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spin ph nba Jackpot Combine School wins 2 state STEM grantsTesla CEO Elon Musk’s $56 billion pay package was struck down once again. In , Delaware Chancery Court Judge Kathaleen St. J. McCormick upheld her decision to block the compensation plan over concerns about conflicts of interest following its . After warning shareholders in June that Musk if his pay package isn’t approved, Tesla held a vote in hopes of reversing the judge’s decision. the hefty compensation, but this still wasn’t enough to convince the judge to reinstate it. The decision states that Musk has “no procedural ground for flipping the outcome of an adverse posttrial decision based on evidence they created after trial.” It also calls claims that shareholders can change the outcome of a court decision “dubious generally and unquestionably false” in this scenario. Judge McCormick granted $345 million to the lawyers representing the Tesla shareholders who sued over the $56 billion plan. Musk is expected to appeal the decision. Even without the package, Musk still remains the richest man in the world, and Tesla stocks continue to soar following Donald Trump’s win in the US Presidential Election. /

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Google, already facing a possible breakup of the company over its ubiquitous search engine , is fighting to beat back another attack by the U.S. Department of Justice alleging monopolistic conduct, this time over technology that puts online advertising in front of consumers. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Former Inmate Says Diddy Has ‘Groupies’ in Jail Who Get ‘Jealous’ of Each Other

In the for your first home? Or seeking to add to your portfolio? or signup to continue reading Well, auctioneers are set to put two properties under the hammer this weekend in Bendigo. has been in the same family for 100 years and has now hit the market for new hands to take control. Given the family's history of housing show horses and trotters there is extensive shedding on the property. The block of land tops out at just over 1600 square-metres and includes a three-bedroom home with one bathroom. The home is also close to health facilities, nightlife venues and sporting clubs including AFL, soccer and lawn bowls. The house has been valued at around $500,000. The auction is scheduled for November 30 at 12pm. This home is set on a 700 square-metre block in the south of the city. The home is located close to schools, shops, and parks and is sitting on a block big enough to give the owners added privacy when needed. With both a front and back gardens available, potential owners will have the chance to flex their green thumbs and grow or create what they want to. There are also solar panels installed on the home which offers significant energy savings and sustainability. The house has been valued at between $430,000 and $470,000. The auction is scheduled for November 30 at 10:30am. WA boy in Bendigo, happy to be in Central Victoria. WA boy in Bendigo, happy to be in Central Victoria. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!Over the last several years, the entertainment industry has been rocked by a succession of body blows. It came out of a global pandemic only to be hit with dual strikes (WGA and SAG-AFTRA) that caused historically long labor stoppages, which were followed by a work slowdown brought on by a deflation of the streaming bubble, exacerbated by the threat of strikes by below-the-line unions. Through it all, the honorees on Variety ’s 2024 Dealmakers report continued to work on behalf of their clients. On the whole, the deals weren’t as plentiful or as rich, but, necessity being the mother of invention, often more innovative. They approach the coming new year with a mix of optimism and uncertainty, as they navigate the threat and the promise of artificial intelligence — perhaps the most disruptive of technological innovations to date — while cautiously anticipating the incoming administration in Washington, D.C., which is seen as more friendly to corporate mergers and acquisitions, but hostile to Hollywood, in spite of its leader’s past ties to show business. CEO, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) In October, five years to the week after Khan launched professional wrestling promotion AEW as a direct competitor to Vince McMahon’s long-dominant WWE, he closed a multi-year media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, worth a reported $185 million a year, that calls for AEW’s shows and events to be broadcast on TBS and TNT and stream on Max. The company is now valued at more than $2 billion, making it the third-most-valuable combat sports company in the world. Ain’t bragging if it’s true: “Our new arrangement signifies that AEW will make history as the first professional wrestling promotion to simulcast events weekly on top cable channels and a top streaming platform,” says Khan. Chris Spicer Marissa Román Griffith Alissa Miller Vanessa Roman Partners Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld The Akin team closed more than $3.5 billion in deals in the past year, spanning media, entertainment and sports. Recently, it repped CAT5, an action film label backed by Fifth Season, in its initial project, “Levon’s Trade” (Black Bear Pictures), written by Sylvester Stallone, and advised HarbourView Equity Partners on its investment in Mucho Mas Media, producers of the films “Rosario” and “The Long Game.” Be open-minded : “AI will obviously have an impact on all facets of the media and entertainment industry, but how much and to what extent is still TBD,” says the group in a joint statement. “Our advice for anyone in the industry, be it legal, financial, creative, etc., is to learn how to use the technology to be more efficient and better at your job as opposed to be scared of it. Embrace the change and look for ways to use it to your advantage.” Partners Alter Kendrick & Baron Alter and Baron closed almost $1 billion worth of music publishing and master recording catalog acquisitions and sales in the past year, representing Primary Wave Music Publishing (Neil Sedaka), BMG Rights Management (Peter Frampton), Reservoir Media Management (Louis Prima), Iconic Artists Group (Rod Stewart) and Influence Media Partners (Enrique Iglesias). Spotlight shining brighter on NIL deals: “There are a number of buyers that are — if not getting exclusive rights in that area, because it’s hard to value, particularly if those kinds of rights haven’t been historically exploited — at least getting the opportunity to bring things to the table,” says Alter. “Some sellers are looking for partners to help them make the biopic they’ve always wanted to make or the Broadway jukebox musical they’ve always wanted to do.” Pat Shah Global head of content acquisition, strategy & partnerships Rhonda Adams Medina Head of business affairs Kristin Lang Senior director of content acquisition Audible If there was doubt that Audible isn’t just about audiobooks and podcasts anymore, it was put to rest when Shah’s team cut a deal for the company’s first musical, “Dead Outlaw,” which premiered Off-Broadway and won a Drama Desk Award. They also negotiated pacts with MGM Studios to develop TV adaptations of original Audible audio titles and Imagine Entertainment to produce a fictional audio series exploring unsolved murders through the lens of church confessions, as well as traditional audiobook deals, including the acquisitions of multi-language audio rights to Andy Weir’s next novel and Matt Dinniman’s “Dungeon Crawler Carl” series. Hear the possibilities: “Audio is a distinct and differentiated way to expand the canvas of what’s possible storytelling-wise, [and] the creative community is eager to explore how to connect with audiences both new and existing through this format,” says Shah. Robyn Polashuk Partner; co-chair, entertainment and media industry group Adrian Perry Partner; co-chair, entertainment and media industry group and music industry group David Lefebvre Mike Hill Special counsel Covington & Burling Calling Covington & Burling’s Perry, Polashuk, Lefebvre and Hill a dream team could be an understatement, given the multi-billion-dollar impact of the deals they structure. They represented the Walt Disney Co. in the media licensing aspects of its agreement to merge Disney Star India’s $8.5 billion with Reliance’s Viacom 18, and advised Paramount Global on network distribution matters involved on its proposed $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. On the sports side, Hill advised the NBA on an 11-year, $76 billion media rights agreement with the Walt Disney Co. (ABC/ESPN), NBCUniversal and Amazon. Better dealmaking through science: “This year is marked by the acceleration of training, deployment and adoption of AI technologies, which has opened up a new content licensing and monetization market for media and other clients,” says Polashuk. Partners Davis Wright Tremaine The Davis Wright Tremaine quartet had a busy year, handling everything from talent deals to litigation. Miller advised on above-the-line contracts, tax incentives and production services on Seasons 2 and 3 of Amazon MGM Studios’ “The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power.” Zee handled more than 60 development deals for ITV Studios America’s partnerships with Tomorrow Studios and Bedrock Entertainment. Wei tackled unique production legal issues, including the vetting of “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’s” offer to give Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas $1 million a year and a new RV in exchange for his resignation from the Supreme Court. Palacios advised on numerous documentaries for studios including Imagine Entertainment and Netflix and is lead defense counsel for the Cinemart in a defamation suit arising from its docuseries “Bug Out.” Pre-strike greenlights turned to red: “Talent hoped they would immediately go into production, but so many