3 riyal to peso
SCHEID FAMILY WINES REPORTS SECOND QUARTER FISCAL 2025 RESULTS
Hugh Jackman’s ex-wife not ready for ‘blended’ family with Sutton FosterNBA Spread and Total Picks for Today, December 30
Many Americans consider social media a scourge, but for a home cook, it can be a fun and informative place to get help deciding what to eat. One recipe that’s been going viral for a while but only recently caught my eye shines a spotlight on the creamy, tomatoey dish known as Marry Me chicken. There are probably as many recipes for Marry Me chicken on social media as there are cooks. (Delish claims to have created the video recipe for the original dish, also known as Tuscan chicken, in 2016.) But in my opinion, the best variations hang their chef’s hat on a sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and cream. I’ve been married for a very long time, so I’m not looking for a dish that will get me engaged. But who wouldn’t want applause when they put dinner on the table? That’s how Delish’s original recipe made it into the latest installment of “Dinner for Four for $25.” Usually when I’m building these economical meals, I do all my shopping in one store. This time, I shopped over the course of a weekend at some of my favorite haunts to see if that made a difference. “Shopping” my pantry for ingredients I always have on hand, including garlic, olive oil, spices, rice, molasses and vanilla, once again helped keep costs down. Total bill: $24.38, or 62 cents under budget. Not bad when you consider the homemade dessert recipe makes more oatmeal sandwich cookies than a family can/should eat at one sitting. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Biz activity picks up, purchase stocks hit record high in Nov
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM ), the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business online, announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware has approved its bid to acquire select assets from Edgio, including certain customer contracts from Edgio's businesses in content delivery and security, and non-exclusive license rights to patents in Edgio's portfolio. The transaction does not include the acquisition of Edgio personnel, technology, or assets related to the Edgio network. The court approval follows Akamai submitting the winning bid for the select assets during Edgio's 363 bankruptcy auction on November 13, 2024 , as part of its filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy relief. The court decision provides the necessary approval for the closing of the sale to proceed. When the transaction closes, several hundred net new Akamai customers will have a clear path and the necessary support to smoothly migrate to a best-in-class and reliable provider of the services they need prior to Edgio ceasing operations of its content delivery network. The customers will also have immediate access to the full portfolio of Akamai's cybersecurity and cloud computing services. "Akamai is offering Edgio customers a smooth, secure transition without impacting their business or that of their end users," said Adam Karon , Akamai's Chief Operating Officer and General Manager, Cloud Technology Group. "We have the capacity, capabilities, and experience to help Edgio customers easily migrate to Akamai, and we believe our track record with similar transactions gives us the expertise to help move them to Akamai as seamlessly as possible. We look forward to welcoming these new customers and giving them the opportunity to take advantage of Akamai's full range of security and cloud solutions, which run on the world's most distributed platform." For the fourth quarter of 2024, Akamai expects this transaction to add approximately $9 - $11 million in revenue. As part of its bid, Akamai agreed to pay certain costs for Edgio to operate its network during the transition and wind-down period until such time as Edgio ceases operation of its content delivery network in mid-January 2025 . Akamai expects those transition services costs to be approximately $15 - $17 million in the fourth quarter. Akamai anticipates the transaction to be dilutive to non-GAAP net income per diluted share by approximately $0.03 - $0.05 in the fourth quarter, inclusive of the transition service costs. For the full year 2025, Akamai anticipates this transaction will add approximately $80 - $100 million in revenue, approximately $25 - $30 million of transition service costs, and be accretive to non-GAAP net income per diluted share by approximately $0.15 - $0.20 . "We believe this transaction will create significant value for Akamai and our shareholders," said Ed McGowan , Akamai's Chief Financial Officer. "By integrating these customers onto our platform with its advantageous cost structure, we expect to improve profitability and unlock new growth opportunities. We're excited about the potential to cross-sell and up-sell our advanced security and cloud computing solutions to this expanded customer base." The transaction is expected to close in early December 2024 , subject to customary closing conditions for a transaction of this type. About Akamai Akamai is the cybersecurity and cloud computing company that powers and protects business online. Our market-leading security solutions, superior threat intelligence, and global operations team provide defense-in-depth to safeguard enterprise data and applications everywhere. Akamai's full-stack cloud computing solutions deliver performance and affordability on the world's most distributed platform. Global enterprises trust Akamai to provide the industry-leading reliability, scale, and expertise they need to grow their business with confidence. Learn more at akamai.com and akamai.com/blog , or follow Akamai Technologies on X and LinkedIn . Contacts Akamai Public Relations [email protected] Akamai Investor Relations [email protected] Akamai Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act This press release contains statements that are not statements of historical fact and constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements about: management's guidance regarding the expected