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Breakaway success: Why cowgirls are once again knocking at the NFR’s doorVenHub Global, Inc. is an emerging AI and robotics technology company that has developed a 24/7 fully-autonomous retail Smart Store, headquartered in Pasadena, CA, and has amassed a robust pre-order backlog of 1,000+ stores with potential revenue of more than $300 million 1 VenHub's innovative solution offers low building and operating costs and advanced security features, empowering store owners to deliver a seamless customer experience VenHub's proprietary robotic arms technology and cutting-edge vision system ensures precise product delivery, while its AI-driven platform is expected to optimize store operations VenHub intends to build strategic partnerships, diversify product offerings, and advance its technology for future growth The proposed business combination with Target Global Acquisition I Corp. values VenHub at a pro forma enterprise value of $715 million 1 and is targeted to close in Q2 2025 PASADENA, Calif., Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via IBN – VenHub, a disruptive AI and robotics company ("VenHub" or the "Company"), and Target Global Acquisition I Corp. TGAA ("TGAA"), a NASDAQ-listed special purpose acquisition company, today announced they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement, dated as of December 2, 2024 (the "Business Combination Agreement"). The proposed business combination (the "Proposed Business Combination") is expected to be completed (the "Closing") in the second quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory and shareholder approvals. The combined company will operate as VenHub Global Holdings, Inc. following the Closing and is expected to list on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "VHUB". As one of the leading providers of a 24/7 autonomous smart store, VenHub has introduced and developed a solution with the potential to transform how consumers interact with technology in retail environments. Powered by proprietary software and unique robotics arms technology, VenHub's product offering can provide a seamless customer experience. Manufactured by a leader in the global robotics industry, the innovative robotic arms technology can differentiate VenHub from traditional retail solutions and well-positions the Company in the automated retail space. Additionally, VenHub's cutting edge vision system adds precision and reliability to its product offering, and the efficiency and security of the Smart Stores are enabled by VenHub's intellectual property portfolio. Founded in 2023, VenHub is addressing challenges facing traditional retail stores, including inefficient inventory management, limited hours, high labor costs, and security concerns. The Smart Stores are designed to utilize data-driven inventory management, a self-service delivery system, and advanced security protection, all of which reduce labor costs and collectively enhance sales and growth potential. Through these potential competitive advantages, VenHub has secured over 1,000 customer pre-orders across 48 states, with potential revenue of more than $300 million 1 in pre-order value. This pre-order book demonstrates market confidence in VenHub's smart store technology. VenHub's growth strategy focuses on geographic and store format expansion to meet the growing demand for autonomous retail solutions, as well as product diversification to enhance VenHub's market presence and operational efficiency. The Company's CapEx-light business model has the potential to create value for stakeholders, and its diversified business model with potential for recurring revenue can allow VenHub to achieve its expansion plan. Key Investment Highlights Disruptive AI & Robotics Technology – innovative product with potential to revolutionize consumer behavior. Sizeable Total Addressable Market – over $2 trillion 1 end-market across convenience stores, traditional retail, and gas stations, which is global in nature. Large Pre-order Book with Deliveries Beginning this Year – over $300M 2 in potential revenue from customer pre-orders with production beginning in Q4 2024 and targeted delivery of the first Smart Stores in Q1 2025. Attractive Financial Profile – unit level economics driven by immediate positive gross profit and EBITDA margins. Leadership Expertise – accomplished management team with strong automation, logistics, supply chain, robotics, and retail experience. Management Commentary Shahan Ohanessian, Chief Executive Officer of VenHub, commented : "This is day one for VenHub on a larger stage," Shahan Ohanessian, CEO of VenHub, remarked. "We're at the starting line of what I believe will be a remarkable journey, turning our vision into reality and expanding our reach on a global scale. We're not just joining the market; we're aiming to pioneer a new frontier in smart retail that enhances how businesses and consumers connect." Mike Minnick, Chief Executive Officer of TGAA, added : "We are excited to partner with Shahan and the VenHub team. VenHub's efficient, capital-light business model, combined with strong near-term projected positive cash flow generation, positions the Company for sustainable growth. This approach enables strategic expansion into multiple geographic markets while leveraging internally generated cash flow and maintaining disciplined resource allocation." Proposed Business Combination Overview The Proposed Business Combination implies a pro forma enterprise value of $715 million, which assumes an estimated equity value of $650 million, $26 million in new cash to the balance sheet (assuming 100% redemptions by TGAA public shareholders), and $0.6 million in existing