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D2L Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2025 Financial ResultsIRVING, Texas , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT ) voted today to maintain the quarterly dividend of one dollar and forty-one cents ($1.41) per share of common stock, payable Feb. 20, 2025 , to shareholders of record at the close of business on Jan. 21, 2025 . Caterpillar has paid a cash dividend every year since the company was formed and has paid a quarterly dividend since 1933. Caterpillar has paid higher annual dividends to shareholders for 31 consecutive years and is recognized as a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index. About Caterpillar With 2023 sales and revenues of $67.1 billion , Caterpillar Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For nearly 100 years, we've been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed. Caterpillar does business on every continent, principally operating through three primary segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and providing financing and related services through our Financial Products segment. Visit us at caterpillar.com or join the conversation on our social media channels at caterpillar.com/en/news/social-media.html . SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.Board of Directors declares quarterly dividend OKLAHOMA CITY , Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- OGE Energy Corp. OGE , the parent company of Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company, announced today that Charles Walworth is appointed Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, effective December 4, 2024 . Walworth is a 25-year veteran of the company, holding a variety of finance roles during his tenure. Most recently, Walworth served as treasurer. "Chuck is a respected leader and the architect of one of the strongest balance sheets in the industry," said Sean Trauschke , OGE Energy Corp. Chairman, President and CEO. "He cares about our people, customers, communities and shareholders and I look forward to serving alongside him as we continue to grow the company." Additionally, the Board of Directors approved a first quarter dividend of $0.42125 per common share of stock, to be paid on January 31, 2025 , to shareholders of record on January 6, 2025 . CLASS OF STOCK: OGE Energy Corp. Common DIVIDEND PER SHARE: $0.42125 RECORD DATE: 1/6/25 PAYMENT DATE: 1/31/25 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oge-energy-corp-appoints-walworth-as-chief-financial-officer-302323141.html SOURCE OGE Energy Corp. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Caterpillar Inc. Maintains DividendGovernment weighs up next climate target under the Paris Agreement
Apple’s UK engineering teams have ‘doubled in size in five years’NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The holidays are underway, and while parents are planning to be more discerning with their budgets this year, toys remain a top priority. According to new research from The Toy AssociationTM, 69% of parents plan to cut costs elsewhere to ensure their kids have the top toys for the holidays. Recently, Toy Trends Specialist at The Toy Association, Jennifer Lynch, teamed with D S Simon Media on a nationwide satellite media tour to share some of the top toys for the holiday season. While toys based on kids’ favorite characters will certainly be driving kids’ ask, parents will also be seeking out toys that spark kids’ imaginations and provide learning benefits as they play. Here are some of the top toy picks for the 2024 holiday season: Spidey & His Amazing Friends Mega Jump HQ Trackset (Jazwares) Kids can launch their favorite Spidey characters down this 39-inch race track, which features Spidey’s Web-Quarters, an elevator, web tunnels, and ramps. With two exclusive vehicles and a mega jump, this action-packed set recreates scenes from the Spidey & His Amazing Friends TV show, offering hours of imaginative play. Transformers One Power Flip Optimus Prime (Orion Pax) (Hasbro) Inspired by the new Transformers One movie, this action figure transforms between four modes: Orion Pax, Cybertronian Truck, Optimus Prime, and Ultimate Optimus Prime. Lights, sounds, and action features bring the toy to life as kids flip between modes, celebrating 40 years of the Transformers franchise. LEGO Gravity Drop (Klutz) This STEM kit lets kids build and customize marble mazes with LEGO elements and papercraft components. With 168 LEGO pieces, kids can create various maze configurations and learn about physics and engineering through play. The set also includes an instruction book packed with engaging STEM content. Booksy Dome Figures (PMI Kids) Each collectible figure comes with a tiny book hidden inside featuring life lessons and colorful illustrations. Characters from PAW Patrol, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and PMI’s Monster Tales make reading fun while encouraging interactive play. Play-Doh Pizza Delivery Scooter Playset (Hasbro) This scooter is a ride-on toy and a Play-Doh pizza-making playset all in one. Kids can create pretend pizzas using the included Play-Doh, then "deliver" them using the scooter’s built-in pizza box slot. The set comes with 10 Play-Doh colors and 16 accessories, encouraging active, creative play. For more information, visit TheGeniusofPlay.org About Jennifer Lynch As an official spokesperson and toy trends specialist for The Toy Association, Jennifer Lynch chats with toymakers