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Republican Governors Give Lukewarm Support for Trump's Deportation PromisesNEW ORLEANS (AP) — The largest artificial intelligence data center ever built by Facebook’s parent company Meta is coming to northeast Louisiana, the company said Wednesday, bringing hopes that the $10 billion facility will transform an economically neglected corner of the state. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry called it “game-changing” for his state's expanding tech sector, yet some environmental groups have raised concerns over the center's reliance on fossil fuels — and whether the plans for new natural gas power to support it could lead to higher energy bills in the future for Louisiana residents. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, is expanding its existing supercomputer project in Memphis, Tennessee, the city's chamber of commerce said Wednesday. The chamber also said that Nvidia, Dell, and Supermicro Computer will be “establishing operations in Memphis,” without offering further details. Louisiana is among a growing number of states offering tax credits and other incentives to lure big tech firms seeking sites for energy-intensive data centers. The U.S. Commerce Department found that there aren’t enough data centers in the U.S. to meet the rising AI-fueled demand, which is projected to grow by 9% each year through 2030, citing industry reports. Meta anticipates its Louisiana data center will create 500 operational jobs and 5,000 temporary construction jobs, said Kevin Janda, director of data center strategy. At 4 million square feet (370,000 square meters), it will be the company's largest AI data center to date, he added. “We want to make sure we are having a positive impact on the local level,” Janda said. Congressional leaders and local representatives from across the political spectrum heralded the Meta facility as a boon for Richland parish, a rural part of Louisiana with a population of 20,000 historically reliant on agriculture. About one in four residents are considered to live in poverty and the parish has an employment rate below 50%, according to the U.S. census data. Meta plans to invest $200 million into road and water infrastructure improvements for the parish to offset its water usage. The facility is expected to be completed in 2030. Entergy, one of the nation's largest utility providers, is fast-tracking plans to build three natural gas power plants in Louisiana capable of generating 2,262 megawatts for Meta's data center over a 15-year period — nearly one-tenth of Entergy's existing energy capacity across four states. The Louisiana Public Service Commission is weighing Entergy's proposal as some environmental groups have opposed locking the state into more fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure. Meta said it plans to help bring 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy onto the grid in the future. Louisiana residents may ultimately end up with rate increases to pay off the cost of operating these natural gas power plants when Meta's contract with Entergy expires, said Jessica Hendricks, state policy director for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a Louisiana-based nonprofit advocating for energy consumers. “There’s no reason why residential customers in Louisiana need to pay for a power plant for energy that they’re not going to use," Hendricks said. "And we want to make sure that there’s safeguards in place.” Public service commissioner Foster Campbell, representing northeast Louisiana, said he does not believe the data center will increase rates for Louisiana residents and views it as vital for his region. “It’s going in one of the most needed places in Louisiana and maybe one of the most needed places in the United States of America,” Foster said. “I’m for it 100%.” Environmental groups have also warned of the pollution generated by Musk's AI data center in Memphis. The Southern Environmental Law Center, among others, says the supercomputer could strain the power grid, prompting attention from the Environmental Protection Agency. Eighteen gas turbines currently running at xAI’s south Memphis facility are significant sources of ground-level ozone, better known as smog, the group said. Patrick Anderson, an attorney at the law center, said xAI has operated with “a stunning lack of transparency” in developing its South Memphis facility, which is located near predominantly Black neighborhoods that have long dealt with pollution and health risks from factories and other industrial sites. “Memphians deserve to know how xAI will affect them,” he said, “and should have a seat at the table when these decisions are being made.” Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Onex Corporation (the “ ”) (TSX: ONEX) announced today the amendment of the terms of the Company’s ongoing substantial issuer bid (the “ ”), pursuant to which the Company has offered to purchase from its shareholders (“ ”), for cancellation, up to $400,000,000 of its subordinate voting shares (the “ ”). All amounts in this press release are in Canadian dollars. The Offer has been amended to increase the price range offered to Shareholders who tender their Subordinate Voting Shares pursuant to the Offer to a price of not less than $108.00 per Subordinate Voting Share and not more than $117.00 per Subordinate Voting Share (in increments of $0.25 per Subordinate Voting Share) (the “ ”). The New Range varies the original price range of the Offer of not less than $105.00 and not more than $112.00 per Subordinate Voting Share. In