cash. The Proposed Business Combination is expected to provide net cash to VenHub of up to $14 million to support VenHub's continued geographic expansion and product diversification. Cash proceeds raised will consist of TGAA's approximately $20.4 million cash in trust, net of redemptions. The cash in the TGAA trust account is anticipated to support the Company's growth capital needs, including VenHub's production, marketing and sales efforts. It is intended that 100% of existing VenHub stockholders will roll over their equity and, assuming no redemptions and full rollover, own approximately 89% of the pro forma equity of the combined company in connection with the transaction. The Proposed Business Combination has been approved by the boards of directors of both VenHub and TGAA and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025, subject to shareholder approvals and other customary closing conditions. For a summary of the material terms of the Proposed Business Combination, as well as a supplemental investor presentation, please see the Current Report on Form 8-K filed today by TGAA with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Additional information about the Proposed Business Combination will be described in TGAA's proxy statement relating to the Proposed Business Combination, which it will file with the SEC. Advisors Cohen & Company Capital Markets, a division of J.V.B. Financial Group, LLC, is serving as the exclusive financial advisor, capital markets advisor and placement agent to VenHub. Smith Eilers PLLC is serving as legal counsel to VenHub. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP is serving as legal counsel to TGAA. Travers Thorp Alberga is serving as legal counsel to TGAA with respect to Cayman Islands law. About VenHub VenHub Global, Inc., f/k/a Autonomous Solutions, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is reshaping the retail industry with its groundbreaking autonomous and robotic-operated Smart Stores. Leveraging advanced AI and smart inventory management systems, VenHub offers a seamless shopping experience that operates 24/7. This approach not only increases revenue but also significantly reduces operational costs compared to traditional retail setups. VenHub's modular design allows for quick installation and easy customization to meet a wide range of consumer needs. The company operates across three main retail formats: fixed Smart Stores for permanent locations, mobile Smart Stores for flexibility and broader accessibility, and innovative solutions that upgrade existing retail spaces and shopping centers into advanced Smart Shopping environments. With its forward-thinking strategy, VenHub is poised to transform the retail landscape, providing an efficient and accessible shopping experience that anticipates the future of commerce. About Target Global Acquisition I Corp. TGAA Acquisition I Corp. is a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Island exempted company and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. TGAA's units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbols "TGAAU," "TGAA," and "TGAAW" respectively. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. TGAA's and VenHub's actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as "expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, TGAA's and VenHub's expectations with respect to future performance and anticipated financial impacts of the Proposed Business Combination, the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the Proposed Business Combination and the timing of the completion of the Proposed Business Combination. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside TGAA's and VenHub's control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement, (2) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against TGAA and VenHub following the announcement of the Business Combination Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein; (3) the inability to complete the Proposed Business Combination, including due to failure to obtain approval of the shareholders of TGAA or other conditions to closing in the Business Combination Agreement; (4) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement or could otherwise cause the Proposed Business Combination to fail to close; (5) the amount of redemption requests made by TGAA's shareholders; (6) the inability to obtain or maintain the listing of the post-business combination company's common stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC following the Proposed Business Combination; (7) the risk that the Proposed Business Combination disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the Proposed Business Combination; (8) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees; (9) costs related to the Proposed Business Combination; (10) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (11) the possibility that VenHub or the combined company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and (12) other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in the proxy statement relating to the Proposed Business Combination, including those under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" which will be set forth in a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the "Registration Statement") to be filed by TGAA and the Company and in TGAA's other filings with the SEC. Some of these risks and uncertainties may be amplified by future events and there may be additional risks that we consider immaterial or which are unknown. It is not possible to predict or identify all such risks. TGAA cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. TGAA cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. TGAA