impact of the transaction on Akamai, including its expected impact on revenue, non-GAAP net income per diluted share, capital expenditures, and new customer additions; the potential benefits of the transaction to Akamai, its customers and its shareholders; expectations regarding customer migration in connection with the transaction; expected transition services costs; the expected duration of Edgio's transition and wind-down period; and the expected closing date of the transaction. Each of the forward-looking statements is subject to change as a result of various important factors, many of which are beyond the company's control, including, but not limited to: the risk that the transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all; the parties' ability to satisfy closing conditions; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the transaction agreements; Akamai being unable to achieve the anticipated benefits of the transaction; the risk that customer migration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected; the retention of key personnel during the transition period; potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed transaction; effects of competition, including pricing pressure and changing business models; impact of macroeconomic trends, including economic uncertainty, turmoil in the financial services industry, the effects of inflation, rising and fluctuating interest rates, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, securities market volatility and monetary supply fluctuations; continuing supply chain and logistics costs, constraints, changes or disruptions; defects or disruptions in Akamai's products or IT systems, including cyber-attacks, data breaches or malware; changes to economic, political and regulatory conditions in the United States or internationally; and other factors that are discussed in the company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and Akamai does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures In addition to providing financial measurements based on generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP), Akamai provides additional financial metrics that are not prepared in accordance with GAAP (non-GAAP financial measures). Management uses non-GAAP financial measures, in addition to GAAP financial measures, to understand and compare operating results across accounting periods, for financial and operational decision making, for planning and forecasting purposes, to measure executive compensation and to evaluate Akamai's financial performance. The non-GAAP financial measure used in this release is non-GAAP net income per diluted share. Management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures reflect Akamai's ongoing business in a manner that allows for meaningful comparisons and analysis of trends in the business, as they facilitate comparison of financial results across accounting periods and to those of our peer companies. Management also believes that these non-GAAP financial measures enable investors to evaluate Akamai's operating results and future prospects in the same manner as management. These non-GAAP financial measures may exclude expenses and gains that may be unusual in nature, infrequent or not reflective of Akamai's ongoing operating results. The non-GAAP financial measures do not replace the presentation of Akamai's GAAP financial results and should only be used as a supplement to, not as a substitute for, Akamai's financial results presented in accordance with GAAP. In addition, the financial guidance contained in this press release that is provided on a non-GAAP basis cannot be reconciled to the closest GAAP measures without unreasonable effort because of the unpredictability of the amounts and timing of events affecting the items we exclude from non-GAAP measures. For example, stock-based compensation is unpredictable for Akamai's performance-based awards, which can fluctuate significantly based on current expectations of the future achievement of performance-based targets. Amortization of intangible assets, acquisition-related costs and restructuring costs are all impacted by the timing and size of potential future actions, which are difficult to predict. In addition, from time to time, Akamai excludes certain items that occur infrequently, which are also inherently difficult to predict and estimate. It is also difficult to predict the tax effect of the items we exclude and to estimate certain discrete tax items, such as the resolution of tax audits or changes to tax laws. As such, the costs that are being excluded from non-GAAP guidance are difficult to predict and a reconciliation or a range of results could lead to disclosure that would be imprecise or potentially misleading. Material changes to any one of the exclusions could have a significant effect on our guidance and future GAAP results. Akamai's definition of the non-GAAP measures used in this press release are outlined below: Non-GAAP net income per diluted share – Non-GAAP net income divided by weighted average diluted common shares outstanding. Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding are adjusted in non-GAAP per share calculations for the shares that would be delivered to Akamai pursuant to the note hedge transactions entered into in connection with the issuances of $1,265 million of convertible senior notes due 2029 and the issuances of $1,150 million of convertible senior notes due 2027 and 2025, respectively. Under GAAP, shares delivered under hedge transactions are not considered offsetting shares in the fully-diluted share calculation until they are delivered. However, Akamai would receive a benefit from the note hedge transactions and would not allow the dilution to occur, so management believes that adjusting for this benefit provides a meaningful view of operating performance. With respect to the convertible senior notes due in each of 2029, 2027 and 2025, unless Akamai's weighted average stock price is greater than $126.31 , $116.18 and $95.10 , respectively, the initial conversion prices, there will be no difference between GAAP and non-GAAP