months had passed during the strike period that the studios started to take a second look at those projects, and in some cases scrapped them and started over,” says Miller. Partners Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein Lezcano Bobb & Dang These Del Shaw Moonves legal eagles span the entertainment spectrum from film, TV and docs to the legit stage. In the past year, Bobb cut deals for talent ranging from director Malcolm D. Lee (Blumhouse/Universal thriller “Help”) to actor David Oyelowo (starring role in National Theatre production of Shakespeare’s “Coriolanus”). A major player in the unscripted space, Cohan grew his sports-related business, cutting deals for Box to Box Films, Vox Media Studios, Pro Shop and the NFL, while repping stars like French chef and chocolatier Amaury Guichon and journalists Soledad O’Brien and Antonia Hylton. Lezcano negotiated Sterlin Harjo’s overall pact with FX, which spawned the pilot “The Sensitive Kind,” starring Ethan Hawke, and producer Gareth Neame’s deal for a third “Downton Abbey” film and his new multi-year deal to continue as chairman of Carnival Television. In addition to regularly handling deals for top entertainment execs, Tillers set Quinta Brunson to write, produce and star in the Universal comedy feature “Par for the Course” (with founding partner Nina Shaw), and Becky Hartman Edwards’ showrunner deal for Netflix’s “One Tree Hill” reboot. Relaxing talent holding deals: “The overall compensation package is not as lucrative as it used to be, nor are they ordering as many episodes as they did traditionally, so they have to be a little bit more lenient,” says Bobb. Founding partner Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein Lezcano Bobb & Dang A longstanding leader in the entertainment law community, Shaw had another year of big deals, including pacts for Lupita Nyong’o to join the all-star cast in Christopher Nolan’s next movie, Quinta Brunson to co-write, produce and star in the Universal feature comedy “Par for the Course” (with partner Lily Tillers), Ayo Edebiri to co-star in Luca Guadagnino’s “After the Hunt,” Victoria Mahoney to direct the Amazon MGM rom-com “Clean Air” and Jurnee Smollett to star in the Apple TV+ series “Firebug.” No profit participation for you!: “We always had really tough definitions of payouts, but a lot of people still got paid,” Shaw says. “Now, more and more, we see this concept that people don’t actually deserve to participate in the upside.” Partner; global co-chair, media, sport & entertainment DLA Piper Ara had a busy year repping Caryn Mandabach Prods. in its sale to Banijay U.K., animation studio Titmouse (“Big Mouth”) in an eight-figure renewal of its first-look pact with Netflix and Korean streaming service Coupang Play in its deal with Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres to face off in a pair of preseason games in Seoul in March 2024. Laying fresh revenue pipelines: “While new dealmaking opportunities in music have emerged from the securitization of royalty income streams, financiers are increasingly exploring broader sector opportunities,” he says. “This includes consolidating legacy assets and ensuring steady cash flows in an industry that is constantly evolving.” Partner; chair of national advertising team DLA Piper Mulcahy has been at the center of many of the biggest transactions at the intersection of sports and entertainment. Most notably, he repped Amazon Prime Video in its 11-year, $21 billion global media rights deal with the National Basketball Assn. for an exclusive package of NBA and WNBA games, running through the 2035-2036 season. The deal, which closed in July, marks the league’s first streaming-only media rights agreement. Package it up: “Live sports is rapidly migrating to digital media channels and is getting more expensive to acquire and exploit. So in an effort to build the scale needed to cover those costs, we’re seeing competitors team up to bundle their products and services and go to market together,” says Mulcahy. Stacy Marcus Katherine Imp Michael Isselin Partners David Markman Partner; co-chair, entertainment transactions practice DLA Piper This DLA Piper team has been a key player in matters that have widespread impact on the industry, most notably negotiations for SAG-AFTRA’s commercials contract, where Marcus serves as chief negotiator for the Joint Policy Committee representing the advertising industry, assisted by Isselin as legal counsel. Imp’s responsibilities include serving as lead outside counsel for iHeartMedia’s podcast slate with Shondaland and repping Lego Group in the negotiation of content production and distribution arrangements with studios including Disney and Netflix, while Markman handles all aspects of Jeanie Buss and David McLane’s all-female wrestling promotion Women of Wrestling, including the negotiation of its multi-year distribution deal with Paramount/CBS Studios. See AI from both sides now: “AI is an umbrella and there are many really great uses for it that can improve creativity and efficiencies,” says Marcus, whether the users are brands, film and TV producers, creators or performers, as long as they have proper protections. Robert J. Sherman Partner; co-chair, entertainment finance practice Richard Petretti Claire Hall Partners DLA Piper Sherman and Hall are at the glowing center of the red-hot music catalog marketplace. In March, the duo secured approximately $500 million in financing for client HarbourView Equity Partners, backed by its music royalty catalog, which includes titles by artists including Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie, Wiz Khalifa and Brad Paisley. They also repped leading independent music company Concord in its issuance of $850 million in asset-backed notes, which will be used for additional music acquisitions. Meanwhile, Petretti served as administrative agent on JPMorgan’s amendment of its $675 million term loan and revolving credit facility (expandable to $875 million) for Arnon Milchan’s Regency/Monarchy Entertainment group of companies. Business is good: “We see a maturing of the market for music securitizations and believe that music acquisition platforms sponsored by institutional investors and other sophisticated capital providers will continue to access and grow this subsector of the esoteric ABS [asset-backed securities] market,” says Sherman. General counsel and head of business legal affairs Fifth Season Arias assisted in securing a $225 million strategic investment from Toho, Japan’s largest film studio, which empowered Fifth Season to continue expanding its premium content slate. He’s provided ongoing oversight of business and legal practices for Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series “Severance” and Max’s “Tokyo Vice,” and on the film side overseen the thriller “She Rides Shotgun,” starring Taron Egerton, and the comedies “Friendship,” starring Tim Robinson, and “Nonnas,” starring Vince Vaughn. Election impact on dealmaking: “We could see an easing of regulation on M&A in the media business, which could lead to more consolidation, while possibly boosting companies that have faced challenges being competitive, which is very good for the industry,” Arias says. Partner; founding chair, entertainment & sports law department Fox Rothschild Miller repped husband and wife clients Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance in numerous matters, including pacts for her to return for “Mission Impossible — The Final Reckoning” and for him to take over the role of Zeus in Season 2 of the Disney+ series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” as well as a first-look deal for the couple’s production company with 20th Television. He also closed deals for Chris “Ludacris” Bridges (2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show performance), Da’Vine Joy Randolph (starring roles in A24 rom-com “Eternity” and Michel Gondry’s Universal musical “Golden”) and comedian/host Taylor Tomlinson (Netflix special “Have It All”). One door opens and ...: “I see a paradigm shift breaking up the monopolies, creating more ways to make money and an opportunity for those nimble enough to find a new model and create their niche and build their audience,” Miller says. Partners Fox Rothschild Katz and Vaquerano have been working with HarbourView Equity Partners since its founding in 2021, handling all stages of negotiations — from due diligence to post-closing — on more than a billion dollars-worth of deals. This year, they were instrumental in securing $500 million in financing for HarbourView, backed by its music royalties catalog, which includes titles by artists such as Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie, Wiz Khalifa, Brad Paisley and James Fauntleroy. The bicoastal duo (Katz is in New York; Vaquerano in Los Angeles) also recently represented Merch Collective in its $25 million-plus majority interest sale to Sony Music Entertainment. Thinking globally: “There is heightened interest in deals relating to rights originating outside of the United States,” says Katz. “We need to be sure we are helping our clients to appropriately analyze the risk vs. reward tradeoff from exploring unfamiliar jurisdictions.” Partner; chair of entertainment & sports law department Fox Rothschild Simon is a force in the nonfiction space, closing deals for clients such as Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Hulu’s Diane von Furstenberg doc “Woman in Charge”), Alex Stapleton’s House of Nonfiction Prods. (Netflix docuseries about Sean “Diddy” Combs, produced with 50 Cent), longtime AMC Network exec Josh Sapan (overall deal with IFC Films), the Obamas’ Higher Ground Prods. and Bloomberg Media. Streaming for the future: The continued championing of new talent is something that Simon feels is vitally important to the marketplace. “I would like to see the emergence of a strong, consolidated and commercially viable SVOD platform for the smart and bold independent voices of our time and those to come,” he