does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based . Additional Information and Where to Find It This press release relates to a proposed transaction between the Company and TGAA. This document does not constitute an offer to sell or exchange, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange, any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act. TGAA and the Company intend to file a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement/prospectus of TGAA. The proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to all TGAA shareholders. TGAA also will file other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC. Before making any voting decision, investors and security holders of TGAA are urged to read the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction as they become available because they will contain important information about the proposed transaction. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by TGAA through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov . In addition, the documents filed by TGAA may be obtained free of charge from TGAA's website at https://tgacquisition1.com/ or by written request to TGAA at: Target Global Acquisition I Corp., PO Box 10176, Governor's Square 23, Lime Tree Bay Avenue, Grand Cayman KY1-1102, Cayman Islands. Participants in the Solicitation TGAA and the Company and their respective directors and officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from TGAA's shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about TGAA's directors and executive officers and their ownership of TGAA's securities is set forth in TGAA's filings with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of those persons and other persons who may be deemed participants in the proposed transaction may be obtained by reading the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available. You may obtain free copies of these documents as described in the preceding paragraph. No Offer or Solicitation This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation to purchase any security of TGAA, VenHub or any of their respective affiliates. No such offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act, or an exemption therefrom. The contents of this press release have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority in any jurisdiction. INVESTMENT IN ANY SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SEC OR ANY OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY NOR HAS ANY AUTHORITY PASSED UPON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THE OFFERING OR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. Investor Relations Contact IR@VenHub.com 888-585-4999 Wire Service Contact : IBN Los Angeles, California www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com 310.299.1717 Office Editor@InvestorBrandNetwork.com 1 Grand View Research, "GVR Report cover Convenience Stores Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (Cigarettes & Tobacco, Foodservice, Packaged Beverages, Center Store, Low Alcoholic Beverages), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2028", May 2022 2 Based on management estimates. As of September 30, 2024. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.AP News Summary at 2:23 p.m. EST
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — One person was shot to death Thursday afternoon and three others were injured in the French Quarter, New Orleans’ historic tourist district, police said. Police responded to the shooting at the intersection of Iberville and Royal streets at around 12:21 p.m. and had at least one of three suspects in custody, Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick told reporters. Kirkpatrick said at least three masked suspects were in a silver 2016 Honda Accord when they pulled up outside Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse and opened fire. “This was not random, and we could see that,” Kirkpatrick said in a media briefing at the scene. The arrested suspect’s name and the expected charges have not yet been released. Kirkpatrick urged the other suspects to come forward. “We know who you are,” she said. “We’re asking you to come in, turn yourself in.” At least one firearm has been recovered, she said. It’s the second shooting incident within a week in Orleans Parish. On Sunday, gunfire broke out twice as the Nine Times Social Aid & Pleasure Club’s second line parade rolled through a neighborhood, wounding 10 people, then killing two people and wounding a third 45 minutes later as the parade crossed the Almonaster bridge. “Tragically, we are faced with another mass shooting this week,” said New Orleans City Council president Helena Moreno in a statement. “This is an overall gun violence problem throughout our city and we cannot stand for it. This is not who we are and those responsible will be apprehended and fully prosecuted.” Kirkpatrick noted that in November 2023, 20 murders were recorded. Thursday’s shooting brings the number to nine so far for November 2024, she said. The last shooting involving multiple people in the French Quarter happened in Nov. 2022, when five people were shot, none fatally, in the 200 block of Bourbon Street. In Nov. 2016, one person died and nine were wounded in a shooting. Meanwhile, the two victims from Thursday’s incident were listed in stable condition and a third was in surgery, Kirkpatrick said. Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse was closed at the time of the shooting. No workers were injured and the business will remain closed Thursday, spokesperson Lindsay RossCanadian Prime Minister Trudeau flies to Florida to meet with Trump after tariffs threat WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has flown to Florida to have dinner with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. Joining Trump and Trudeau at dinner were Trump's picks for commerce secretary, interior secretary and national security adviser, and the three men's wives. From the Canadian side, the dinner guests included Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security. Trump’s transition did not respond to questions about what they had discussed or whether the conversation alleviated Trump’s concerns about the border. A smiling Trudeau declined comment upon returning to his West Palm Beach hotel late Friday. Emboldened 'manosphere' accelerates threats and demeaning language toward women after US election CHICAGO (AP) — An emboldened fringe of right-wing “manosphere” influencers has seized on Donald Trump’s presidential win to justify and amplify misogynistic derision and threats online. Many have appropriated a 1960s abortion rights rallying cry, declaring “Your body, my choice,” and have been using it publicly on college campuses and even in public schools. While none of the current online rhetoric is being amplified by Trump, experts say many young men see the former president’s return to the White House as vindication of their views on women. For many women, the words are a worrying sign of what might lie ahead as some men perceive the election results as a rebuke of reproductive rights and women’s rights. Syrian insurgents are inside Aleppo in a major setback for Assad as government forces regroup BEIRUT (AP) — Thousands of Syrian insurgents have fanned out inside Syria's largest city Aleppo a day after storming it with little resistance from government troops. Syria's army said troops have redeployed to prepare for a counteroffensive. Witnesses said insurgents were seen Saturday at landmarks in Aleppo for the first time since 2016, when they were expelled by government forces backed by Russia and Iran. The surprise offensive is a major embarrassment for Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has regained total control of the city eight years ago. An Israeli strike in Gaza kills World Central Kitchen workers. Israel says 1 was an Oct. 7 attacker DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli airstrike on a car in the Gaza Strip on Saturday killed five people including employees of World Central Kitchen. The charity says it is “urgently seeking more details” after Israel’s military said it targeted a WCK worker who had been part of the Hamas attack that sparked the war. The charity in an email says it is “heartbroken” by the airstrike and that it had no knowledge anyone in the car had alleged ties to the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, saying it is “working with incomplete information.” It says it is pausing operations in Gaza. Lebanese fishermen hope ceasefire with Israel means normal life returning TYRE, Lebanon (AP) — The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is bringing hope for normality back to many in southern Lebanon. That includes fishermen who’ve long launched their single-engine wooden boats into the Mediterranean at dawn. For months, Israel imposed a siege that kept hundreds of fishermen at this ancient Phoenician port ashore. That upended their lives and dealt the industry a major blow. The port siege also cut people off from key ingredients for traditional Lebanese dishes. As war devastated their country, the loss of fish damaged a deep association with home. Now, the possibility of renewed fishing is helping fuel hope. How Brazilian police say Bolsonaro plotted a coup to stay in office SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal Police have formally accused former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others of plotting a coup to keep him in office. The plot was allegedly comprised of several components and substantiated by evidence and testimony in the agency's 884-page report. The pieces of the puzzle include laying the groundwork by systematically sowing distrust of the electoral system among the populace. It also includes drafting a decree to give the plot a veneer of legal basis and pressuring top military brass to go along with the plan. Bolsonaro and his main allies have denied any wrongdoing or involvement and accuse authorities of political persecution. Protesters gather for third night of demonstrations after Georgia announces suspension of EU talks TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Protesters have gathered across Georgia in a third straight night of demonstrations against the government’s decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union. The third night of protests were held Saturday. More than 100 demonstrators were arrested as crowds clashed with police Friday night. The Associated Press saw protesters in Tbilisi being chased and beaten by police as demonstrators rallied in front of the country’s parliament building. The violence follows the ruling Georgian Dream party's disputed victory in the Oct. 26 election. It was widely seen as a referendum on the country’s aspirations to join the European Union. Romania's parliamentary vote risks being overshadowed by presidential race chaos BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanians are preparing to go to the polls in a parliamentary vote that will determine a new government and prime minister to lead the European Union and NATO member country. However, Sunday's vote is sandwiched between a two-round presidential race and is overshadowed by controversies and chaos following the outcome of the first vote. While the president has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security