throughout the year to track trends and developments impacting the toy aisles and kids’ entertainment. She is interviewed frequently by national and local consumer and business media on toy trends and related topics. She has appeared on ABC News, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, KTLA-TV, WGN Chicago, WNBC New York, Bloomberg Radio, and CNET, among others, as well as in print publications including Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, Inc. Magazine, The Spruce, and others. She also served as the narrator for The Genius of Play’s "Once Upon a Playtime" podcast, which invited listeners to rediscover the value of play through real-life, personal stories of actors, artists, entrepreneurs, and more. Jennifer has over a decade of experience covering the toy and kids’ entertainment industries. Prior, she served as the editorial & creative manager for aNb Media and its b2c review site TTPM.com , where she oversaw all digital and print communications, reviewed product, and co-hosted a web series conducting in-depth interviews with toy industry executives. She began her career in her home state of Pennsylvania, handling marketing communications for Penn State’s art galleries (her alma mater). She resides in New Jersey with her husband and energetic three-year-old. * YourUpdateTV is a property of D S Simon Media. The video included and release was part of a media tour that was produced by D S Simon Media on behalf of The Toy Association About D S Simon Media The firm is well known as a leader in the satellite media tour industry and produces tours from its studio and multiple control rooms at its New York headquarters. Clients include top brands in healthcare, technology, travel, financial services, consumer goods, entertainment, retail and non-profits. Established in 1986 the firm has won more than 100 industry awards. Dante Muccigrosso Director of Media Integration & Client Reporting E: dantem@dssimon.com C: 973.524.0104 A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2da041fb-9a20-40be-b98a-cf143ed4e399Michigan's defense of national title fell short, aims to cap lost season with win against Ohio State
Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Special counsel Jack Smith on Monday dropped the election interference case against President-elect Donald Trump, seeking a judge’s dismissal of the charges. In a 6-page court filing , Smith’s team argued that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has long argued “that the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated,” referring to Trump’s recent election victory. “ This outcome is not based on the merits or strength of the case against the defendant, ” the filing states. His office said that prosecutors have conferred with Trump’s attorneys, who indicated they do not oppose the government’s motion. “ Based on the Department’s interpretation of the Constitution, the Government moves for dismissal without prejudice of the superseding indictment ,” the court documents state. The move marks an end to Smith’s criminal pursuit of Trump over the past two years or so, accusing him of attempting to illegally overturn the 2020 election. Smith also accused Trump of allegedly mishandling classified documents in a separate case, which was dismissed over the summer by a federal judge. The decision was anticipated after Smith’s team said in court filings that it was assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the classified documents case in the wake of Trump’s win on Nov. 5 over Vice President Kamala Harris. According to Smith’s team, the DOJ believes the president-elect can no longer be tried in accordance with longstanding policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. The president-elect has often criticized the two cases that were brought by Smith, named as the special counsel by now-outgoing Attorney General Merrick Garland, describing them as attempts to use the DOJ to target a political opponent. Earlier this year, Trump told a radio host that if he were elected, he would move to remove Smith as special counsel. Over the summer, the election case triggered a U.S. Supreme Court decision that said presidents can enjoy some immunity from prosecution for their official acts and duties. Months later, Smith filed a superseding indictment that argued Trump acted on his own accord and not within his presidential duties when he allegedly broke the law. Trump had pleaded not guilty to those charges. Trump also faced similar, election-related charges in Fulton County, Georgia. However, that case is in limbo after a co-defendant accused the prosecutor, Fani Willis, of being in a relationship with her special counsel, Nathan Wade, who resigned earlier this year after a judge issued an order. That Fulton County judge, however, allowed Willis, an elected Democrat, to remain on the case. But Trump and several co-defendants petitioned the Georgia Court of Appeals to reject the judge’s ruling, effectively pausing the case. In his business records case in New York, sentencing for Trump was postponed indefinitely last week by a judge after his election win. On May 30, Trump was convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection to payments he made during the 2016 presidential campaign, which he had denied were illegal. Sentencing in that case was initially scheduled for July but was postponed until Nov. 26. In a ruling on Nov. 22, Judge Juan Merchan wrote that he was granting a request to adjourn that sentencing date.