diluted weighted average common shares outstanding. Non-GAAP net income – GAAP net income adjusted for the following tax-affected items: amortization of acquired intangible assets; stock-based compensation; amortization of capitalized stock-based compensation; acquisition-related costs; restructuring charges; amortization of debt issuance costs; amortization of capitalized interest expense; certain gains and losses on investments; gains and losses from equity method investment; and other non-recurring or unusual items that may arise from time to time. The non-GAAP adjustments, and Akamai's basis for excluding them from non-GAAP financial measures, are outlined below: Amortization of acquired intangible assets – Akamai has incurred amortization of intangible assets, included in its GAAP financial statements, related to various acquisitions Akamai has made. The amount of an acquisition's purchase price allocated to intangible assets and term of its related amortization can vary significantly and is unique to each acquisition; therefore, Akamai excludes amortization of acquired intangible assets from its non-GAAP financial measures to provide investors with a consistent basis for comparing pre- and post-acquisition operating results. Stock-based compensation and amortization of capitalized stock-based compensation – Stock-based compensation is an important aspect of the compensation paid to Akamai's employees which includes long-term incentive plans to encourage retention, performance-based plans to encourage achievement of specified financial targets and also short-term incentive awards with a one year vest. The grant date fair value of the stock-based compensation awards varies based on the stock price at the time of grant, varying valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of award types. This makes the comparison of Akamai's current financial results to previous and future periods difficult to interpret; therefore, Akamai believes it is useful to exclude stock-based compensation and amortization of capitalized stock-based compensation from its non-GAAP financial measures in order to highlight the performance of Akamai's core business and to be consistent with the way many investors evaluate its performance and compare its operating results to peer companies. Acquisition-related costs – Acquisition-related costs include transaction fees, advisory fees, due diligence costs and other direct costs associated with strategic activities, as well as certain additional compensation costs payable to employees acquired from the Linode acquisition if employed for a certain period of time. The additional compensation cost was initiated by and determined by the seller, and is in addition to normal levels of compensation, including retention programs, offered by Akamai. Acquisition-related costs are impacted by the timing and size of the acquisitions, and Akamai excludes acquisition-related costs from its non-GAAP financial measures to provide a useful comparison of operating results to prior periods and to peer companies because such amounts vary significantly based on the magnitude of the acquisition transactions and do not reflect Akamai's core operations. Restructuring charge – Akamai has incurred restructuring charges from programs that have significantly changed either the scope of the business undertaken by the Company or the manner in which that business is conducted. These charges include severance and related expenses for workforce reductions, impairments of long-lived assets that will no longer be used in operations (including acquired intangible assets, right-of-use assets, other facility-related property and equipment and internal-use software) and termination fees for any contracts canceled as part of these programs. Akamai excludes these items from its non-GAAP financial measures when evaluating its continuing business performance as such items vary significantly based on the magnitude of the restructuring action and do not reflect expected future operating expenses. In addition, these charges do not necessarily provide meaningful insight into the fundamentals of current or past operations of its business. Amortization of debt issuance costs and capitalized interest expense – Akamai has convertible senior notes outstanding that mature in 2029, 2027 and 2025. The issuance costs of the convertible senior notes are amortized to interest expense and are excluded from Akamai's non-GAAP results because management believes the non-cash amortization expense is not representative of ongoing operating performance. Gains and losses on investments – Akamai has recorded gains and losses from the disposition, changes to fair value and impairment of certain investments. Akamai believes excluding these amounts from its non-GAAP financial measures is useful to investors as the types of events giving rise to these gains and losses are not representative of Akamai's core business operations and ongoing operating performance. Gains and losses from equity method investment – Akamai records income or losses on its share of earnings and losses from its equity method investment, and any gains from returns of investments or impairments. Akamai excludes such income and losses because it does not have direct control over the operations of the investment and the related income and losses are not representative of its core business operations. Income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments and certain discrete tax items – The non-GAAP adjustments described above are reported on a pre-tax basis. The income tax effect of non-GAAP adjustments is the difference between GAAP and non-GAAP income tax expense. Non-GAAP income tax expense is computed on non-GAAP pre-tax income (GAAP pre-tax income adjusted for non-GAAP adjustments) and excludes certain discrete tax items (such as the impact of intercompany sales of intellectual property related to acquisitions), if any. Akamai believes that applying the non-GAAP adjustments and their related income tax effect allows Akamai to highlight income attributable to its core operations. SOURCE Akamai Technologies, Inc.
