. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), the former House Democratic majority whip, responded to a question during an MSNBC interview about whether Biden should pardon Trump. “Yes, I do think so,” the longtime congressman responded. “And I think he should pardon all of those people that have been accused and have been targeted so we can clean the slate and have an air of possibilities for the future.” “If we keep digging up things of the past, I’m not too sure the country would not lose its way,” Clyburn said while also defending Biden’s decision this month to pardon his son for two federal convictions. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday that Trump should be pardoned for the New York case earlier this year in which he was found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Only the governor of New York can issue that pardon because it was a state crime.
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans didn’t need to see what Baltimore’s Derrick Henry is doing this season to be reminded of just how dangerous he can be. He ran all over the Texans for years while playing in the AFC South for the Tennessee Titans. Henry and the Ravens (10-5) visit AFC South champion Houston (9-6) on Wednesday, looking for a win to keep their AFC North title chances alive. Baltimore has clinched a playoff berth for a third straight season but needs wins in its last two games and one loss by the Steelers to capture the division. Henry, who ranks second in the NFL with 1,636 yards rushing, has had some of his greatest success against the Texans. Four of the 30-year-old’s six career 200-yard rushing games have been against Houston, including a career-high 250 in the season finale in the 2020 season to surpass 2,000 yards. “You talk about fast, explosive, physical — he’s looking probably the best he’s looked in his career,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s found that fountain of youth ... he’s a great player. It’s fun to see guys rebound and bounce back the way that he’s done this year.” Dealing with Henry along with all the challenges that quarterback Lamar Jackson presents makes the top-ranked Ravens one of Houston’s more difficult matchups. “You talk about MVP, (Jackson’s) definitely the MVP in my mind just for what he’s doing not only in the run game but also throwing the football,” Ryans said. “The accuracy, the decision-making, like, he’s playing unbelievable ball right now, so it’s going to be a really tough challenge for us this week.” Another challenge for the Texans is moving on after Tank Dell sustained a season-ending knee injury in Saturday’s loss to Kansas City. His injury is another blow to a receiving group that already was without star Stefon Diggs, who tore his ACL in Week 8. “The position we’re in, it’s not a lot of times where you can sulk in your feelings for very long,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “You’ve got to just keep rolling. I think that’s a testament to just life in general. Everybody has stuff on their plate. Everybody is going through something. And just because we’re in this position, doesn’t mean you get to feel sorry for yourself.” Houston will rely on Stroud to keep the passing game rolling despite the loss of Dell, who ranks second on the team with 667 yards receiving. Baltimore coach John Harbaugh has been impressed with Stroud’s growth in Year 2 and knows that dealing with him will be difficult for his team, which ranks 31st in the NFL by allowing 254.9 yards passing a game. “He’s just a supertalented guy... he’s surrounded with some good weapons, and he gets the ball out quick,” Harbaugh said. “He handles pressure well, he can move, he’s athletic, scrambles and makes plays.” Jackson is a big fan of Beyoncé, though he didn’t know the title of his favorite song of hers, saying it was “To the left,” which is just the first lines of her hit “Irreplaceable.” And he doesn’t think playing in Wednesday’s game should stop him from seeing her halftime show on Christmas . “I’m going to go out there and watch,” he said. “First time seeing Beyoncé perform, and it’s at our game — that’s dope. I’m going to go out and watch. Sorry Harbaugh, sorry fellas." He later clarified that he was kidding about sneaking out at halftime to get a glimpse of Queen Bey. “I was just thinking about just seeing Beyoncé for the first time,” he said. “Not saying it like that; no disrespect, because I know how people can take things. Next question.” Houston receiver John Metchie could have a chance for a big game with Dell out. Metchie is playing in his second NFL season after missing his entire rookie year while undergoing cancer treatment. He has just 182 yards receiving this season, with his best game coming against Detroit, when he had a career-high 72 yards receiving and his only NFL TD. Stroud is looking for Metchie and fellow reserve Xavier Hutchinson to help make up for Dell’s absence against the Ravens. “Those guys have another opportunity to show who they are and I know that they can do it,” Stroud said. “I see them in practice do it every week. So, I’m excited for them and it’s a good opportunity for them to step up.” Jackson is up to 6,023 yards rushing for his career. The NFL record for a quarterback is 6,109 by Michael Vick, so Jackson could break it with a big game on Wednesday. Jackson also leads the NFL in passer rating and is in the conversation for his third MVP. Although it sounds like that’s a discussion he’d rather not get involved in. “No other choice but to hear it,” Jackson said. “They (are) tagging me in it. You don’t (have) to tag me. You can talk about it all you want, but you want to tag me to get like clickbait because you know sometimes I (will) say something back like, ‘That was stupid.’ It is what it is. I don’t care, though. I really don’t care about the talk.” AP Sports Writer Noah Trister in Owings Mills, Maryland, contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
UBS's Lefkowitz says U.S. stock valuations are 'reasonable'
The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville has approved a five-year contract extension through June 2030 for athletic director Josh Heird, whose 2 1/2-year tenure has included the hirings of two men’s basketball coaches and football coach Jeff Brohm. The university’s Board of Trustees on Thursday authorized President Kim Schatzel to execute the deal, three days after the University of Louisville Athletic Association board approved the agreement. Heird was named interim AD in December 2021 before being elevated to the full-time job the following June. Schatzel said in a release that the extension signals the school’s faith in Heird and added, “He is the right person and right leader” to take the athletic program forward to a bright future. Several significant personnel moves marked Heird’s initial tenure. He fired basketball coach Chris Mack in January 2022 and subsequently hired former Cardinals player Kenny Payne two months later. Heird fired Payne last March after two historically bad seasons and replaced him with Pat Kelsey on March 28. Heird also hired ex-Louisville quarterback and assistant Brohm in December 2022. The Cardinals won 10 games to reach the ACC championship game for the first time last season and are headed for a second consecutive postseason under the Louisville native with a berth in the Sun Bowl on Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas. Heird has also extended contracts for women’s basketball coach Jeff Walz, volleyball coach Dani Busboom-Kelly and baseball coach Dan McDonnell. The AD’s other achievements include a $41 million naming rights deal for the Cardinal Stadium football field along with a $4 million club renovation. He also secured a $1 million donation to enhance Louisville’s Jim Patterson Stadium baseball field. Heird also serves on the NCAA women’s basketball selection committee. ___ AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
PH mines must aim for local processing of metals, says industry leaderItaly's Serie A does deal with Meta to fight illegal streaming
The bar for successful obesity drugs is risingAnchored by next-generation IBM Quantum System Two in Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, new initiative will advance useful quantum applications as industries move towards quantum-centric supercomputing YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y. and CHICAGO , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, IBM (NYSE: IBM ) and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced a collaboration to establish the new National Quantum Algorithm Center in the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) in Chicago . Anchored by IBM and other quantum computing pioneers including the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , the center will be fueled by IBM’s next-generation quantum computer, IBM Quantum System Two, which the company plans to deploy in Chicago in the coming year. IBM Quantum System Two within the IQMP will be powered by IBM Quantum Heron, which can execute utility-scale algorithms beyond the capabilities of brute-force, classical simulation methods. Users will be able to leverage this system with Qiskit, IBM’s performant quantum software, which is designed to be able to extend the length and complexity of quantum circuits to extract accurate results for problems of scientific and research value. These capabilities will enable Illinois’ growing ecosystem of quantum innovators across academia, national labs, and industries to discover how quantum-centric supercomputing could be used for complex industry challenges. As the next evolution of high-performance computing, IBM’s vision of quantum-centric supercomputing will integrate quantum and classical computers with performant software to break apart problems, allowing each architecture to solve parts of a complex algorithm for which it is best suited. Ultimately, this is engineered for users to run applications that are inaccessible or difficult for each computing paradigm on its own. “We are proud of the progress we have made to bring useful quantum technology to the world, and this new partnership with the State of Illinois and its thriving innovation ecosystem brings us one step closer to defining the future of computing,” said Arvind Krishna , Chairman and CEO, IBM . “With IBM’s best performing quantum hardware and software in the heart of Illinois’ innovation network, together we can truly unlock the potential of quantum computing to solve the world’s hardest problems.” “We’re making Illinois the global quantum capital and the center for job growth in the quantum industry – a true center of innovation with the power to solve the world’s most pressing and complex challenges and create jobs and investment for our state,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The groundbreaking National Quantum Algorithm Center in Illinois represents a transformative step forward, whose impact will reverberate throughout the tech industry and beyond. I’m grateful to the leadership at IBM and our university and other industry partners for their ongoing efforts to accelerate quantum computing across our state.” Within the National Quantum Algorithm Center, quantum information experts, experimentalists, and domain experts across industries will share a unified objective to uncover yet unknown algorithms that leverage quantum-centric computing, including those which combine quantum and classical supercomputing resources across workflows. These teams will explore rigorous experimentation to determine how to execute workloads for complex, industry challenges and within future hybrid supercomputing architectures. To help drive new algorithm discovery, IBM will leverage its leadership as a pioneer in bringing useful quantum computing to the world with its existing relationships with Illinois academic and industry leaders, including long-standing collaborations with the University of Chicago , the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , and members of the Chicago Quantum Exchange and the U.S. Economic Development Administration-designated Bloch Quantum Technology Hub. “IBM’s decision to engage more deeply with our vibrant Illinois quantum ecosystem marks a new phase in the development of quantum information technologies,” said Paul Alivisatos , President of the University of Chicago . “UChicago faculty and students will be able to deepen and expand their work in this area in collaboration with IBM scientists, colleagues from other universities, and many interested companies. The development of new algorithms is the next step to demonstrating effective quantum computations across a wide range of important problems and sectors.” “We’re thrilled to partner with IBM to bring the National Quantum Algorithm Center to life and look forward to hosting its state-of-the-art Quantum Computer as part of the IQMP,” said Harley Johnson , Director and CEO of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, and Founder Professor in Mechanical Science and Engineering, U. of I . “The IQMP is building upon Illinois’ strong existing ecosystem of top-tier talent, research centers, universities and more to further establish our state as a global hub for quantum, and all of the economic growth and technological advancement that comes with it. The National Quantum Algorithm Center will be a place where innovators can realize the potential quantum computing holds to solve some of our most complex problems, and we’re grateful to have IBM as a part of our campus.” “The great promise of quantum innovation is being realized through powerful partnerships with industry leaders like IBM connecting further to our universities, national labs, and state government,” said Rashid Bashir , Dean of The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign . “Our collaborative ecosystem is perfectly positioned to lead the National Quantum Algorithm Center through world-renowned faculty and students, and an entrepreneurial spirit that answers the most pressing questions of our time.” “The announcement of the National Quantum Algorithm Center in collaboration with IBM and some of our brightest higher education institutions is a pivotal moment in Illinois’ trajectory toward becoming a world leader in quantum research and development,” said John Atkinson , Chairman of Intersect Illinois. “Thanks to the planning, foresight and execution of our Team Illinois partners — including Governor JB Pritzker and his administration, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the state’s unmatched quantum ecosystem — we are well positioned to ensure the investment and job creation generated by this industry stays right here in Illinois .” About IBM IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. More than 4,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit ibm.com for more information. Media Contact Chris Nay IBM Research cnay@us.ibm.com SOURCE IBMNo, Voice of America is not a new government organization
Putin apologizes for crash but stops short of saying Azerbaijani plane was shot down