says. J. Eugene (Gene) Salomon Jr. Managing partner Donald S. Passman Ethan Schiffres Daniel S. Passman Partners Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman The Gang, Tyre quartet has a roster of superstar music, film and television clients ranging from Taylor Swift and Stevie Wonder to Timothée Chalamet, Zac Efron and Heidi Klum. In the past year, they amplified their reputation as headliners in the music arena, cutting deals for Green Day’s “Saviors” album and subsequent stadium tour, P!nk’s $693.8 million-grossing Summer Carnival World Tour and the sale of Randy Newman’s recorded music and publishing rights to Litmus Music. On the film and TV side, they brokered Emma Corrin’s appearance in the Marvel blockbuster “Deadpool & Wolverine” and Ridley Scott’s producer and director deal for the upcoming Bee Gees biopic “You Should Be Dancing.” More cross-cultural opportunities: “You’ve got artists from different parts of the world making an impact,” says Salomon. “It used to be that Anglo-American repertoire dominated what was popular everywhere. That’s becoming less of the case and you’re seeing much more diversity.” Kevin Masuda Partner; co-chair, media, entertainment and technology practice group Benyamin (Ben) Ross Partner and co-chair, media, entertainment and technology practice group Steve Tsoneff Sarah Graham Partners Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher The Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher quartet advised Iconic Artists Group, co-founded by longtime Eagles manager Irving Azoff, in its strategic investment from HPS Investment Partners, giving Iconic access to $1 billion to further build out its portfolio. It also repped RedBird Capital Partners in its investment in Charles Barkley’s Round Mound Media and its acquisition of indie TV production and distribution company All3Media, and advised on the launch of Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop Dogg, an alcoholic beverage company founded by Dr. Dre, Snoop, Jimmy Iovine and Main Street Advisors. Who says deal flow is slow?: “Private equity involvement in M&A in the entertainment industry has accelerated, with a particular focus on catalogs, production companies, content libraries and talent-driven businesses like talent agencies, management firms and talent-founded consumer brands,” said the team in a statement. Partners Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger The Greenberg Glusker team worked collaboratively to cut a wealth of headline-grabbing deals, such as Tom Cruise’s strategic partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and a subsequent pact to make an Alejandro G. Iñárritu film for the studio, both of which were handled by Galsor and Muir. The quartet’s clients also include actors Tom Hanks, Chris Hemsworth, Vin Diesel and Alice Braga, filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo, James Cameron and David Fincher, authors J.K. Rowling and Jocko Willink, Silent House Prods., costume designer Colleen Atwood, Ubisoft Entertainment, Riot Games, the estates of J.R.R. Tolkien and Ray Bradbury, and Togethxr, (founded by female athletes Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel and Sue Bird). Fair compensation for streaming success: “Nobody has the right formula, and I think the formulas that people are discussing are not going to be the ones that are going to be adopted long-term, because they just don’t work,” says Galsor. Founder & CEO HarbourView Equity Partners Launched in 2021, Soares’ HarbourView Equity Partners has established itself as one of the hottest investment firms in the entertainment, sports and media markets, with roughly $1.5 billion in assets currently under its management. Recently, Soares invested in two media production companies focused on inclusive storytelling, Charles D. King’s Macro (“Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Mudbound”) and Mucho Mas Media (“The Long Game, “Rosario”). Growth creates opportunities: “I’ve been consistently focused on high-quality IP, while bringing a big focus on ROI and using data as currency in terms of who is watching and how often, which will help to empower all creative voices,” she says. Partner Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole Johnson has secured over $1 billion in production commitments for Tyler Perry Studios, including Netflix deals that closed in 2024 — a multi-year, first-look series pact and an agreement to produce multiple faith-based films — adding to a deal he made with the streamer in October 2023, calling for eight films over four years. He also handled Perry’s BET series producing agreement and the launch of two free ad-supported streaming channels featuring all of Perry’s BET output. Johnson’s non-Perry work included a joint-venture agreement between Andy and Barbara Muschietti and Skydance to create horror division Nocturna. Gaming the deflating production bubble: “Platforms are being more discerning in what they are investing in, so we need to work harder to show the value proposition to secure long-term, multi-part deals,” he says. Partner Kirkland & Ellis Traxler was at the center of two of the year’s biggest music catalog deals, repping Blackstone in its $1.6 billion purchase of Hipgnosis Songs Fund in April and Universal Music Group in its acquisition of a 25.8% stake in Chord Music Partners for a reported $240 million in February. Music catalog market comeback: “Most every client I’m in contact with about acquisitions feels that as interest rates hopefully continue to come down and economic conditions improve in different countries, opportunities will re-emerge to acquire catalogs,” he says. “There are still plenty of interesting catalogs at all sizes and all levels to attract different kinds of music companies. We need to work harder to show the value proposition to secure long-term, multi-part deals.” Partners Latham & Watkins As partners in Latham & Watkin’s entertainment, sports and media group, Bruington specializes in debt financing transactions and West handles music catalog acquisitions and represents talent in IP joint ventures and brand sponsorship deals, while Johnson and Ranger are transactional generalists. In the past year, they helped Blumhouse acquire Atomic Monster and buy out ITV’s equity interests in Blumhouse Television; advised Skydance Media in its merger with Paramount; negotiated KKR’s sale of Chord Music Partners; and represented Brittney Griner in an exclusive life rights and producing agreement with ESPN and ABC. Turbulent times stir up opportunities: “The big way it’s played out is that private capital has become a lot more nimble in the entertainment [space],” says Ranger. “There are new and more investors, and they’re increasingly open to deploying capital across a variety of investment strategies, rather than traditional equity, traditional debt deals.” CEO Legendary Entertainment Grode led Legendary’s buyback of Beijing-based Wanda Group’s remaining equity interest in the studio in October, putting its ownership solely in the hands of its management and private equity investment firm Apollo Global Asset Management. Grode says it gives them the freedom to pursue M&A opportunities “without the augmented regulatory risk that comes from having a foreign owner in our business.” Legendary was able to do it with cash on hand, thanks to back-to-back blockbusters “Dune: Part Two” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” which grossed a combined $1.2 billion worldwide. AI can localize social media posts: “It’s proving to be very efficient in getting adjustments out the door quickly and at a good price point,” he says. James Feldman Managing partner Stephen Clark Melissa Rogal Jonathan Shikora Partners Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Feldman, Rogal, Shikora & Clark Feldman cut feature deals for, among others, brothers Benny Safdie (write/direct “The Smashing Machine”) and Josh Safdie (co-write/direct “Marty Supreme”). Feldman and Rogal set Viola Davis for the HBO series “Waller,” while Rogal and Shikora negotiated a multi-script development deal at Amazon for “Poker Face” showrunners Lilla and Nora Zuckerman. Clark serviced clients including Rian Johnson and Ram Bergman (Will Ferrell golf comedy series for Netflix) and “Shōgun” creators Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo. Why streamers are now providing viewer data: According to Feldman, it’s not just about WGA and SAG-AFTRA contract demands. “It’s also largely driven by the fact that all the streamers are trying to sell ads now, and these advertisers have a lot more leverage than the writers did to demand the equivalent of ratings,” he says. Partner Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Chatham repped Dr. Phil (McGraw) in the April launch of his television network Merit Street Media, which is available to more than 80 million homes via partnerships with a mix of broadcast, cable, satellite and FAST channel platforms. Other clients include Logan Paul, Gabriel Macht, Demi Moore and Gabrielle Reece. Products placed just-so: “Now we’re negotiating deals where content, commerce and community blur together,” he says. “Our clients are building robust first-party data operations through their content, then leveraging that to launch everything from spirits, sports drinks, condiments and lifestyle brands. The content is essentially a marketing catalyst for their broader business empire.” Partner Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Meller led the Manatt team that advised Chord Music Partners on its sale, in which KKR’s majority stake was bought by a consortium consisting of Universal Music Group and Dundee Partners for $240 million, resulting in a valuation of $1.85 billion after the deal closed in February. Building out business: “The music industry continues to trend toward artists and songwriters owning and exploiting their own copyrights and relying less on companies and gatekeepers,” he says. “Artists can set their own destiny. We