Pep Guardiola slams Kevin De Bruyne rift rumours following Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher comments
Meta seeks nuclear power developers for reactors to start in early 2030sSpanish Standings
Discover the Hidden Beauty of Our Busy World in U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón's New Picture Book "And, Too, the Fox" illustrated by Gaby D'AlessandroNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. donors gave $3.6 billion on Tuesday, an increase from the past two years, according to estimates from the nonprofit GivingTuesday. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, now known as GivingTuesday, has become a major day for nonprofits to fundraise and otherwise engage their supporters each year, since the 92nd St Y in New York started it as a hashtag in 2012. GivingTuesday has since become an independent nonprofit that connects a worldwide network of leaders and organizations who promote giving in their communities. The amount donated this year represents a 16% increase compared to 2023, or an 11.9% increase when adjusted for inflation. This year, about 18.5 million people donated to nonprofits and another 9.2 million people volunteered, according to GivingTuesday’s estimates. Both the number of donors and the number of volunteers increased by 4% from the group’s 2023 estimates. “This just really shows the generosity, the willingness of American citizens to show up, particularly collectively,” said Asha Curran, CEO of the nonprofit GivingTuesday. “We are just seeing the power of collective action and particularly collective giving over and over and over again.” “For us, it’s not just about the number of dollars,” Curran said. “It’s about the number of people who feel like they have agency over the way their communities progress forward into the future.” The nonprofit GivingTuesday estimates the amount of money and goods donated and the number of participants using data from donor management software companies, donation platforms, payment processors and donor-advised funds. Curran said they are purposely conservative in their calculations. Nonprofits in the U.S. raised $3.1 billion in both 2022 and 2023 on GivingTuesday. That mirrored larger giving trends where the overall amount of donations dropped in 2022 and mostly held steady in 2023 after accounting for inflation. It’s never easy to predict current giving trends, but Una Osili, associate dean at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, said there were economic forces pushing in both directions. “At the very same time, there’s a lot of uncertainty, especially around prices, the cost of living, the supermarket toll that people are expecting to continue even though inflation has moderated,” she said. Donating or volunteering with nonprofits aren’t the only ways people participate in their communities. Many give to crowdfunding campaigns, political causes or support people directly in their networks. But tracking charitable donations is one way that researchers use to understand people’s civic engagement. “This country is undeniably in a lot of pain and very divided right now,” Curran said. “And so to have a day that felt as hopeful and as optimistic as yesterday did, I’m sure was not only comforting to me, but to many, many millions of people.”French Standings
In June of 2020, a renewable energy company owned by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani won what it called the single largest solar development bid ever awarded: an agreement to supply 8 gigawatts of electricity to a state-owned power company. But there was a problem. Local power companies did not want to pay the prices the state company was offering, jeopardizing the deal, according to US authorities. To save the deal, Adani allegedly decided to bribe local officials to persuade them to buy the electricity. That allegation is at the heart of US criminal and civil charges unsealed on Wednesday against Adani, who is not currently in US custody and is believed to be in India. His company, Adani Group, said the charges were “baseless” and that it would seek “all possible legal recourse.” The alleged hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes promised to local Indian officials caught the attention of the US Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission as Adani’s companies were raising funds from US-based investors in several transactions starting in 2021. This account of how the alleged scheme unfolded is drawn from federal prosecutors’ 54-page criminal indictment of Adani and seven of his associates and two parallel civil SEC complaints, which extensively cite electronic messages between the scheme’s alleged participants. In early 2020, the Solar Energy Corporation of India awarded Adani Green Energy and another company, Azure Power Global, contracts for a 12-gigawatt solar energy project, expected to yield billions of dollars in revenue for both companies, according