HOUSTON , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Gravity Oilfield Services Inc. ("Gravity" or the "company"), a growth-oriented water and power infrastructure company backed by affiliates of Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. ("Clearlake"), announced today that it has agreed to sell its Gravity Water Midstream division to Delek Logistics Partners, LP (NYSE: DKL) ("Delek Logistics"). Gravity Water Midstream provides gathering, transportation, recycling, storage, and disposal solutions for produced water in the Midland Basin in Texas and the Williston Basin in North Dakota . "The acquisition of Gravity Water Midstream by Delek Logistics creates a path to continue to build incredible scale in our water midstream platform in the Midland Basin," said Rob Rice , CEO of Gravity. "I am thankful to the employees of Gravity for their focus on service and dedication to building one of the largest commercial water management platforms in the Midland and Williston Basins. Building this water midstream platform would not be possible without the incredible support and partnership of Clearlake. I am excited to welcome in this new era for water management in the Midland and Williston Basins under the capable leadership of Delek Logistics." While Gravity is divesting its water midstream assets, the company will retain ownership and operation of its power infrastructure assets, continuing its commitment to providing critical power generation offerings. Clearlake and Gravity partnered in 2017 to pursue produced water midstream opportunities. Over the last several years, Gravity has focused on organically growing its water infrastructure business to support producers in the Midland and Williston basins, and its water business segment has quickly grown into one of the largest commercial operators of disposal wells in the Midland Basin. Gravity Water Midstream developed a system comprised of 200+ miles of permanent pipeline, 46 SWD facilities, and 14 fresh water facilities with over six million barrels of storage capacity, all of which form an extensive and interconnected network. "We valued the opportunity to partner with the Gravity team as they executed a vision to build a leading water midstream platform in the Midland and Williston Basins," said José E. Feliciano, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, and Colin Leonard, Partner and Managing Director, of Clearlake. "We'd like to thank Rob and the entire Gravity Water Midstream team for their hard work and commitment to growing the business organically over the last several years." Piper Sandler & Co served as exclusive financial advisor and Vinson & Elkins LLP served as legal counsel to Gravity in connection with the transaction. About Gravity Gravity is a growth-oriented provider of energy infrastructure services to U.S. onshore oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, providing water midstream solutions, critical power generation offerings and other production focused services. Gravity has significant coverage density in the Permian Basin and benefits from a national footprint supported by facilities, operations and management personnel in several other key domestic resource plays including the Bakken, Eagle Ford, SCOOP/STACK, DJ Basin, Haynesville and Marcellus, among others. More information is available at www.gvty.com . About Clearlake Capital Group Founded in 2006, Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. is an investment firm founded operating integrated businesses across private equity, credit and other related strategies. With a sector-focused approach, the firm seeks to partner with management teams by providing patient, long-term capital to businesses that can benefit from Clearlake's operational improvement approach, O.P.S. ® The firm's core target sectors are industrials, technology, and consumer. Clearlake has over $85 billion of assets under management, and its senior investment principals have led or co-led over 400 investments. The firm is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA with affiliates in Dallas, TX, London, UK, Dublin, Ireland , Singapore , and Abu Dhabi , UAE. More information is available at www.clearlake.com and on X @Clearlake . Media Contacts: For Gravity Heather Heacock , (281) 640-3043 Marketing Communication Manager heather.heacock@gvty.com For Clearlake Jennifer Hurson , (845) 507-0571 Lambert jhurson@lambert.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gravity-agrees-to-sell-water-midstream-business-to-delek-logistics-302330850.html SOURCE Gravity Oilfield Services Inc.; Clearlake Capital Group
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Cameron Huefner scored 20 points as Sam Houston beat Dallas 111-65 on Saturday. Huefner added eight rebounds for the Bearkats (7-6). Lamar Wilkerson went 7 of 13 from the field (3 for 8 from 3-point range) to add 17 points. Dorian Finister shot 5 for 11 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 15 points. Thomas Fleming led the Crusaders in scoring, finishing with 16 points. Dallas also got 15 points from Johny Olmsted. Chandler Holmes finished with 13 points. Sam Houston took the lead with 16:32 remaining in the first half and did not give it up. The score was 50-34 at halftime, with Huefner racking up 11 points. Sam Houston extended its lead to 91-53 during the second half, fueled by a 17-2 scoring run. Erik Taylor scored a team-high 10 points in the second half for the Bearkats. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Data Skrive.