and foreign policy, the prime minister is the head of the nation’s government. Sunday’s vote will determine the formation of the country’s 466-seat legislature. North Korea's Kim vows steadfast support for Russia’s war in Ukraine SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country will “invariably support” Russia’s war in Ukraine as he met Russia's visiting defense chief. A Russia military delegation led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday as international concerns about the two countries’ expanding cooperation deepened after North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia. During a Friday meeting, Kim and Belousov reached “a satisfactory consensus” on issues on how to further boost strategic partnership and defend each country’s sovereignty and security interests, state media said. Heavy snow blankets parts of the US during busy holiday travel weekend BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The first big snowfall of the season is threatening to bury towns in upstate New York and northwestern Pennsylvania as the hectic holiday travel and shopping weekend winds down. Numbing cold and heavy snow could persist into next week and cause hazards in the Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest regions. A state of emergency was declared for parts of New York, making it problematic for scores of Thanksgiving travelers trying to return home. This week’s blast of frigid Arctic air also brought bitterly cold temperatures of 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit below average to the Northern Plains. Cold air was expected to move over the eastern third of the U.S. by Monday, the weather service said, with temperatures about 10 degrees below average.The Prime Minister insisted the UK will back Ukraine “for as long as it takes” as he made a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, but for the first time acknowledged the conflict could move towards a negotiated end. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has in recent weeks suggested he is open to a possible ceasefire with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Kyiv and its European allies meanwhile fear the advent of Donald Trump’s return to the White House could result in American aid being halted. President-elect Trump has said he would prefer to move towards a peace deal, and has claimed he could end the conflict on “day one” of his time in power. As he attempts to strike up a good relationship with the incoming president, Sir Keir revealed he had told Mr Trump the UK “will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come”. In his speech at London’s Guildhall, the Prime Minister said there is “no question it is right we support Ukraine”, as the UK’s aid to Kyiv is “deeply in our self-interest”. Allowing Russia to win the war would mean “other autocrats would believe they can follow Putin’s example,” he warned. Sir Keir added: “So we must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defence for as long as it takes. “To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their own future.” Mr Zelensky told Sky News over the weekend he would be open to speaking with Mr Putin, but branded the Russian president a “terrorist”. He also suggested Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the “Nato umbrella” to try to stop the “hot stage” of the war with Russia. In a banquet speech focused on foreign affairs, the Prime Minister said it was “plain wrong” to suggest the UK must choose between its allies, adding: “I reject it utterly. “(Clement) Attlee did not choose between allies. (Winston) Churchill did not choose. “The national interest demands that we work with both.” Sir Keir said the UK and the US were “intertwined” when it came to commerce, technology and security. The Prime Minister added: “That’s why, when President Trump graciously hosted me for dinner in Trump Tower, I told him that we will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come.” He also repeated his commitment to “rebuild our ties with Europe” and insisted he was right to try to build closer links with China. “It is remarkable that until I met President Xi last month there had been no face-to-face meeting between British and Chinese leaders for six years,” the Prime Minister said. “We can’t simply look the other way. We need to engage. To co-operate, to compete and to challenge on growth, on security concerns, on climate as well as addressing our differences in a full and frank way on issues like Hong Kong, human rights, and sanctions on our parliamentarians,” he added. The Prime Minister said he wants Britain’s role in the world to be that of “a constant and responsible actor in turbulent times”. He added: “To be the soundest ally and to be determined, always, in everything we do. “Every exchange we have with other nations, every agreement we enter into to deliver for the British people and show, beyond doubt, that Britain is back.” Ahead of Sir Keir’s speech, Lord Mayor Alastair King urged the Prime Minister and his Government to loosen regulations on the City of London to help it maintain its competitive edge. In an echo of Sir Keir’s commitment to drive the UK’s economic growth, the Lord Mayor said: “The idealist will dream of growth, but the pragmatist understands that our most effective machinery to drive growth is here in the City, in the hands of some of the brightest and most committed people that you will find anywhere in the world.”