to the indictment. It was a major step forward for Adani Green Energy, run by Adani’s nephew, Sagar Adani. Up until that point, the company had only earned roughly $50 million in its history and had yet to turn a profit, according to the SEC complaint. But the initiative soon hit roadblocks. Local state electricity distributors were reluctant to commit to buying the new solar power, expecting prices to fall in the future, according to an April 7, 2021 report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a think tank. Sagar Adani and the Azure CEO at the time discussed the delays and hinted at bribes on the encrypted messaging application WhatsApp, according to the SEC. When the Azure CEO wrote on Nov. 24, 2020, that the local power companies “are being motivated,” Sagar Adani allegedly replied, “Yup ... but the optics are very difficult to cover. In February 2021, Sagar Adani allegedly wrote to the CEO, “Just so you know, we have doubled the incentives to push for these acceptances.” The SEC did not name the Azure CEO as a defendant, but Azure’s securities filings show the CEO at the time was Ranjit Gupta. Gupta was charged by the Justice Department with conspiracy to violate an anti-bribery law. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Azure said on Thursday it was cooperating with the US investigations, and that the individuals involved with the accusations had left the company more than a year ago. ‘Sudden good fortune’: In August of 2021, Gautam Adani had the first of several meetings with an official in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, to whom he allegedly ultimately promised $228 million in bribes in exchange for agreeing to have the state buy the power, according to the Justice Department’s indictment. By December, Andhra Pradesh had agreed to buy the power, and other states with smaller contracts soon followed. Other states’ officials were promised bribes as well, US authorities said. During a Dec. 6, 2021 meeting at a coffee shop, Azure executives allegedly discussed “rumors that the Adanis had somehow facilitated signing” of the deals, according to the SEC. Gautam Adani said on Dec. 14, 2021, the company was on track “to become the world’s largest renewables player by 2030.” “The sudden good fortune for Azure and Adani Green prompted speculation in the marketplace about the contract awards,” the SEC wrote in its complaint. Letter from the sec: Before long, the SEC began to probe. The agency sent a “general inquiry” letter to Azure – which at the time traded on the New York Stock Exchange – on March 17, 2022, asking about its recent contracts and if foreign officials had sought anything of value, according to the Justice Department indictment. According to the Department of Justice, Gautam Adani told representatives of Azure during a meeting in his Ahmedabad, India office the next month that he expected to be reimbursed more than $80 million for the bribes he had paid officials that ultimately benefited Azure’s contracts.Trump team signs agreement with Justice Department for background checks for administration picksJimmy Carter had the longest post-presidency of anyone to hold the office, and one of the most active. Here is a look back at his life. 1924 — Jimmy Carter was born on Oct. 1 to Earl and Lillian Carter in the small town of Plains, Georgia. 1928 — Earl Carter bought a 350-acre farm 3 miles from Plains in the tiny community of Archery. The Carter family lived in a house on the farm without running water or electricity. 1941 — He graduated from Plains High School and enrolled at Georgia Southwestern College in Americus. 1942 — He transferred to Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. 1943 — Carter’s boyhood dream of being in the Navy becomes a reality as he is appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. 1946 — He received his naval commission and on July 7 married Rosalynn Smith of Plains. They moved to Norfolk, Virginia. 1946-1952 — Carter’s three sons are born, Jack in 1947, Chip in 1950 and Jeff in 1952. 1962-66 — Carter is elected to the Georgia State Senate and serves two terms. 1953 — Carter’s father died and he cut his naval career short to save the family farm. Due to a limited income, Jimmy, Rosalynn and their three sons moved into Public Housing Apartment 9A in Plains. 1966 — He ran for governor, but lost. 1967 — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter’s fourth child, Amy, is born. 1971 — He ran for governor again and won the election, becoming Georgia’s 76th governor on Jan. 12. 1974 — Carter announced his candidacy for president. 1976 — Carter was elected 39th president on Nov. 2, narrowly defeating incumbent Gerald Ford. 1978 — U.S. and the Peoples’ Republic of China establish full diplomatic relations. President Carter negotiates and mediates an accord between Egypt and Israel at Camp David. 