help songwriter clients self-administer and get the most value from their works. Building brands outside of the traditional entertainment industry is also a critical element to an artist’s long-term financial success.” Partner Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Over the past year, Custer handled 23 multi-million-dollar music catalog deals, 21 of which were on the buyer side. Among those were 13 for Reservoir Media Management (including publishing assets of Tupac Shakur producer Big D Evans) and six for Seeker Music (including royalties for B.o.B.). On the seller side, he closed major deals for Pat Benatar and Jay Gruska. He also serves as general counsel for artists including Neil Young and the Pixies. These are the good ol’ days: It’s been a rocky road for the music industry since Custer launched his career in 1997, but he’s happy where it is today. “Now with the ascendency of streaming, touring and music asset sales transactions, there is never a dull day,” he says. Partner Manatt, Phelps & Phillips Stapleton advised Pophouse Entertainment on its $300 million acquisition of the catalog, brand name and IP of rock band Kiss and its purchase of a majority share of Cyndi Lauper’s publishing and recording revenue. He also serves as counsel for Jack White’s Third Man Records, recording artists Em Beihold and La Lom, and Emmy-winning director-producer Jeff Zimbalist (“Skywalkers: A Love Story”). Wolf at the door, thy name is AI: “Performers and songwriters have been fighting for well over a decade to get their fair share of streaming revenues,” he says. “Now, with AI technologies boosting the occurrence of streaming fraud and flooding DSPs with authorless music, artists are facing a new threat to their hard-won share of the streaming ecosystem.” Navid Mahmoodzadegan Co-founder & co-president Carlos Jimenez Global head of media, sports & entertainment Moelis & Co. Mahmoodzadegan and Jimenez were at the center of Hollywood’s biggest deal of the year, advising Skydance Media on its $8 billion merger with Paramount, which closed in July. “There are lot of transactions that are roller coaster rides,” says Jimenez. “This one was probably the steepest.” Prospects for the “New Paramount”: “It’s a business that, in totality, obviously has some of its challenges ahead of it,” says Jimenez. “But I’m very bullish about [Skydance’s] David Ellison and the RedBird [Capital Partners] team that they’ve assembled. If anybody’s going to turn the Titanic, I think they will.” Partners Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light Before Dead & Company grossed more than $130 million with their 30-day residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas this past summer, Greenspan and Arnst negotiated all-encompassing agreements involving the innovative venue, including ones that secured various rights and clearances for merch and visual IP incorporated into the concert. Greenspan also repped Red Hot Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis in Universal’s option of the movie rights to his autobiography “Scar Tissue” and chef and TV personality Giada De Laurentiis in her spokesperson pact with Oceania Vista cruise ships. Old school still rules: “There was a moment a few years ago that everybody was chasing TikTok artists and it was almost like TikTok replaced the A&R department,” says Greenspan. If you want to build a long and sustained career, “get out on the road, play your songs, deal with people individually, let them know who you are.” Chairman, global advertising & partnerships NBCUniversal Marshall oversaw the team that secured a record $1.25 billion in advertising revenue for NBC’s Summer 2024 Olympics and Paralympics coverage. Seventy percent of the advertisers were Olympics first-timers, contributing $500 million to the final tally, thanks in part to Marshall’s efforts the help smaller marketers break into the once-exclusive television arena via programmatic ad buys. Trend spotter: “In measuring the impact of advertising, we are evolving from proxies to a certified measurement ecosystem proving the true impact of a client’s media objectives,” he says. “As the feedback loop has strengthened, it is indisputable that the most impactful advertising campaigns are in premium video that is running across linear and streaming.” Amy Siegel Partner; co-chair of the entertainment, sports and media group Matthew Syrkin Partner; co-chair of the media tech group Lindsay Conner Silvia Vannini Partners O’Melveny & Meyers In response to lingering challenges from 2023’s strikes, this O’Melveny & Meyers quartet got creative to help clients adapt and thrive. With Siegel in the lead, the team repped Fifth Season in the sale of a 25% stake to Japanese studio Toho for $225 million and advised HighPoint Media Advisors in connection with Shamrock Content Strategy’s acquisition of a media portfolio of more than 550 feature films, 2,000 hours of TV programming and 450 songs. With Cooper running point, they handled several transactions for ITV, including the sell-back of the 45% stake in Blumhouse Television it bought from Blumhouse in 2017 and its co-production agreement with Amazon MGM Studios for the television series “The Better Sister.” AI drawing industry deeper into uncharted territory: “It’s changing how content is created and how Hollywood does business, creating both opportunities and potential liabilities for our clients,” says Siegel “We are closely following the legal landscape around AI as it continues to evolve.” Partner, entertainment & media group Reed Smith Love’s focus on the intersection of music, digital media and emerging technologies makes him a trusted representative for emerging and established musical artists, songwriters, music companies and institutional investors. Whether acting as outside counsel to investment collective PleasrDAO, representing South Korea’s YG Entertainment, nu metal band Korn and jazz legend Thelonious Monk’s estate in transactional music matters or serving as Concord Music Group’s lead music attorney on its $468.8 million acquisition of Round Hill Music Fund, Love knows his success depends on his clients’ success. Doing good works: “We’ve worked on well over $1 billion in music catalog transactions this year, but helping Kesha to establish Kesha Records and seeing her thrive as a fully independent artist is my proudest moment,” says Love. Partner; co-chair, entertainment & media industry group Reed Smith Sessa spent a large part of the past year handling major music acquisition deals for clients including Concord, Sony, Lyric, Kobalt, Hipgnosis, Litmus, Shamrock, Seeker, Pophouse and Flexpoint. Other highlights include advising the Smashing Pumpkins on a stadium tour with Green Day and Bon Jovi on various issues (including his Hulu docuseries “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story”) and assisting Kesha in launching her new record label. Another record year for music catalog sales predicted: “Simply stated, music rights are a bankable asset class for the financial industry,” he says. “The model works so you will continue to see more buyers enter the space.” Leif Cervantes de Reinstein Shaun Clark Aerin Snow Partners Joseph Ireland Associate Sheppard, Mullin, Richter and Hampton Cervantes de Reinstein and Snow closed high-profile deals for clients including Lionsgate ($375 million acquisition of indie content platform eOne from Hasbro), while serving as outside corporate counsel handling equity financing transactions and joint ventures for 101 Studios (home to Taylor Sheridan’s “Landman,” “Tulsa King” and the “Yellowstone” franchise), including a strategic deal with Paramount Global for multiple series from A-list executive producers including Antoine Fuqua and George Clooney. Clark and Ireland were equally busy, repping Creative Wealth Media Lending in its acquisition of Bron Studios and Sony Pictures in its purchase of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Other clients include studios Legendary Pictures and Fremantle and iconic brands such as Peloton, Mazda, QVC and the Hershey Co. Optimistic about the coming year: “[We] expect that we will continue to see strategic collaborations between companies in different industries, [including] tech companies working with content providers, brands collaborating with celebrities, sports leagues collaborating with entertainers, and networks attempting to find new ways to generate revenue,” says Clark. “The M&A marketplace also looks more bullish.” Robert A. Darwell Senior partner; head of global media Ramela Ohanian Partner Nicolas Urdinola Senior associate Tiago Aquino Associate Sheppard, Mullin, Richter and Hampton The multilingual team led by Darwell has been busy handling the development, production and rights agreements on a slew of international projects for companies including Meta, Paramount, TelevisaUnivision, Gaumont, Globo and, most significantly, Amazon MGM Studios. As the outside counsel for the latter, they recently worked on deals for the Spanish feature “La Virgen Roja,” the Mexican series “Cada Minuto Cuenta,” the Colombian film “Pimpinero,” starring Medellín-born rock star Juanes, and an eight-part limited series adaptation of Chilean-American author Isabel Allende’s novel “House of Spirits,” which is Amazon’s highest-budget Latin American production to date. For Meta, they assisted its in-house legal team in negotiating the talent agreements for a series of AI chatbots embodying public figures such as Tom Brady, Kendall Jenner and Naomi Osaka. Look for more experiential entertainment: “It’s bringing new ways for audiences to connect with one another and, on the business side, there’s ancillary revenue streams for both studios and talent,” says Ohanian. Partner; co-leader, global entertainment, sports and media practice Sidley Austin If Dwayne Johnson were Thompson’s only client, he’d still be a very busy man. In the past year, the attorney handled the launch of the massively muscled multi-hyphenate’s Papatui line of personal care