Pep Guardiola: If I can’t reverse Manchester City slide then I have to goUkraine must be placed in the “strongest possible position for negotiations” to end the war with Russia, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Prime Minister insisted the UK will back Ukraine “for as long as it takes” as he made a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, but for the first time acknowledged the conflict could move towards a negotiated end. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has in recent weeks suggested he is open to a possible ceasefire with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Kyiv and its European allies meanwhile fear the advent of Donald Trump’s return to the White House could result in American aid being halted. President-elect Trump has said he would prefer to move towards a peace deal, and has claimed he could end the conflict on “day one” of his time in power. As he attempts to strike up a good relationship with the incoming president, Sir Keir revealed he had told Mr Trump the UK “will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come”. In his speech at London’s Guildhall, the Prime Minister said there is “no question it is right we support Ukraine”, as the UK’s aid to Kyiv is “deeply in our self-interest”. Allowing Russia to win the war would mean “other autocrats would believe they can follow Putin’s example,” he warned. Sir Keir added: “So we must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defence for as long as it takes. “To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their own future.” Mr Zelensky told Sky News over the weekend he would be open to speaking with Mr Putin, but branded the Russian president a “terrorist”. He also suggested Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the “Nato umbrella” to try to stop the “hot stage” of the war with Russia. In a banquet speech focused on foreign affairs, the Prime Minister said it was “plain wrong” to suggest the UK must choose between its allies, adding: “I reject it utterly. “(Clement) Attlee did not choose between allies. (Winston) Churchill did not choose. “The national interest demands that we work with both.” Sir Keir said the UK and the US were “intertwined” when it came to commerce, technology and security. The Prime Minister added: “That’s why, when President Trump graciously hosted me for dinner in Trump Tower, I told him that we will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come.” He also repeated his commitment to “rebuild our ties with Europe” and insisted he was right to try to build closer links with China. “It is remarkable that until I met President Xi last month there had been no face-to-face meeting between British and Chinese leaders for six years,” the Prime Minister said. “We can’t simply look the other way. We need to engage. To co-operate, to compete and to challenge on growth, on security concerns, on climate as well as addressing our differences in a full and frank way on issues like Hong Kong, human rights, and sanctions on our parliamentarians,” he added. The Prime Minister said he wants Britain’s role in the world to be that of “a constant and responsible actor in turbulent times”. He added: “To be the soundest ally and to be determined, always, in everything we do. “Every exchange we have with other nations, every agreement we enter into to deliver for the British people and show, beyond doubt, that Britain is back.” Ahead of Sir Keir’s speech, Lord Mayor Alastair King urged the Prime Minister and his Government to loosen regulations on the City of London to help it maintain its competitive edge. In an echo of Sir Keir’s commitment to drive the UK’s economic growth, the Lord Mayor said: “The idealist will dream of growth, but the pragmatist understands that our most effective machinery to drive growth is here in the City, in the hands of some of the brightest and most committed people that you will find anywhere in the world.”
Gophers soccer team literally dancing its way into the NCAA tournament second round
The West High girls soccer team is in a tough period of their campaign heading towards the end of the calendar year. The Wolf Pack started the winter red-hot and on a three-game win streak. However, their last victory, 4-0 over McNair, was on Dec. 2 and they haven’t been able to sniff the win column since. Their three ties and three defeats in the last six games have the Pack sitting on a 3-3-3 record with just one game remaining before the start of league play. Preparing to compete in the always tough and talent-packed Tri-City Athletic League (TCAL), West head coach Scott Behnam is still trying to figure out his optimal setup. Last time out, the Pack traveled to the Bay Area where they fell 3-1 to Valley Christian in San Jose on Saturday. Grace Morton scored twice, and Khloe Rivera added another for the hosts while senior Alyssa Boulware grabbed the consolation for West. A young and promising team, the Wolf Pack has one more non-league game left at Monterey Trail on Friday. Then it’s on to TCAL with Lincoln set to visit Steve Lopez Stadium on Jan. 8. Contact Arion Armeniakos at aarmeniakos@tracypress.com , or call 209-830-4229.Chinese competitor to AMD and Intel claims its 32-core processor is as powerful as a 2021 Intel Xeon 32-core 'Ice Lake' CPU; a 64-core version is expected to be launched in 2025Michigan upsets No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 for Wolverines' 4th straight win over bitter rival