1979 — The Department of Education is formed. Iranian radicals overrun the U.S. Embassy and seize American hostages. The Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty is signed. 1980 — On March 21, Carter announces that the U.S. will boycott the Olympic Games scheduled in Moscow. A rescue attempt to get American hostages out of Iran is unsuccessful. Carter was defeated in his bid for a second term as president by Ronald Reagan in November. 1981 — President Carter continues to negotiate the release of the American hostages in Iran. Minutes before his term as president is over, the hostages are released. 1982 — Carter became a distinguished professor at Emory University in Atlanta, and founded The Carter Center. The nonpartisan and nonprofit center addresses national and international issues of public policy. 1984 — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter volunteer one week a year for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps needy people in the United States and in other countries renovate and build homes, until 2020. He also taught Sunday school in the Maranatha Baptist Church of Plains from the mid-’80s until 2020. 2002 — Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. 2015 — Carter announced in August he had been diagnosed with melanoma that spread to his brain. 2016 — He said in March that he no longer needed cancer treatment. 2024 — Carter dies at 100 years old. Sources: Cartercenter.org, Plains Historical Preservation Trust, The Associated Press; The Brookings Institution; U.S. Navy; WhiteHouse.gov, Gallup
Big boost for parents as Aldi Ireland brings school uniforms back – with prices from €1.65Ulster coach Richie Murphy says Juarno Augustus signing is a statement of intentWASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have urged Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government's files on former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard , Donald Trump's pick to be national intelligence director. The former officials, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said they were “alarmed” by the choice of Gabbard to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They said her past actions “call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus.” A spokesperson for Gabbard on the Trump transition team on Thursday denounced the appeal as an “unfounded” and “partisan” attack. Among those who signed the letter were former Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, former NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller, former national security adviser Anthony Lake, and numerous retired ambassadors and high-ranking military officers. They wrote to current Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and incoming Republican Majority Leader John Thune on Wednesday to urge the closed briefings as part of the Senate's review of Trump's top appointments. They urged that Senate committees “consider in closed sessions all information available to the U.S. government when considering Ms. Gabbard’s qualifications to manage our country’s intelligence agencies, and more importantly, the protection of our intelligence sources and methods.” The letter singles out Gabbard's 2017 meetings in Syria with President Bashar Assad, who is supported by Russian, Iranian and Iranian-allied forces in a now 13-year war against Syrian opposition forces seeking his overthrow. The U.S., which cut relations with Assad's government and imposed sanctions over his conduct of the war, maintains about 900 troops in opposition-controlled northeast Syria, saying they are needed to block a resurgence of extremist groups. Gabbard, a Democratic member of Congress from Hawaii at the time of her Syria trip, drew heavy criticism for her meetings with a U.S. adversary and brutal leader. As the letter notes, her statements on the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine have aligned with Russian talking points , diverging from U.S. positions and policy. Gabbard throughout her political career has urged the U.S. to limit military engagement abroad other than combatting Islamic extremist groups. She has defended the Syria trip by saying it is necessary to engage with U.S. enemies. In postings on social media earlier this year she confirmed that the U.S. had for a time placed her “on a secret terror watch list” as a “potential domestic terror threat.” She blamed political retaliation. Neither she nor U.S. authorities have publicly detailed the circumstances involved. Alexa Henning, a spokesperson for Gabbard with the Trump team, called the letter sent to the Senate leaders “a perfect example” of why Trump chose Gabbard for this position. “These unfounded attacks are from the same geniuses who have blood on their hands from decades of faulty ‘intelligence,’" and use classified government information as a "partisan weapon to smear and imply things about their political enemy," Henning said. A spokesperson for Thune did not immediately respond to questions about the request.