products, the merger of the XFL (which Johnson bought out of bankruptcy in 2020 with ex-wife Dany Garcia and other investors) with the USFL to create the United Football League in partnership with ESPN and Fox, and a deal for him to join the board of WWE parent company TKO Group Holdings, re-enter the ring and take full ownership of his nom de wrestling “The Rock.” Placing more bets on original IP: “While that might not be the wisest move from a pure economics standpoint, with a more diverse landscape of bold new content, it will increase competition for people’s eyes and ears,” says Thompson, who also repped “Call Her Daddy” podcast host Alex Cooper in her new $125 million deal with SiriusXM. Managing Partner Singh, Singh & Trauben A onetime in-house lawyer for Universal Music, Singh occasionally moonlights as a producer, most recently with the 2024 Peacock docuseries “Reggaeton: The Sound that Conquered the World,” which he exec produced with client Daddy Yankee. But his day job is cutting deals for the likes of Missy Elliott (“Out of This World” tour), Latin music star Ozuna (publishing catalog sale to Kobalt/KMR Holdings), Flow La Movie (catalog sale to Cinq Music), FloyyMenor (deal with UnitedMasters) and Grupo Firme (new distribution agreement with Virgin and publishing deal with Universal). The power of music catalog sales: “This trend has reshaped how legacy artists, songwriters and producers approach their long-term financial strategies,” he says. David Eisman Partner; head of media and entertainment group Glen Mastroberte Partner, media and entertainment group Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom M&A specialists in the entertainment sector, Eisman and Mastroberte kept busy working on transactions spanning film, television, music, gaming and sports as the industry recovered from last year’s strikes. They’ve helped indie music labels like Drake’s OVO Sound and DJ Khaled’s We the Best Music strike major deals, and represented Parkwood Ventures in Beyoncé’s joint venture with Moët Hennessy and the development, marketing and launch of her SirDavis whisky brand. Proudest moment in 2024: For Eisman, it was handling UTA’s acquisition of top European soccer agency Roof. “That was the largest deal that UTA has ever done in its history,” he says. Rick Offsay Partner; global co-chair, entertainment, sports & media practice Justin Hamill Partner; global co-chair, mergers & acquisitions and private equity practice Latham & Watkins Hamill and Offsay tackle complex strategic transactions, like advising Skydance Media in a merger with Paramount and an investor group in a $8 billion-plus investment in Paramount Global and the acquisition of National Amusements. Separately, Offsay advised Carlyle in providing an $800 million asset-backed credit facility to Park County (“South Park”), while Hamill advised Endeavor in a $25 billion take-private acquisition of the company by Silver Lake. Staying ahead of the curve: “Comcast’s recent spin out of its cable networks, and Warner Brothers — [which has gone] through a number of transactions, including with Discovery — now needs to figure something else out,” says Offsay. “All of these legacy media companies are trying to figure out the next thing.” Exec VP, global head of corporate Sony Pictures Entertainment Anguelova played a key role in securing Sony Pictures Entertainment’s acquisition of the dine-in theater chain Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, marking the first time a major studio has re-entered the theatrical exhibition business since the 1948 Paramount Consent Decrees were lifted in 2020. The studio plans to harness Alamo’s four million loyalty club members to “eventize” its IP, including content from anime-centric subscription VOD streamer Crunchyroll. Managing the downturn: “Certainly, our offer structures are adapting and becoming more nuanced to be reflective of the new realities of the market, and to align with both seller and buyer interests,” says Anguelova. “The market is showing resilience for premium companies despite current challenges, as evidenced by recent high-profile transactions like the All3Media sale to RedBird.” Greg Akselrud Partner; chair of internet, digital media and entertainment practice Cathleen Green Senior counsel Stubbs Alderton & Markiles Influential Network could’ve used a big white shoe law firm to handle its $500 million acquisition by Publicis Groupe. Ex-Disney exec Ben Sherwood and former Hearst chief content officer Joanna Coles could’ve done the same when they took the editorial reins at the Daily Beast in a deal that gave the duo close to a 50% equity interest in the publication. Instead, they called on mid-size Sherman Oaks-based Stubbs Alderton & Markiles. According to Akselrud, it’s because not only are they well-versed in the issues, they also have the ability to see the blind spots in a deal and “think around the corner.” Can’t sell a new product on stars power alone: “You need to have a celebrity with a relatively decent following to launch the brand, but then you really must have marketing dollars to facilitate the growth,” says Akselrud. Global head of music business development TikTok Obermann played a key role in bringing Universal Music Group catalog back to TikTok in May 2024 with a new licensing agreement featuring enhanced AI protections. He’s also provided promotional and creative support for the platform’s partnerships with artists including Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter and Post Malone. No need to panic about AI: “A year and a half ago, the feeling in the music industry was the sky might be falling because AI is coming at us in a fast and furious way, and we don’t know if we have the right guardrails,” he says. “We had ‘Fake Drake’ [in April 2023] and a couple of other cultural moments with AI in music, but it’s gone pretty quiet, if you think about it.” President, platform distribution The Walt Disney Company Disney’s roster of networks (including ABC, Disney-branded channels, ESPN, FX and National Geographic) had been dark on DirecTV for nearly two weeks in September before Connolly, serving as chief negotiator, hammered out an agreement. The multi-billion-dollar deal he facilitated covered carriage of the Mouse House’s linear channel portfolio, as well the option for consumers to subscribe to its streaming services (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+) via select DirecTV packages or on an a la carte basis. The upside to bad times: According to Connolly, the production downturn “has created greater demand for content in the marketplace and more opportunities for us to strategically license our best-in-class, non-branded library content to third parties.” Adam Glick Exec VP, business operations, Warner Bros. Television Matt Matzkin Exec VP, operations, Warner Bros. Unscripted Television and Warner Bros. Animation Shanon Muir Senior VP, legal, Warner Bros. Television Group — Animation Warner Bros. Television Group Collectively, this Warner Bros. trio handled the dealmaking for just under 90 series for a multitude of platforms. Glick cut straight-to-series deals for an untitled HBO comedy from Bill Lawrence starring Steve Carell and the John Wells’ medical drama “The Pitt.” On the unscripted side, Matzkin launched the Food Network’s “Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking,” Max’s “Fast Friends” and the syndicated “True Crime News” and secured renewals for “Extra” and “The Jennifer Hudson Show.” Muir negotiated three new Cartoon Network series orders for “Foster’s Funtime for Imaginary Friends,” “Adventure Time Side Quests” and an untitled “Regular Show” project. Dealing digital supplements: “We have a number of podcasts that we produce on our own, and we’re also collaborating with other podcasts that are not produced by us, and trying to get our talent on to them,” says Matkzin. Partner Weintraub Tobin Gordon negotiated several headline deals for “Call Her Daddy” host and executive producer Alex Cooper, including a new multi-year $125 million pact with SiriusXM that will bring Cooper’s Unwell Network family of podcasts to the platform beginning in 2025. Other clients include actors Diane Lane and Zosia Mamet, podcasters Guy Raz and Caleb Pressley, novelist/screenwriter Maria Semple, dancer/singer/social media personality Niana Guerrero and actress/writer/comedian Jenny Lorenzo. Added visuals mean bigger bucks: “Video podcasts continue to gain popularity, and video has therefore become a key element, not only in driving audience engagement, but also providing great opportunity for promotion via clips on social media,” he says. Ariel Emanuel CEO, TKO Nick Khan President, WWE Mark Shapiro President & chief operating officer, TKO Andrew Schleimer Chief financial officer, TKO WWE Last year, Endeavor merged Ultimate Fighting Championship with World Wrestling Entertainment under the TKO Group Holdings banner. In January 2024, TKO’s leadership quadrumvirate closed a $5.2 billion, 10-year deal to make Netflix the exclusive home of WWE’s flagship show “Raw” in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Latin America and other territories beginning in January 2025. As part of the pact, Netflix will be the home for all WWE shows and specials outside the U.S. from that date forward, giving roughly 80% of international territories immediate access to 100% its content, with the rest of the globe filling out their WWE lineups as outstanding deals expire. Added value with Netflix: “While the money is extraordinarily important, the downstream impact and ancillary benefits to being with the distributor and just south of 300 million homes globally was something that got us very excited,” says Schleimer. Co-founder & managing partner Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich Goodell & Gellman Yorn kept his 29-year-old firm at the front of the entertainment law pack in 2024, cutting deals for clients including Scarlett Johansson (starring role in “Jurassic World Rebirth”), Ellen