Kevin Kisner named NBC's lead golf analystSam Drummey was selected as a delegate to the U.S. Senate Youth Program. Sam, center, is pictured with his parents, , Delilah Poupore and Jonathan Drummey. Contributed / Maine Department of Education Sam Drummey of Thornton Academy in Saco is one of two Maine students who is a delegate for the 63rd annual prestigious United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), according to the Maine Department of Education. On Dec. 2, Drummey and Emmett Appell of Erskine Academy, both seniors, were recognized at their schools for their outstanding leadership, academic achievements, and community involvement. They will represent Maine in Washington, D.C. in March for an immersive week-long program, designed to deepen students’ understanding of the U.S. government and inspire future leaders. Sam serves as the Student Body’s vice president and is a passionate advocate for environmental sustainability and equal rights. Sam is deeply involved in his community, serving on the city of Biddeford’s Ad Hoc Sustainability Committee and the Biddeford Sustainability Commission. He has earned top academic honors, including awards in Honors Sophomore English, AP Human Geography, Honors Blind Eye of History, and nine other courses. Outside of the classroom, Sam actively volunteers with Maine Youth Action Network, MaineTransNet, and GrowSmart Maine. He is also a member of several school organizations, including the Student Council, Environmental Club, National Honor Society, Model UN, and the Speech Team. Sam’s future career aspirations focus on ensuring equal rights for all, protecting the environment, and working toward a renewable energy transition. His goal is to mitigate the negative impacts of environmental changes on vulnerable populations, while expanding access to vital services like housing and health care. “We are incredibly proud of these outstanding students who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, dedication to community service, and a deep commitment to learning,” Beth Lambert, chief teaching and learning officer for the Maine Department of Education, said. “Both Sam and Emmett embody the values of the United States Senate Youth Program, and we are confident that they will bring their passion for public service and civic engagement to Washington, D.C., as they represent Maine at the national level.” Members of both US. Senator Susan Collins’ office and U.S. Senator Angus King’s office, as well as representatives from the Maine Secretary of State’s office, were present during the announcement, underscoring the importance of fostering civic engagement and leadership in Maine’s young people. The USSYP, established by Senate Resolution 324 in 1962, offers a unique opportunity for young leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the federal government and meet with U.S. senators, government officials, and political leaders. In addition to the immersive experience, each delegate will receive a $10,000 college scholarship. For more information about the United States Senate Youth Program, visit the website maine.gov/doe/learning/content/social/USSYP . Comments are not available on this story. Send questions/comments to the editors. « PreviousKelly Loeffler nominated by Trump to lead Small Business Administration
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( ) shares had a tough time on Wednesday. The counterdrone technology company's shares were sold off again and dropped 6% to 70 cents. The good news for shareholders is that the company's shares are bouncing back on Thursday morning. In fact, the DroneShield share price was up 4% to 73 cents before being paused from trade. This put it among the best performers on the (ASX: XAO) index before the pause. Why are DroneShield's shares racing higher today? Today's gain was driven the release of an before the market open. According to the release, DroneShield has received a repeat order of $8.2 million from a major European military customer. The company advised that the order is for dismounted and vehicle-mounted counter-UxS systems. It expects to deliver the order over the next three months, including from available stock. The full cash payment is expected to be received during the first quarter of 2025. The company's CEO, Oleg Vornik, believes that this order is a validation of the quality of DroneShield products and how they are meeting the needs of sophisticated military customers. Commenting on the deal, Vornik said: Larger orders of this type from repeat customers of this calibre are a validation that DroneShield products are meeting the challenge set by sophisticated military customers. As the threat of drones is increasing across the entire battlespace, militaries need broader packages like this one. The chief executive also believes that this order demonstrates the company's competitive advantage in being able to link vehicle and fixed systems together. He adds: DroneShield is unique globally in that we can provide an entire ecosystem of dismounted, vehicle and fixed systems and link them all together. Should you invest? A recent note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts see a lot of value in DroneShield's shares at current levels. Prior to today's news, it had a buy rating and $1.20 price target on its shares. It said: Whilst DroneShield's revenue YTD has been disappointing, we view this as an opportunity to reset market expectations, which were overly optimistic for CY24. However, DRO remains a high-quality technology company, operating in a rapidly growing market and is well capitalised to maintain its market leading position. We believe the current SP provides an attractive entry point considering DRO's strong runway into CY25 ($18m contracted rev.), robust market demand and appealing long-term growth outlook. Why the pause? The pause states the following: Trading in the securities of the entity will be temporarily paused pending a further announcement. Stay tuned for that.