One of the first steps of the chaotic offseason schedule for the Arizona football program is signing its recruits for the 2025 cycle during the early signing period on Wednesday, which is one of the busiest days of the year for recruiting. Arizona currently has 21 players committed to become the next wave of freshmen to join the Wildcats following their 4-8 season. The Wildcats aren't approaching the early signing period unscathed. Last month, Arizona lost four-star Dallas-area wide receiver Terry Shelton, who flipped to the hometown TCU Horned Frogs, along with three-star Los Angeles-area cornerback Josh Tuchek (UNLV) and Houston-area wide receiver Muizz Tounkara (Florida). Arizona head coach Brent Brennan said, "Those kids that chose to commit to us chose to do so because they believe in us and put trust in us." “We have to continue to ensure and help them see that when you come here, you are going to get developed at a really high level, you are going to be a part of great football teams, you are going to be a part of a great college football experience. ... I think we’re moving in the right direction," Brennan said a month ago. "I still think we have some pieces to add to it.” Arizona's 2025 recruiting class ranks ninth in the Big 12, according to 247Sports.com . The Wildcats are behind TCU, Colorado, Baylor, Kansas State, Houston, Utah, Arizona State and West Virginia. In Arizona's 21-player recruiting class, California, Texas and Arizona are the three main hubs. Nineteen players from the aforementioned states make up Arizona's ’25 class; the other two hail from Hawaii and Florida. Here's a look at the players currently committed to Arizona for 2025: Arizona picked up a commitment from Northern California 2025 offensive tackle Louis Akpa. Louis Akpa Position: Offensive tackle Height, weight: 6-6, 250 pounds Hometown (high school): San Mateo, California (Junipero Serra) Other offers: Boise State, BYU, Iowa State and Cal Kason Brown Position: Safety Height, weight: 6-4, 190 pounds Hometown (high school): Big Lake, Texas (Reagan County) Other offers: Texas State, UTEP, Cornell and Tulsa Gianni Edwards Position: Cornerback Height, weight: 5-11, 175 pounds Hometown (high school): Forney, Texas (North Forney) Other offers: Michigan State, Arizona State, Arkansas State and Colorado Kellan Ford Position: Tight end Height, weight: 6-5, 230 pounds Hometown (high school): Danville, California (Monte Vista) Other offers: Boston College, Cal, Nevada and Oregon State Three-star 2025 offensive lineman and Hawaii product Javian Goo committed to the Arizona Wildcats. Javian Goo Position: Offensive line Height, weight: 6-4, 280 pounds Hometown (high school): Kapolei, Hawaii (Kapolei) Other offers: Oregon State, Hawaii, Air Force and San Diego State Jaxon Griffin Position: Offensive tackle Height, weight: 6-6, 250 pounds Hometown (high school): Mesa (Red Mountain) Other offers: Oregon State and Colorado State Swayde Griffin Position: Cornerback Height, weight: 6-1, 185 pounds Hometown (high school): Lago Vista, Texas (Lago Vista) Other offers: Arizona State, Texas Tech and Minnesota Luke Haugo Position: Quarterback Height, weight: 6-5, 200 Hometown (high school): Gilbert (Higley) Other offers: Utah, Oregon, Arizona State and San Diego State Chandler Hamilton star Dajon Hinton is one of the top in-state cornerbacks. Dajon Hinton Position: Cornerback Height, weight: 5-10, 175 pounds Hometown (high school): Chandler (Hamilton) Other offers: Arizona State, Boston College, Iowa State and Kansas Kaleb Jones Position: Defensive tackle Height, weight: 6-1, 275 pounds Hometown (high school): Phoenix (Mountain Pointe) Other offers: Arizona State, Oregon and Oregon State Linebacker Carter Jones hails from Crean Lutheran High School in Irvine, California. Carter Jones Position: Linebacker Height, weight: 6-0, 205 pounds Hometown (high school): Irvine, California (Crean Lutheran) Other offers: Florida State, LSU, Miami, Oklahoma and Tennessee Robert McDaniel Position: Quarterback Height, weight: 6-1, 195 pounds Hometown (high school): Hughson, California (Hughson) Other offers: Florida, Cal, San Jose State and Indiana Arizona landed three-star Florida receiver Isaiah Mizell for 2025. Isaiah Mizell Position: Wide receiver Height, weight: 6-0, 160 pounds Hometown (high school): Orlando, Florida (Boone) Other offers: Notre Dame, UCF, Kansas State and Georgia Tech Coleman Paton Position: Defensive back Height, weight: 6-2, 190 pounds Hometown (high school): Del Valle, Texas (Del Valle) Other offers: TCU, Oklahoma State, Northwestern and Kansas State Mays Pese Position: Defensive tackle Height, weight: 6-2, 275 pounds Hometown (high school): Santa Barbara, California (Bishop Garcia Diego) Other offers: Boise State, Cal, Michigan State, Oregon State and San Jose State Basha Bears wide receiver Gio Richardson (5) dodges a tackle attempt by American Leadership Academy Patriots strong safety Diesel Mack at Basha High School in Chandler on Nov. 17, 2023. Gio Richardson Position: Wide receiver Height, weight: 5-11, 170 pounds Hometown (high school): Chandler (Basha) Other offers: Vanderbilt, Kansas State, Arizona State and Boise State Myron Robinson Position: Linebacker Height, weight: 6-2, 210 pounds