Alberta RCMP officer charged with 2 counts of sexual assaultHave I told you this before? Long ago, my closest friend said this about me: “Ranjona is not prejudiced. She just hates everybody”. I have learnt over the years to disguise my lack of prejudice and ahem, that other thing, but it can be a struggle for me. In the workplace, I could never suffer fools gladly. Socially I have to swallow my annoyance to even look at bigots and conservatives with a semblance of politeness. I think I have a fake smile down pat, but who knows? How many of my secrets have I given away just now? It was intriguing, therefore, to hear a fascinating talk the other day by Satish Kumar, founder of Schumacher College, environmentalist, ecologist, and thinker. Sat by a lily pond, under the trees, he talked about the ever-growing barriers between Humans and Nature, our erroneous belief that we are in fact outside nature and the need for the world’s economic system to include ecology in its practice and theory. As we watch the destruction around us, thanks to greed and often stupidity, Kumar’s words resonated. In inspirational but also very sad ways. One of Kumar’s pet subjects is a tough idea, which he wrote a book about in 2023. Radical Love, where you try and love beyond yourself, your likes and dislikes, your ideas and your core. Love for those who you do not agree with, who you find it difficult to accept, whom you just cannot abide. This is not of course a new idea. Kumar quotes Jesus Christ’s “love thine enemy as thyself”. But as we all know all too well, this notion finds no takers. Whether in the religion formed in Christ’s name or really in any other. As we know to our everyday misfortune, religions love division but let’s not wander into that black hole. It might seem like an extremely simplistic idea — to love unconditionally. And most people will associate this sort of love in a cliched manner with a mother and child. The sad reality is that parents can do awful things to children and children to parents. Unconditional love is not our reality. Look around you. “Cow is our Mother”, says the politician. But looks away when cows wander around eating plastic bags. Wilful disassociation. Or do I mean hypocrisy? Now that’s a more realistic Mother for humankind. Kumar is looking at our larger perspective — of the planet, the cosmos and the larger role we play in the world aside from our petty everyday wants and needs. Anyone who has any understanding of the environment and ecology knows that we stand on a precipice. Intelligence and awareness have not convinced us to step back. Who knows, maybe love can. We can but try. And for us today at this point in time, we exist not just in the physical world, but also one that’s up in a metaphorical cloud, fed by cables under the sea and connected by satellites orbiting the earth. It’s a lot of work to look at cure cats and dogs or abuse each other’s politics, but it appears to be integral part of life. In this cyber social media world, there’s been a bit of a churn after Donald Trump won the US presidential election again. Many social media users, including thinkers, academics, activists, writers, mainstream media, felt that a certain toxicity had controlled the discourse around the election. Part of the blame for this pervasive misinformation and hatred was thanks to Elon Musk, owner of the site X, formerly Twitter. Musk supported Trump, undoubtedly his right. But also used the platform to push Trump’s extreme right-wing and often illogical agenda. Thus, there has been an exodus or "Xodus", if you want to use the "in" word, to another platform. Bluesky is a little different in the way it is run, not that I understand it fully. Whatever its shortcomings, as of now, there is no central dictatorship that runs it. There is optimism on this platform, and joy that the people of X have not made it here. But like so much of human behaviour, this euphoria is all too ephemeral. At some point, the worst of us will most likely emerge. Can we manage our social media, our other presence, using the principles of radical love? I foresee a certain amount of nostalgia will consume us at first, together with the excitement of something new. These are not at odds; far from it. We love as humans to dream of some golden age. Regardless of the reality of those times, and the horrors they presented. We are like that in the most superficial way. Hence the generational conflict, which is based largely on nostalgia playing tricks on all of us. In the meanwhile, though, as I too make this shift to Bluesky, I feel I must work on myself. Mixing Kumar’s ideas with my own shortcomings. To not get angry with every idiot I meet. To try and love the idiot for being an idiot, because it can’t help being an idiot and whatever other reason I can come up with at the time. When I say “idiot”, I don’t mean to offend anyone in particular, especially in these over-sensitive times in which we live. I mean people that I find it difficult to stomach and those who fill me with horror. I know, tall ask. I shall just try and apply my friend’s definition of my character and be equal in my feelings to all humanity. Tough it will be, and not just for me. So, if you meet me in either world, physical and cyber, when I smile sweetly at you, you might think “what a sweet person with a sweet smile”. Or I might remind you of Louis Armstrong singing Mack the Knife: “O the shark has pretty teeth dear, and he shows them a pearly white...” And you might never know which is the correct thought.New Delhi, Nov 30 (PTI) History is “complicated” and the politics of the day often indulges in “cherry-picking facts” and to a considerable extent that has happened in Tipu Sultan’s case, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday. He claimed a “particular narrative” about the former ruler of Mysore has been advanced over the years. In his address at the launch of the book ‘Tipu Sultan: The Saga of Mysore Interregnum 1761-1799’ here, Jaishankar said there are some basic questions that “confront us all” today as to how much of “our past has been airbrushed”, how awkward issues have been “glossed over” and how “facts are tailored for regime convenience”. The