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's defense of the national championship has fallen woefully short. The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the AP Top 25 , making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) failed to meet those modest expectations, barely becoming eligible to play in a bowl and putting the program in danger of losing six or seven games for the first time since the Brady Hoke era ended a decade ago. The Wolverines potentially can ease some of the pain with a win against rival and second-ranked Ohio State (10-1, 7-1, No. 2 CFP) on Saturday in the Horseshoe, but that would be a stunning upset. Ohio State is a 21 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, and that marks just the third time this century that there has been a spread of at least 20 1/2 points in what is known as “The Game.” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn't sound like someone who is motivating players with an underdog mentality. “I don’t think none of that matters in this game,” Moore said Monday. “It doesn’t matter the records. It doesn’t matter anything. The spread, that doesn’t matter.” How did Michigan end up with a relative mess of a season on the field, coming off its first national title since 1997? Winning it all with a coach and star player contemplating being in the NFL for the 2024 season seemed to have unintended consequences for the current squad. The Wolverines closed the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Jan. 8; several days later quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced he was skipping his senior season; and it took more than another week for Jim Harbaugh to bolt to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. In the meantime, most quality quarterbacks wanting to transfer had already enrolled at other schools and Moore was left with lackluster options. Davis Warren beat out Alex Orji to be the team's quarterback for the opener and later lost the job to Orji only to get it back again. No matter who was under center, however, would've likely struggled this year behind an offensive line that sent six players to the NFL. The Wolverines lost one of their top players on defense, safety Rod Moore, to a season-ending injury last spring and another one, preseason All-America cornerback Will Johnson, hasn't played in more than a month because of an injury. The Buckeyes are not planning to show any mercy after losing three straight in the series. “We’re going to attack them," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. “We know they’re going to come in here swinging, too, and they’ve still got a good team even though the record doesn’t indicate it. This game, it never matters what the records are." While a win would not suddenly make the Wolverines' season a success, it could help Moore build some momentum a week after top-rated freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. “You come to Michigan to beat Ohio,” said defensive back Quinten Johnson, intentionally leaving the word State out when referring to the rival. "That's one of the pillars of the Michigan football program. “It doesn’t necessarily change the fact of where we are in the season, but it definitely is one of the defining moments of your career here at Michigan.” AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-pollSafety Micah Hyde rejoins the Buffalo Bills after being signed to practice squad
Malaysian Air Force Chief calls on Chief of Air Staff
For more than a decade, the United States has sought to keep out of Syria's political debacle, seeing no viable partner. Islamist rebels' toppling of strongman Bashar al-Assad has forced a change of tune -- and a debate over just what US interests are. Donald Trump, who returns to the White House in little more than a month, on the eve of Assad's fall called Syria "a mess" and stated in his plain-speaking style that the United States should not be involved. Joe Biden's administration, after putting Syria on the backburner in a turbulent region, has offered a tacit rebuttal by stating that clear US interests are at stake -- including preventing Syria from fragmenting and avoiding a resurgence of the Islamic State extremist group. Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump's and Biden's statements could be combined and "together they make a kind of decent policy." The United States needs to address real concerns about the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda but "as far as getting involved in arranging the politics of Syria, I think that no good can come from it," Cook said. Since the presidency of Barack Obama, the United States has walked a fine line on Syria that critics often derided as a non-policy. The United States questioned the legitimacy of Assad, demanding accountability for brutality in one of the 21st century's deadliest wars, but stopped short of prioritizing his departure due to suspicions about the main rebels. The Islamist movement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has now led Assad's ouster, traces its roots to Syria's Al-Qaeda branch and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States. Since Obama's time, the United States instead has allied itself in Syria with a smaller fighting force of the Kurdish minority -- over strenuous objections of neighboring Turkey, which backs HTS -- with a narrow mission to counter the Islamic State group. Some 900 US troops remain in Syria. Assad fell in a lighting surprise offensive as his protector Russia is bogged down in its invasion of Ukraine and after Israel's military heavily degraded Assad's other key supporters -- Iran and Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Robert Ford, the last US ambassador to Syria, helped spearhead the terrorist designation of HTS in 2012 but said that the group since then has not attacked US or Western targets and has instead fought Al-Qaeda and Islamic State forces. Ford also pointed with hope to post-victory statements by rebel chief Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, including welcoming international monitoring of any chemical weapons that are discovered. More from this section "Can you imagine Osama bin Laden saying that?" said Ford, now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "I'm not saying 'trust Jolani.' He's obviously authoritarian. He's obviously an Islamist who doesn't believe that Christians have an equal right to power as Muslims. But I sure as hell want to test him on some of these things," Ford said. He said that the United States should encourage HTS, as well as other Syrian actors, to reach out and reassure the country's diverse communities including Christians, Kurds and Alawites -- the sect of the secular-oriented Assad. Beyond that, Washington should take a back-seat and let Syrians sort out their future, he said. "We should learn from the experience in Iraq that trying to impose exiles on a population traumatized by a brutal dictatorship and war is not a recipe for success," Ford said. Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday offered US recognition to a future government that is "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian." Trump in his first term, at the urging of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, abruptly said he would pull troops out of Syria. He backtracked after intense criticism at home and appeals from French President Emmanuel Macron, who pointed to the risk of Islamic State filling the vacuum. Trump has not indicated how he would change Syria policy this time. But he has shown no reluctance in the past to negotiate with foreign adversaries on the US blacklist, from Afghanistan's Taliban to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said there was no legal restriction on US contact with designated terrorists, although he indicated there was no direct dialogue with HTS. Natasha Hall, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Syria could face "devastating economic and humanitarian consequences" unless the United States reconsiders the terrorist designation of HTS, which impedes aid groups. "That said," she said, "if there isn't sort of an established framework for negotiations and good behavior now, before that designation is lifted, that could potentially also be a major mistake down the line for Syria's future." sct/sms
NoneMcKewon: For its own and Nebraska’s sake, 2025 recruiting class needs to be a big hit
Innofactor Plc Stock Exchange release, on November 25, 2024, at 20:00 Finnish time Innofactor's Board of Directors has appointed Anni Wahlroos as Debuty CEO for Innofactor Group as of November 25, 2025. She will continue as the Chief People Officer of the Innofactor Group and as a member of the Group's Executive Board, reporting to CEO Sami Ensio. Wahlroos has been with Innofactor since 2015 and has been a member of the Group's Executive Board since 2022. "I am grateful and humbled by the trust placed in me. At Innofactor, we have the most amazing professionals and clients in the Nordic countries, and it has been a joy and an honor to do my dream job with them for the past ten years. Innofactor's new strategy, the rapidly changing world, and artificial intelligence bring exciting opportunities for the future as well," says Anni Wahlroos. "I am very pleased with Anni's appointment as our Deputy CEO. Over the past ten years at Innofactor, Anni has demonstrated exceptional expertise and commitment to the company and her work. A skilled and motivated staff is at the core of Innofactor's operations - PeopleFirst. I am confident that Anni will continue to develop Innofactor and help the company achieve its growth targets also in the future," says CEO Sami Ensio. Espoo, November 25, 2024 INNOFACTOR PLC Board of Directors Additional information: Sami Ensio, CEO Innofactor Plc Tel. +358 50 584 2029 [email protected] Distribution: NASDAQ Helsinki Main media www.innofactor.com Innofactor Innofactor is the leading driver of the modern digital organization in the Nordic Countries for its about 1,000 customers in commercial and public sector. Innofactor has the widest solution offering and leading know-how in the Microsoft ecosystem in the Nordics. Innofactor has about 600 enthusiastic and motivated top specialists in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. The Innofactor Plc share is listed in the technology section of the main list of NASDAQ Helsinki Oy. www.innofactor.com #ModernDigitalOrganization #PeopleFirst #CreatingSmiles #BeTheRealYouDonald Trump, who returns to the White House in little more than a month, on the eve of Assad's fall called Syria "a mess" and stated in his plain-speaking style that the United States should not be involved. Joe Biden's administration, after putting Syria on the backburner in a turbulent region, has offered a tacit rebuttal by stating that clear US interests are at stake -- including preventing Syria from fragmenting and avoiding a resurgence of the Islamic State extremist group. Steven Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump's and Biden's statements could be combined and "together they make a kind of decent policy." The United States needs to address real concerns about the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda but "as far as getting involved in arranging the politics of Syria, I think that no good can come from it," Cook said. Since the presidency of Barack Obama, the United States has walked a fine line on Syria that critics often derided as a non-policy. The United States questioned the legitimacy of Assad, demanding accountability for brutality in one of the 21st century's deadliest wars, but stopped short of prioritizing his departure due to suspicions about the main rebels. The Islamist movement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has now led Assad's ouster, traces its roots to Syria's Al-Qaeda branch and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States. Since Obama's time, the United States instead has allied itself in Syria with a smaller fighting force of the Kurdish minority -- over strenuous objections of neighboring Turkey, which backs HTS -- with a narrow mission to counter the Islamic State group. Some 900 US troops remain in Syria. Assad fell in a lighting surprise offensive as his protector Russia is bogged down in its invasion of Ukraine and after Israel's military heavily degraded Assad's other key supporters -- Iran and Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Robert Ford, the last US ambassador to Syria, helped spearhead the terrorist designation of HTS in 2012 but said that the group since then has not attacked US or Western targets and has