Hometown (high school): San Antonio, Texas (East Central) Other offers: Washington State, Boston College, Georgia Tech and Houston Sean Robinson Position: Athlete Height, weight: 6-3, 205 pounds Hometown (high school): Cibolo, Texas (Steele) Other offers: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Houston and Nebraska Sione Tohi Position: Offensive line Height, weight: 6-3, 356 pounds Hometown (high school): Santa Ana, California (Mater Dei) Other offers: Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, LSU, Oklahoma and Ole Miss Losipini Tupou Position: Offensive line Height, weight: 6-2, 275 pounds Hometown (high school): San Francisco (Archbishop Riordan) Other offers: Arizona State, Florida, Nebraska, Penn State and Utah Wesley Yarbrough Position: Running back Height, weight: 5-10, 195 pounds Hometown (high school): Crosby, Texas (Crosby) Other offers: Houston, Oklahoma State, TCU, Memphis and Utah Arizona quarterback Nick Foles looks toward the sideline during a UA matchup against Stanford at Arizona Stadium on Oct. 17, 2009. Ex-Wildcat Foles supports Brennan Former Arizona star quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles recently posted his support for Brennan on X (Twitter) after UA athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois told the Star Brennan will return next season despite an "unacceptable" 4-8 campaign this year. Foles, who recently retired from the NFL and attended a UA football practice in the spring and spoke to the team, said, "I'm glad coach Brent Brennan will be back at the U of A. "I got to spend several days with him and really enjoyed my time. It was obvious the love he has for Wildcat nation and those roots run deep. I know the outcome of the season is not what the team or the Wildcat fans wanted but winning consistently takes time. You have to build the culture all over again when staffs change. That is the part of the game that is the hardest to do but the most fulfilling when done right. I expect coach Brennan to do this right in Tucson." UTEP head coach Dana Dimel looks toward his players during the first half against Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss., Sept. 28, 2019. Southern Mississippi won 31-13. Former UA coach Dimel dies Former Arizona assistant coach Dana Dimel, who was the UA's tight ends coach under former head coach Mike Stoops from 2006-08, died Tuesday. Dimel was 62. Dimel's wife, Julie, and children, Winston and Josey, announced his death in a statement. No cause was given. “Today is a difficult day for college football and our Illini family,” said Illinois coach Bret Bielema, who hired Dimel as a senior offensive assistant this past season. “Dana was an exceptional person, husband, father, friend and football coach. He affected the lives of countless coaches, players and staff members for more than three decades in college football." Stoops said in a post on X (Twitter): "I am deeply saddened to hear of the loss of my dear friend, Dana Dimel. It was a privilege working with him as a coach for many years. His devotion and love to his family and the significant influence he had on so many through his football coaching will never be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time." Arizona tight ends coach Dana Dimel, left, talks with offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Mike Canales, center, and offensive line coach Eric Wolford, right, at the start of practice Monday, April 10, 2006. Dimel grew up in Columbus, Ohio and graduated in 1986 from Kansas State, where Winston Dimel was later a three-time All-Big 12 fullback. The elder Dimel attended training camp with the Vikings in 1987 before going into coaching with his alma mater, and he was part of the early staffs of Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder that turned around a long-suffering program. He was part of 12 bowl teams over three separate stints covering 19 seasons with Kansas State. “He was a special friend and coaching companion,” Snyder said in a statement. "I admired his passion for helping his players and fellow coaches. He was a big part of the development of the Kansas State football program, and along with his wife Julie, very meaningful in the Manhattan community.” Dimel was hired by Wyoming in 1997 and went 22–13 over three seasons before leaving for Houston, where he was 8–26 in three seasons. Dimel returned to Kansas State as an assistant, along with a period at Arizona, where he coached standout tight end Rob Gronkowski, before getting a final chance to be a head coach at UTEP, where he went 20–49 and led the Miners to the New Mexico Bowl over six seasons. Dimel, who had a career record of 50–88 as a head coach, helped the Illini go 9-3 as an assistant this season. “His influence on our program was incredible to witness and be a part of,” Bielema said. "His infectious positive energy had a major impact on me, our players and everyone in our building every day. He will be dearly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family.” — Staff and wire report Contact Justin Spears, the Star's Arizona football beat reporter, at jspears@tucson.com . On X(Twitter): @JustinESports Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sports Reporter