book has been written by historian Vikram Sampath. The external affairs minister said, “In the last decade, the changes in our political dispensation have encouraged the emergence of alternative perspectives and balanced accounts.” “We are no longer prisoners of a vote bank, nor is it politically incorrect to bring out inconvenient truths. There are many more subjects on which the same degree of objectivity is needed,” he said. The minister said open-minded scholarship and a genuine debate are central to “our evolution as a pluralistic society and vibrant democracy”. Jaishankar underlined that Tipu Sultan is a “complex figure” in Indian history. “On one hand, he has a reputation as a key figure who resisted the imposition of British colonial control over India. It is a fact that his defeat and death can be considered a turning point when it came to the fate of peninsular India. At the same time, he evokes strong adverse sentiments, even today, in many regions, by some in Mysore itself, in Coorg and Malabar,” he said. Contemporary history writings, certainly at the national level, have focussed largely on the former aspect, “underplaying, if not neglecting,” the latter, Jaishankar claimed. “This was not an accident.” “History in all society is complicated and the politics of the day often indulges in cherry-picking facts. To a considerable extent that has happened in the case of Tipu Sultan,” he said. By highlighting the “Tipu-English binary” to the “exclusion of a more complicated reality, a particular narrative has been advanced over the years”, the minister said. Asserting that to call Sampath’s book a biography would be a serious understatement, he said, “It is something very much more, capturing the flavour of a fast-moving and complicated era but offering insights into politics, strategy, administration, sociology and even diplomacy.” Jaishankar said the book not only presents facts about Tipu Sultan for the reader to make their own judgement but also brings out the context in all its intricacy. In that process, Sampath would have had many “challenges of orthodoxy to overcome,” the minister underlined. “These, I must say, are not specific to the treatment of Tipu Sultan, how much of our past has been airbrushed, how awkward issues have been glossed over, how facts are tailored for regime convenience. These are basic questions which confront us all today,” he said. Jaishankar said that as a “product myself of an institution” that was at the centre of these “politically driven endeavours”, he could well appreciate the need to present an “actual representation” of history. There can be no doubt that Tipu Sultan was fiercely and almost consistently anti-British. But how much of it was inherent and how much a result of their allying with his local rivals, that is difficult to distinguish, he posited. To counter British ambitions, Tipu Sultan had no hesitation in collaborating with the French and that makes a “straightforward anti-foreign narrative” very difficult to assert, he said. Jaishankar also touched on the foreign policy aspect of Tipu Sultan. At various points he reached out to the rulers of Turkey, Afghanistan and Persia for faith-based support, he said, adding perhaps the truth is that “the sense of nationhood, all of us have now, was simply not there then”. “When identities and awareness were so different at that time, force-fitting them into a contemporary construct seems more than a little challengeable,” the minister added. But, more touchy are a set of related issues about Tipu’s treatment of his people and those of neighbouring kingdoms, he said. There are Tipu’s writings, communications and actions that “attest to his mindset”. Even his diplomatic activities reflected his faith and identity in the strongest terms, Jaishankar said. “The author, in my view has been sensible in opening them up all to daylight,” he said. “After all, nothing is more revealing than the self-description of rulers, the nature of their orders and the content of their conversations. Undoubtedly there will also be policies and incidents of contradictory nature.” This larger assessment of Tipu’s character has to get that “balance right”, the minister said. Jaishankar said, “From the diplomatic world, I am most struck and grateful for the information and insights provided in this volume about Tipu’s foreign policy.” In India, people have tended to study mainly post-Independence foreign policies, he said, adding “who knows, perhaps this too was a conscious choice”. The fact is that many of the kingdoms and states in India forayed into international affairs in previous centuries in pursuance of their particular interests. And some continued to do so even till Independence, he asserted. Jaishankar said the interaction of Tipu’s emissary with their French and Turkish counterparts is fascinating, adding that Tipu’s expectations from his foreign partners and the incentive he offers them “tells us something about his mindset”. “There are lessons about the importance of accurately understanding global developments. On crucial occasions, Tipu was actually caught on the wrong side of the events in France,” he said. Jaishankar said that he got to know from the book that French emperor Napoleon had written to Tipu Sultan. But he never got those letters, he said. “Ironically, the British as is their habit, stole many things.” Ironically, Tipu’s fate was decided largely by diplomacy since the British created such an all-encompassing coalition. That he was left “so friendless at the end should itself be a cause for introspection”, he said. PTI KND NSD NSD This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. 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