connection with the variation of the price range of the Offer, the expiry date of the Offer has been extended to 11:59 p.m. (Toronto time) on December 23, 2024 (the “ ”), unless further extended, varied or withdrawn by the Company. All other terms of the Offer remain unchanged. The Company anticipates announcing the results of the Offer by no later than December 27, 2024, following the close of markets. The Offer is for up to approximately 5% of the Company’s total number of issued and outstanding Subordinate Voting Shares (based on a purchase price equal to the minimum purchase price per Subordinate Voting Share and 73,973,642 Subordinate Voting Shares issued and outstanding as at the close of business on December 11, 2024). This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction. The solicitation and the offer to buy the Subordinate Voting Shares will only be made pursuant to the offer to purchase and issuer bid circular dated November 8, 2024, as amended by the notice of variation and extension dated December 13, 2024 (the “ ”), the Amended Letter of Transmittal and the amended notice of guaranteed delivery (collectively, the “ ”). Details of the Offer, including instructions for tendering Subordinate Voting Shares, are included in the Offer Documents. The Offer Documents will be mailed to shareholders, filed with applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities and made available on SEDAR+ at , and will also be posted on the Company’s website at . Shareholders should carefully read the Offer Documents prior to making a decision with respect to the Offer. Onex invests and manages capital on behalf of its shareholders and clients across the globe. Formed in 1984, we have a long track record of creating value for our clients and shareholders. Our investors include a broad range of global clients, including public and private pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, family offices and high-net-worth individuals. In total, Onex has approximately $50 billion in assets under management, of which $8.5 billion is Onex’ own investing capital. With offices in Toronto, New York, New Jersey and London, Onex and its experienced management teams are collectively the largest investors across Onex’ platforms. Onex is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ONEX. For more information on Onex, visit its website at . Onex’ security filings can also be accessed at . This press release may contain, without limitation, statements concerning possible or assumed future operations, performance or results preceded by, followed by or that include words such as “believes”, “expects”, “potential”, “anticipates”, “estimates”, “intends”, “plans” and words of similar connotation, which would constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees. The reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information because they involve significant and diverse risks and uncertainties that may cause actual operations, performance or results to be materially different from those indicated in these forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by Canadian securities law, Onex is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein should material facts change due to new information, future events or other factors. These cautionary statements expressly qualify all forward-looking statements in this press release.
The United States and several allies denounced China’s maneuvers as dangerous on Dec. 4 after Filipino officials reported Chinese vessels fired water cannons and sideswiped Philippine patrolling ships in two hotly contested areas of the South China Sea. MaryKay Carlson, the U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, said that the “unlawful use of water cannons” and “dangerous maneuvers” by the Chinese regime disrupted a Philippine maritime operation and put the lives of those on board at risk. One of the incidents unfolded as the Philippine coast guard vessels and fisheries bureau ships were on patrol near Scarborough Shoal, a disputed reef in the South China Sea, to support their fishermen, according to Manila’s officials. Tarriela posted several footage and photos from the Philippine coast guard showing what he called “blocking, shadowing, and dangerous maneuvers” by Chinese coast guard and navy ships against the Philippine vessels. Following the latest confrontation, Beijing released a narrative contradicting Manila’s account. An initial statement from China’s coast guard accused the Philippine ships of “dangerously” approaching their Chinese ships while seeking to enter what Beijing views as its territorial waters around Huangyan Island, the Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal. A Philippine government ship “ignored multiple solemn warnings” from the Chinese side and “deliberately rammed into” their ship, Chinese coast guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said in a second statement, asserting that the Philippine side was a threat to the navigation safety of the Chinese fleet. Adding to the maritime tensions, a separate confrontation on Dec. 4 saw a Philippine vessel “sideswiped” while another rammed by the Chinese coast guard ships near Sabina Shoal, another contested shoal in the South China Sea, according to Filipino officials. Manila’s National Maritime Council vowed not to back down in the face of coercion and called on China to exercise self-restraint. Japan echoed these sentiments, with its ambassador to the Philippines, Endo Kazuya, calling China’s actions “dangerous.”
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