instead fought Al-Qaeda and Islamic State forces. Ford also pointed with hope to post-victory statements by rebel chief Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, including welcoming international monitoring of any chemical weapons that are discovered. "Can you imagine Osama bin Laden saying that?" said Ford, now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. "I'm not saying 'trust Jolani.' He's obviously authoritarian. He's obviously an Islamist who doesn't believe that Christians have an equal right to power as Muslims. But I sure as hell want to test him on some of these things," Ford said. He said that the United States should encourage HTS, as well as other Syrian actors, to reach out and reassure the country's diverse communities including Christians, Kurds and Alawites -- the sect of the secular-oriented Assad. Beyond that, Washington should take a back-seat and let Syrians sort out their future, he said. "We should learn from the experience in Iraq that trying to impose exiles on a population traumatized by a brutal dictatorship and war is not a recipe for success," Ford said. Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday offered US recognition to a future government that is "credible, inclusive and non-sectarian." Trump in his first term, at the urging of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, abruptly said he would pull troops out of Syria. He backtracked after intense criticism at home and appeals from French President Emmanuel Macron, who pointed to the risk of Islamic State filling the vacuum. Trump has not indicated how he would change Syria policy this time. But he has shown no reluctance in the past to negotiate with foreign adversaries on the US blacklist, from Afghanistan's Taliban to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said there was no legal restriction on US contact with designated terrorists, although he indicated there was no direct dialogue with HTS. Natasha Hall, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Syria could face "devastating economic and humanitarian consequences" unless the United States reconsiders the terrorist designation of HTS, which impedes aid groups. "That said," she said, "if there isn't sort of an established framework for negotiations and good behavior now, before that designation is lifted, that could potentially also be a major mistake down the line for Syria's future." sct/sms
Whether you're a console or PC gamer, your display can make or break your gaming experience. The Samsung Odyssey Ark is a 55-inch, curved gaming monitor designed to be the ultimate display for hardcore gamers and content creators alike. And right now, you can save $1,200 on one at Amazon -- that's a sizable 40% off. And you won't want to wait to take advantage of this incredible discount, because a discount this good means stock might sell out fast, especially ahead of the holiday shopping season. Also: The best Black Friday deals live now The 55-inch screen uses a mini-LED panel to create brilliant colors and bold contrast. It features a 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time for near-instant reactions to your inputs as well as smoother motion during action scenes. It even supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro VRR technology to help prevent screen tearing and stuttering that can ruin your gaming session. It also produces 4K resolution so you can keep up with graphically demanding games on both PC and console. For audio, the Samsung Odyssey Ark uses four speakers, two subwoofers, and Dolby Atmos to create room-filling virtual surround sound for a more immersive experience, which is great news for anyone who doesn't like to game with a headset on. With Samsung's Gaming Hub, you'll be able to access cloud gaming apps like Nvidia GeForce Now so you can remote play your favorite PC games. The included Ark Dial lets you fine-tune settings for the best picture quality, and by rotating the screen to portrait mode, it's an almost perfect display for flight sims. When will this deal expire? Deals are subject to sell-out or expire at any time, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We're sorry if you've missed out on a deal, but don't fret -- we're constantly finding new chances to save and sharing them with you at ZDNET.com . Best VPN services Best robot vacuums and mops The best phones you can buy (and how the iPhone 16 Pro Max compares) The best laptops you can buy: Expert tested
American Prairie hits half-million-acre milestone with latest land purchase in north-central Montana(Bloomberg) — The man who led Canada’s trade negotiating team during Donald Trump’s first term said the US President-elect “likes tariffs even more now” and will be less constrained about about using them in his second. Steve Verheul, who was Canada’s chief trade negotiator from 2017 to 2021, said Trump’s threat of 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports would be a significant economic hit to all three countries, creating “a highly disruptive period of time.” But if the Trump administration tries to levy tariffs on all manufactured goods from Canada, but not oil and agricultural commodities, Canada has a card it can play — it can place export levies on those goods as a negotiating tactic, said Verheul, who’s now a private consultant. Canada is by far the largest external supplier of oil to the US and a huge exporter of agricultural goods. Export levies would quickly drive up the cost of fuel and food to American consumers. Some US refineries are highly dependent on Canadian heavy oil and would have few alternatives. “I agree that the first areas that would be potentially subject to exemption would be oil and gas and food,” Verheul said at an event organized by Bank of Montreal. But in the context of a trade fight, “it might even make sense for Canada to apply export taxes to those products, in order to try to negotiate a broader exemption across all the sectors.” Such a move would likely be a last resort for Canada, which would find its economy in a tough spot if Trump were to follow through with tariffs at that level. Doug Porter, Bank of Montreal’s chief economist, said financial markets clearly believe the risk