DeGeneres ($20 million pact for Netflix comedy special), Zoe Saldaña (Golden Globe-nominated role in “Emilia Pérez”), Jonah Hill (write, produce and act in Apple TV+ movie “Outcome”) and Matthew McConaughey (Apple TV+ series “Brother From Another Mother”). Belt and suspenders treatment for AI: “We try to make sure that we add extra protection on top of what SAG has achieved with respect to studio deals for film and television,” he says. “We try for a zero-use policy across the board but are always open to see if AI can be beneficial for all concerned.” Partner Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich Goodell & Gellman Barnes has been in the Snoop Dogg business for more than a quarter of a century, and business was very good this year, with the attorney closing deals for the rapper’s high-profile role in NBC’s Summer Olympics coverage and his judge gig on the network’s singing competition show “The Voice.” He did that while simultaneously helping set up his premium spirits company Still G.I.N., launched in partnership with Dr. Dre. Buckle up for Trump 2.0: “There may be an initial chilling effect on diverse hiring and productions,” he says. “And with such a vast ideological divide within the entertainment industry and beyond, some may be denied employment or access to capital based on their views.” Partner Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich Goodell & Gellman Endlich recently negotiated comedian Bert Kreischer’s deal for two upcoming Netflix stand-up specials, and director/producer pacts for Taika Waititi’s Sony feature adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel “Klara and the Sun,” starring Amy Adams, and Jaume Collet-Serra’s Netflix thriller “Carry On,” starring Taron Egerton. He also set D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai to star in A24’s “Warfare.” World domination has its benefits: “Given the global reach of the major streaming platforms, there’s greater opportunity to work with international clients and make innovative deals with foreign production companies that have partnered with the streamers to produce programs for both a U.S. and worldwide audience,” he says. Partner Ziffren Brittenham As the co-executor and manager of Michael Jackson’s estate, Branca engineered a 50% sale of the late superstar’s music publishing and record masters to Sony Music worth a reported $600 million, while retaining control for the estate, which to date has yielded $2 billion from productions including the Tony-winning “MJ: The Musical.” Disruption on endless rotation: “When you trace the effect of technology in the industry, whether it went from piano rolls to wax discs to albums, and 45s to free download to streaming, it keeps changing the industry,” Branca says. “The most important thing that content owners are doing is trying to protect their IP rights from being basically taken for free while somebody else creates a new asset.”

Maryland U.S. Rep. James Raskin, who represents Maryland’s 8th District, officially launched his campaign to be the next ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee in the 119th Congress. In a letter released on Dec. 2, the Democrat expressed concern over the future of the country in the face of a GOP-controlled Congress and White House, calling next year’s political scene the “fight of our lives.” This time the MAGA movement has not only a trifecta but a complicit Supreme Court waiting in the wings and a dominant media propaganda system parroting all the lies,” he wrote. “House Democrats must stand in the breach to defend the principles and institutions of constitutional democracy.” Congressman Raskin urged his colleagues to “strategize and organize like never before” until Democrats “win the House back in 2026,” he predicted. With Republican’s thin 220-215 majority in the House, the Democrat said lawmakers need to advance legislation that will prevent a “further descent into MAGA chaos.” “This is where we will wage our front-line defense of the freedoms and rights of the people, the integrity of the Department of Justice and the FBI, and the security of our most precious birthright possession: the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the rule of law, and democracy itself,” he wrote. Throughout his career in politics, Congressman Raskin has leveraged his experience as a professor of constitutional law and the First Amendment for over 25 years, and his decades-long work at the Maryland State Senate, where he served as Majority Whip. During his time at the Maryland General Assembly, Congressman Raskin advocated for marriage equality, abolition of the death penalty, restoration of voting rights for former prisoners, and the passage of the National Popular Vote interstate compact. Congressman Raskin has been a member of the House Judiciary Committee since he joined Congress in 2017, and was heavily involved in the legislative aftermath of Jan. 6. Together with Congressmen Ted Lieu and Joe Neguse, Raskin successfully drafted an Article of Impeachment against president-elect Donald Trump. In the 119th Congress, the Judiciary Committee will be the headquarters of Congressional opposition to authoritarianism and MAGA’s campaign to dismantle our Constitutional system and the rule of law as we know it,” the Congressman Raskin wrote in his ‘dear colleague’ letter. “I hope to be at the center of this fight and — as someone who has battled cancer and chemotherapy — I can tell you that I will never surrender, never surrender.” The Democrat concluded the letter expressing respect and “boundless admiration” for his opponent and current Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jerry Nadler. In response to the news on social media, political pundits were quick to weigh in. John Dedie, a political science professor at the Community College of Baltimore County, predicted Congressman Raskin would earn enough support to be selected as ranking member. “Dems want a guy who can do the theatre of TV for all the public hearings and is sharp with sound bites,” Dedie wrote on X, previously known as Twitter. “Rep. Raskin is that guy.” Have a news tip? Contact Lori Rampani at lrampani@sbgtv.com.NFL insider explains what he is hearing about Brian Daboll future as New York Giants head coach

OTTAWA—Weeks of speculation over how a lengthy impasse in the House of Commons would be halted to address critical parliamentary business ended Monday, when Speaker Greg Fergus intervened to pause the standoff. In a rare move, Fergus delivered a ruling in the lower chamber that temporarily suspended the stalemate, allowing for both the Conservatives and the New Democrats to control the parliamentary agenda for four days, and for MPs to greenlight $21.6 billion in proposed spending. The four so-called opposition days, and Ottawa’s supplementary estimates, needed to be dealt with by Dec. 10, which is when the government’s supply period ends. But the chances of that happening had been looking nail-bitingly slim as the calendar flipped to December, and a weeks-long privilege debate in the House of Commons showed no signs of slowing down. Since late September, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives have gummed up most parliamentary proceedings in an effort to compel the Liberal government to cough up unredacted documents tied to a now-defunct green technology funding agency that was riddled with mismanagement issues. Because Fergus had ruled that the issue should take precedence over other parliamentary business, that debate — and a separate privilege motion concerning former Liberal cabinet minister Randy Boissonault’s former business partner — blocked other key parliamentary matters from moving forward. One of those matters is set to be a test of confidence in Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government — and a test for their former governing partners, the NDP. The first opposition motion will hit the Commons floor on Thursday, when the Conservatives will attempt to pressure other opposition parties to declare lost confidence in the Trudeau government. The motion draws on critical language the NDP’s Jagmeet Singh has used in the past to lambaste Trudeau, in an effort to compel the New Democrats to join the Conservatives in toppling the Liberals under the current minority Parliament scenario. That motion is set to be voted on Dec. 9. But that vote will be tangled up in a series of others: the NDP will table an opposition motion of their own later this week, which will go to a vote on the same day. Two other Conservative opposition motions will be dealt with the following day. And by that night – Dec. 10 – billions of dollars in proposed spending for initiatives like military procurement projects, national affordability programs, and aid for Ukraine, will also go to a vote. “Common sense Conservatives are eager to end Canadians’ suffering after nine years of Justin Trudeau and are giving Sellout Jagmeet Singh yet another opportunity to put the people before his pension and vote non-confidence to trigger a carbon tax election,” Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer said in a statement late Monday afternoon. The statement contradicted the Conservatives’ decision earlier in the day to vote against Government House Leader Karina Gould’s offer that morning to designate Dec. 2 a Tory opposition day, which would have allowed them to move their motion days earlier. In making his Monday ruling, Fergus referred to a point of order raised by Bloc Québécois MP Alain Therrien, who asked last month what would happen in a hypothetical scenario in which the two privilege matters had not concluded in a timely manner. At the time, Fergus requested that each party’s House leader work together to resolve the impasse on their own. “The discussions do not seem to have been productive,” Fergus said Monday. Debate on the first privilege motion will briefly continue on Dec. 9, before fully resuming after the opposition days and supplementary estimates are handled.

Driving innovation and sustainability: Sampath IT’s vision beyond ASOCIO ESG AwardWhat’s the history of the Panama Canal, and why is Trump threatening to retake control of it? | CNN PoliticsBehavioral Health Services Market Unidentified Segments - The Biggest Opportunity Of 2024 12-23-2024 08:39 PM CET | Health & Medicine Press release from: Pro Market Reports Latest added Behavioral Health Services Market research study by Pro Market Reports offers detailed outlook and elaborates market review till 2032. The market Study is segmented by key regions that are accelerating the marketization. At present, the market players are strategizing and overcoming challenges of current scenario; some of the key players in the study are CareTech Holdings PLC (UK), Behavioral Health Services Inc (US), Strategic Behavioral Health (US), North Range Behavioral Health (US), Ocean Mental Health Services Inc (US), The MENTOR Network (US), Universal Health Services, Inc. , Pyramid Healthcare, Inc. , Acadia Healthcare , Cedar Gate Technologies , Beacon Health Options etc. The study explored is a perfect mix of qualitative and quantitative Market data collected and validated majorly through primary data and secondary sources. Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @: https://promarketreports.com/report/behavioral-health-services-market-6293/sample-report?utm_source=OpenPR/utm_medium=Rahul The size of the Behavioral Health Services Market was valued at USD 0.58752 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 0.83 billion by 2032, with an expected CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period. The latest edition of this report you will be entitled to receive additional chapter / commentary on latest scenario, economic slowdown and COVID-19 impact on overall industry. Further it will also provide qualitative information about when industry could come back on track and what possible measures industry players are taking to deal with current situation. Each of the segment analysis table for forecast period also high % impact on growth. This research is categorized differently considering the various aspects of this market. It also evaluates the upcoming situation by considering project pipelines of company, long term agreements to derive growth estimates. The forecast is analyzed based on the volume and revenue of this market. The tools used for analyzing the Global Behavioral Health Services Market research report include SWOT analysis. Influencing Trend: •Increased demand for Behavioral Health Services to enhance the market growth Market Growth Drivers: •Rising mental health prevalence • • Government initiatives and funding The Global Behavioral Health Services segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below: Service Type: Inpatient hospital treatment, Outpatient counseling, Home-Based Treatment Services, Disorder Type: Anxiety Disorder, Bipolar Disorders, Depression, Eating Disorder, End Users: Community Centers, Providers, Hospitals, and Clinics, Patients Have Any Questions Regarding Global Behavioral Health Services Market Report, Ask Our Experts@ https://promarketreports.com/report/behavioral-health-services-market-6293/enquiry-before-buy?utm_source=OpenPR/utm_medium=Rahul The regional analysis of Global Behavioral Health Services Market is considered for the key regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America and Rest of the World. North America is the leading region across the world. Whereas, owing to rising no. of research activities in countries such as China, India, and Japan, Asia Pacific region is also expected to exhibit higher growth rate the forecast period 2024-2032. Highlights of the report: •A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent market •Important changes in market dynamics •Market segmentation up to the second or third level •Historical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volume •Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments •Market shares and strategies of key players •Emerging niche segments and regional markets •An objective assessment of the trajectory of the market •Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the market Strategic Points Covered in Table of Content of Global Behavioral Health Services Market: Chapter 1: Introduction, market driving force product Objective of Study and Research Scope the Behavioral Health Services market Chapter 2: Exclusive Summary - the basic information of the Behavioral Health Services Market. Chapter 3: Displaying the Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges & Opportunities of the Behavioral Health Services Chapter 4: Presenting the Behavioral Health Services Market Factor Analysis, Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis. Chapter 5: Displaying the by Type, End User and Region/Country Chapter 6: Evaluating the leading manufacturers of the Behavioral Health Services market which consists of its Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile Chapter 7: To evaluate the market by segments, by countries and by Manufacturers/Company with revenue share and sales by key countries in these various regions (2024-2032) Chapter 8 & 9: Displaying the Appendix, Methodology and Data Source Finally, Behavioral Health Services Market is a valuable source of guidance for individuals and companies. Get More Information: https://promarketreports.com/report/behavioral-health-services-market-6293/checkout?type=corporate?utm_source=OpenPR/utm_medium=Rahul Key questions answered •Who are the Leading key players and what are their Key Business plans in the Global Behavioral Health Services market? •What are the key concerns of the five forces analysis of the Global Behavioral Health Services market? •What are different prospects and threats faced by the dealers in the Global Behavioral Health Services market? •What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? Definitively, this report will give you an unmistakable perspective on every single reality of the market without a need to allude to some other research report or an information source. Our report will give all of you the realities about the past, present, and eventual fate of the concerned Market. Thanks for reading this article, we can also provide customized report as per company's specific needs. You can also get separate chapter wise or region wise report versions including North America, Europe or Asia. Contact Us: Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) Pro Market Reports Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA - 08837 Phone: +1(201) 7937323, +1(201) 7937193 mailto:sales@archivemarketresearch.com sales@marketresearchforecast.com About Author: Pro Market Reports is Global leaders of Market Research Industry provides the quantified B2B research to Fortune 500 companies on high growth emerging opportunities which will impact more than 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Our Analyst is tracking high growth study with detailed statistical and in-depth analysis of market trends & dynamics that provide a complete overview of the industry. We follow an extensive research methodology coupled with critical insights related industry factors and market forces to generate the best value for our clients. We Provides reliable primary and secondary data sources, our analysts and consultants derive informative and usable data suited for our clients business needs. The research study enables clients to meet varied market objectives a from global footprint expansion to supply chain optimization and from competitor profiling to M&As. This release was published on openPR.