of broad tariffs is overstated, given the relative stability of the Canadian and Mexican currencies after they initially sold off in the hours after Trump’s social media post last week. “I suspect that that calm is highly questionable,” Porter said. “I think we should take the threats seriously, or at the very least, prepare and consider what broad-based tariffs could mean for the economy.” Tariffs of 25% against Canada and Mexico would leave the two North American trading partners in a worse position for exporting to the US market than other members of the World Trade Organization, Verheul said. “We would really be in a place where only Russia, North Korea and a handful of other countries would have worse access.” In the case where Trump imposes big tariffs and Canada retaliates, Canada’s gross domestic product could be reduced by 3% or more, leading to major monetary and fiscal policy responses, Porter said. The Bank of Canada may be forced to cut the benchmark interest rate as low as 1.5% in the extreme case of broad-based tariffs, Porter said. It’s currently 3.75%. Meanwhile, the government “would be quite reasonable to provide all kinds of support” through spending, Porter said. “I think we would be talking, roughly speaking, on the order of about half a per cent of GDP of fiscal support.” Tariffs can be partially counteracted by currency depreciation, and in the worst-case scenario, “I think a depreciation of the Canadian dollar of 5% to 10% from current levels would be within reason, it’s entirely conceivable,” Porter said. The latter would take the Canadian dollar down to about C$1.56 per US dollar, a level not seen since 2003. —With assistance from Erik Hertzberg.Michigan's defense of national title fell short, aims to cap lost season with win against Ohio State
Interim analysis shows that tecovirimat did not improve time to lesion resolution compared to placebo in adults with mild to moderate clade II mpox Study stopped enrolling patients in all study arms Results affirm tecovirimat’s strong safety profile Efficacy in patients with more severe disease not assessed in study NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) today announced results from an interim analysis of the Study of Tecovirimat for Human Mpox Virus (STOMP) clinical trial (NCT05534984). NIAID reported that SIGA’s tecovirimat, a highly targeted antiviral treatment, did not demonstrate efficacy in time to skin and mucosal lesion resolution compared to placebo in patients with mild to moderate clade II mpox. Based on this and additional analyses, the study Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) recommended to stop enrolling patients in the randomized arms of the study. NIAID accepted this recommendation and subsequently decided to take a similar action in the open label arm of this study, which included severe and at-risk of developing severe disease patients. Data analysis is not yet complete for primary endpoint subgroups and detailed secondary and exploratory endpoints. “Antivirals are most effective when administered early in the course of an infection and tend to demonstrate the greatest benefit in patients with more severe disease. The STOMP results are not unexpected as the study design was similar to the PALM007 study except it was in patients with mild to moderate clade II mpox compared to patients with clade I mpox. It is important to note that approximately 75% of mpox patients in the randomized arms of the STOMP trial received tecovirimat more than five days after symptom onset, and higher risk patients were included in an open-label arm,” stated Diem Nguyen, Chief Executive Officer. Tecovirimat, also known as TPOXX, was developed in partnership with the U.S. Government and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat smallpox—a virus closely related to, but far more serious than, mpox. TPOXX was approved in 2018 based on data from 12 clinical trials of oral TPOXX in 700 healthy human volunteers, which showed no drug-related serious adverse events. Four pivotal trials in non-human primates (NHPs) and two pivotal trials in rabbits demonstrated that TPOXX significantly reduced both mortality and viral load in NHP infected with mpox virus and in rabbits infected with rabbitpox virus. The results of the animal efficacy studies were published in the July 5, 2018 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine . “Tecovirimat’s mechanism of action is driven by halting viral transmission. Once virus is present in the system, the body’s natural immune system plays a central role in clearing it, typically within two to four weeks in immune competent patients. Research results thus far indicate that early treatment with tecovirimat including post-exposure prophylaxis and treatment in severe cases may offer the greatest potential for patient benefit,” stated Dennis Hruby, Chief Scientific Officer. Additionally, in this study, tecovirimat exhibited a safety profile comparable to placebo. These safety results are consistent with prior studies and further support the strong safety profile that has been observed with tecovirimat over the past 15 years. Dr. Nguyen continued, “We thank our partners, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the patients who participated in this trial, and the investigators who supported this trial. Their unwavering dedication to public health has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of mpox and tecovirimat.” Three randomized clinical trials, UNITY (Switzerland, Brazil, Argentina), Platinum-CAN (Canada), and EPOXI (EU), are enrolling mpox patients. Given the STOMP and PALM007 results and the design similarities across these mpox trials, the Company believes these ongoing trials are likely to yield similar results. About the STOMP Clinical Trial in Mpox The STOMP study is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tecovirimat for the treatment of people with laboratory-confirmed or presumptive mpox disease. Beginning in September 2022, the study enrolled participants with mpox from Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, and the United States, including Puerto Rico, who had symptoms for less than 14 days. Participants were randomly (2:1) assigned to receive tecovirimat or a placebo for 14 days. The number of capsules and frequency of dosage were based on patient weight. Participants with severe disease, certain skin conditions, or significantly suppressed immune systems received open-label tecovirimat rather than being randomized. The study monitored participants’ safety across randomized and open label arms. In the randomized arms, STOMP examined the time to full mpox lesion resolution, viral clearance, and study participants’ reports of pain. Participants were followed for 28 days with a study site visit at day 29 and then again at day 57 for possible recrudescence of infection. About SIGA SIGA Technologies (SIGA) (NASDAQ: SIGA) is a commercial-stage pharmaceutical company and leader in global health focused on the development of innovative medicines to treat and prevent infectious diseases. With a primary focus on orthopoxviruses, we are dedicated to protecting humanity against the world’s most severe infectious diseases, including those that occur naturally, accidentally, or intentionally. Through partnerships with governments and public health agencies, we work to build a healthier and safer world by providing essential countermeasures against these global health threats. Our flagship product, TPOXX® (tecovirimat), is an antiviral medicine approved in the U.S. and Canada for the treatment of smallpox and authorized in Europe and the UK for the treatment of smallpox, mpox (monkeypox), cowpox, and vaccinia complications. For more information about SIGA, visit www.siga.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including statements relating to the efficacy of tecovirimat to treat mpox in certain patient populations and the results of ongoing mpox clinical studies. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our future financial position, business strategy, budgets, projected costs, plans and objectives of management for future operations. The words “may,” “continue,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “seek,” “anticipate,” “could,” “should,” “target,” “goal,” “potential” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, and SIGA cautions you that any forward-looking information provided by or on behalf of SIGA is not a guarantee of future performance. SIGA’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated by such forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, some of which are beyond SIGA’s control, including, but not limited to, (i) the risk that BARDA elects, in its sole discretion as permitted under the 75A50118C00019 BARDA Contract (the “BARDA Contract”), not to exercise the remaining unexercised option under the BARDA Contract, (ii) the risk that SIGA may not complete performance under the BARDA Contract on schedule or in accordance with contractual terms, (iii) the risk that the BARDA Contract or U.S. Department of Defense contracts are modified or canceled at the request or requirement of, or SIGA is not able to enter into new contracts to supply TPOXX to, the U.S. Government, (iv) the risk that the nascent international biodefense market does not develop to a degree that allows SIGA to continue to successfully market TPOXX internationally, (v) the risk that potential products, including potential alternative uses or formulations of TPOXX that appear promising to SIGA or its collaborators, cannot be shown to be efficacious or safe in subsequent pre-clinical or clinical trials, (vi) the risk that target timing for deliveries of product to customers, and the recognition of related revenues, are delayed or adversely impacted by the actions, or inaction, of contract manufacturing organizations, or other vendors, within the supply chain, or due to coordination activities between the customer and supply chain vendors, (vii) the risk that SIGA or its collaborators will not obtain appropriate or necessary governmental approvals to market these or other potential products or uses, (viii) the risk that SIGA may not be able to secure or enforce sufficient legal rights in its products, including intellectual property protection, (ix) the risk that any challenge to SIGA’s patent and other property rights, if adversely determined, could affect SIGA’s business and, even if determined favorably, could be costly, (x) the risk that regulatory requirements applicable to SIGA’s products may result in the need for further or additional testing or documentation that will delay or prevent SIGA from seeking or obtaining needed approvals to market these products, (xi) the risk that the volatile and competitive nature of the biotechnology industry may hamper SIGA’s efforts to develop or market its products, (xii) the risk that changes in domestic or foreign economic and market conditions may affect SIGA’s ability to advance its research or may affect its products adversely, (xiii) the effect of federal, state, and foreign regulation, including drug regulation and international trade regulation, on SIGA’s businesses, (xiv) the risk of disruptions to SIGA’s supply chain for the manufacture of TPOXX®, causing delays in SIGA’s research and development activities, causing delays or the re-allocation of funding in connection with SIGA’s government contracts, or diverting the attention of government staff overseeing SIGA’s government contracts, (xv) risks associated with actions or uncertainties surrounding the debt ceiling, (xvi) the risk that the U.S. or foreign governments' responses (including inaction) to national or global economic conditions or infectious diseases, are ineffective and may adversely affect SIGA’s business, and (xvii) risks associated with responding to an mpox outbreak, as well as the risks and uncertainties included in Item 1A “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and SIGA's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SIGA urges investors and security holders to read those documents free of charge at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov . All such forward-looking statements are current only as of the date on which such statements were made. SIGA does not undertake any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which any such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.