V INVESTOR DEADLINE: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP Announces that Visa Inc. Investors with Substantial Losses Have Opportunity to Lead Class Action LawsuitMINILUXE ANNOUNCES ISSUANCE OF OPTIONS IN LIEU OF CASH COMPENSATION EXTENDING ITS SHAREHOLDER ALIGNED INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR LEADERSHIP

LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland finds that mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor assaulted a woman in a hotel. (CORRECTS: A previous APNewsAlert misstated the claim the jury found him liable for.).ATTIKI, GREECE / ACCESSWIRE / December 23, 2024 / Elvictor Group, Inc. (the "Company" or "Elvictor") (OTCPK:ELVG), reported today that it has entered into an engagement agreement with CIM Securities, LLC, a FINRA member broker-dealer as the Managing Placement Agent to raise up to $7,000,000 in a Regulation D, Rule 506(c) offering open only to verified accredited investors and subject to securing a Lead Investor. The securities sold in this Offering will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in reliance upon an exemption from securities registration afforded by the provisions of Regulation D, and Rule 506(c), as promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act. Regulation D Rule 506(c) is for accredited investors only. THE PRELIMINARY OFFERING MATERIALS BEING USED BY CIM SECURITIES CAN BE ACCESSED AT OUR WEBSITE, AS FOLLOWS: Link to Investor Deck https://www.elvictorgroup.com/downloads/ElvictorDeck-FINAL.pdf Link to Introductory Email https://www.elvictorgroup.com/downloads/ELVICTOR_CIM_SECURITIES_SHORT_EMAIL_DEC2024.pdf About Elvictor Group, Inc.: Prior to becoming a publicly traded company in 2017, Elvictor operated as a private Greece corporation since 1977. The Company's common stock is publicly traded (OTCPK: ELVG). The Company operates a global marine crew management/staffing company that provides innovative maritime solutions. Since 2001, under the direction of CEO Konstantinos Galanakis, the Company has adopted a cloud-based system to enhance crew management and streamline recruitment. Elvictor provides various marine services, including crew management, training, consulting, and ship management. The Company emphasizes crew welfare through ongoing training and boosting employee satisfaction and productivity. Based in Vari, Greece, Elvictor believes it has a strong Europe & Asia Pacific presence, serving a diverse clientele in key locations, including Ukraine, Georgia, the Philippines, Russia, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Indonesia. Safe Harbor Statement The press release may include certain statements that are not descriptions of historical facts but are forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements may include the description of our plans and objectives for future operations, assumptions underlying such plans and objectives, and other forward-looking terminology such as "may," "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "projects," or similar terms, variations of such terms or the negative of such terms. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements made herein. Such information is based upon various assumptions made by, and expectations of, our management that were reasonable when made but may prove to be incorrect. All of such assumptions are inherently subject to significant economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies beyond our control and upon assumptions with respect to the future business decisions which are subject to change. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that actual results will meet expectations and actual results may vary (perhaps materially) from certain of the results anticipated herein. No information in this press release should be construed in any way whatsoever as an indication of the Company's future revenues, results of operations, or revenues. Contact Information: Elvictor Group, Inc. Konstantinos Galanakis - CEO management@elvictorgroup.com +3021 0422 4220 SOURCE: Elvictor Group Inc. View the original on accesswire.comAnalysis: Protecting QBs from violent late hits like the one that leveled Trevor Lawrence isn't easy

The artwork, originally lost in a fire in 1734, has been brought back to life through cutting-edge AI technology KANSAS CITY, Kan., Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The painting was part of the collection the 11 Caesars of titian and was painted between 1536 and 1540. in 1734 This portrait, lost in a fire at the Royal Alcazar of Madrid in 1734, has been meticulously brought back to life using cutting-edge AI techniques, sparking a revolution in the way art and history are preserved and presented. A remarkable achievement in the fusion of art and technology has resulted in the resurrection of a long-lost painting, once part of the famed 11 Caesars series by Titian. This portrait, believed to have been created between 1536 and 1540, was destroyed in a devastating fire at the Royal Alcázar of Madrid in 1734. Now, thanks to the groundbreaking use of artificial intelligence, it has been meticulously reconstructed, sparking a new era in art conservation and historical preservation. Notable contributors to the project include Professor Hassan Ugail , a leader in Visual Computing at the University of Bradford; Carrie Baker , President of Veritas Art and a renowned specialist in Italian Renaissance art; Steven Seward , ARC Living Master; and Tomás Alonso de Corcuera , an expert in fine art research. The journey of this restoration, from initial concept to final execution, was documented in a peer-reviewed academic paper presented at Cyberworlds 2024 in Japan. The paper provided a detailed overview of the innovative AI-driven process, offering valuable insights to the academic and professional communities. Manuel Portela , President of AI Vanguard Art, emphasizes that the significance of this restoration goes far beyond a single portrait. "Throughout history, thousands of invaluable works of art have been destroyed or lost. This project demonstrates the immense potential of AI to revive these masterpieces, heralding a new chapter in art conservation and providing future generations with access to cultural treasures once thought irretrievable." Yan Antropov , CEO of AI Vanguard Art, highlights that the impact of this project transcends the mere act of restoration. "At AI Vanguard Art, we don't just resurrect lost masterpieces-we forge a bridge between the past and the future. Each brushstroke revived with the power of our technology is more than a piece; it's a doorway to the dreams, culture, and stories that shaped our humanity. This project is not merely about reclaiming what was lost, but about demonstrating that technology can be a powerful tool to preserve and honor our artistic legacy, granting future generations access to treasures once thought impossible to recover." AI Vanguard Art's mission is to explore and harness the power of AI to bring lost masterpieces back to life, offering audiences a glimpse into a forgotten past. CONTACT Manuel Portela COMPANY AI Vanguard Art PHONE 9139516753 EMAIL [email protected] WEB https://aivanguardart.com This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.Cardinals are average through 12 games and the frustration is it feels as if they could be better

HONG KONG, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prestige Wealth Inc. PWM ("PWM", or the "Company"), a wealth management and asset management services provider based in Hong Kong, today announced that, on December 16, 2024, it completed its acquisition of all shares of InnoSphere Tech Inc ("InnoSphere Tech"), a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. PWM also announced that, on December 16, 2024, it completed its acquisition of all shares of Tokyo Bay Management Inc ("Tokyo Bay"), a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. About Prestige Wealth Inc. Prestige Wealth Inc. is a wealth management and asset management services provider based in Hong Kong, assisting its clients in identifying and purchasing well-matched wealth management products and global asset management products. With a focus on quality service, the Company has retained a loyal customer base consisting of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients in Asia. Through the Company's wealth management service, it introduces clients to customized wealth management products and provides them with tailored value-added services. The Company provides asset management services via investment funds that it manages and also provides discretionary account management services and asset management-related advisory services to clients. For more information, please visit the Company's website: http://ir.prestigewm.hk . About InnoSphere Tech InnoSphere Tech is a technology company that leverages its advantages in web scraping technology to collect data on finance, wealth management, and related industries according to international standards. Through the accumulation and processing of large amounts of data, its system can train a specialized large model tailored for the wealth management industry, providing robust foundational support to clients in the financial sector that surpasses traditional general-purpose large models. About Tokyo Bay Tokyo Bay is a company based in Tokyo, Japan. Founded by experienced professionals, the Tokyo Bay team has accumulated extensive premium client resources and local market knowledge over the past years, providing wealth management services, family affairs services, lifestyle management services and related value-added services to high-net-worth clients in Japan. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.A former Matt Gaetz pal who pleaded guilty to underage sex-trafficking charges once used an image of the pol in what appears to be a classroom as his pitch to “meet” a 20-year-old woman in exchange for $400, an ethics report alleges . Joel Greenberg, 40, an ex-tax collector in Florida , stumbled upon the woman on the website SeekingArrangement.com, which is known for so-called sugar-daddy dating, according to a damning House Committee on Ethics draft report on Gaetz, a 42-year-old former congressman from the Sunshine State. “I have a friend who introduced me to the website that I could bring,” the woman wrote Greenberg in a September 2018 message, according to the draft report. “She’s very pretty, great personality. I usually do $400 per meet, does your friend use the website as well?” Greenberg replied, “Very cool. “Yes he understands the deal :)” Greenberg added. “What does your friend look like? $400 is not a problem. Are you both old enough to drink?” Greenberg then sent the photo of Gaetz taking a selfie with someone who was blurred out in front of what appears to be a classroom whiteboard. “Oooh my friend thinks he’s really cute!” the then-20-year-old replied. Greenberg, who is now serving an 11-year prison sentence, stressed that he and Gaetz “work hard and play hard,” before asking the woman if she’s tried Molly, another nickname for the stimulant drug Ecstasy. Gaetz ended up meeting the unidentified woman “on several occasions,” paid her over $2,000 and “continues to follow her on social media,” the draft report alleges. Two weeks after their initial introduction, Gaetz invited her and “another woman who he regularly paid for sex to meet him at the hotel, without disclosing to her that others would be present,” the draft report says. That other woman, who was 21 at the time, allegedly pleaded with Gaetz to help her foot the bill for her college tuition. “The 21-year-old woman told the Committee there was an ‘expectation’ of a ‘sexual encounter,’ ” the draft report claimed, noting that the three of them and Greenberg had sex. “Afterwards Representative Gaetz gave her a $750 check made out to cash with ‘tuition reimbursement’ in the memo line, which she deposited the next day to help pay her tuition.” Later on, the woman suggested to the House Committee on Ethics that the exchange “could potentially be a form of coercion because I really needed the money.” On Monday, the House Committee on Ethics unveiled its draft report detailing its findings on Gaetz, following its lengthy investigation into accusations against him. Gaetz later sued to block the report’s release. The panel cited the Greenberg message as a sampling of evidence it obtained to back up its claims of Gaetz meeting with women — at least 20 times between early 2017 through mid-2020 — “who were paid for sex and/or drugs.” Gaetz later tied the knot with Ginger Luckey in 2021. The House Committee on Ethics’ investigation into Gaetz commenced in 2021 but was halted by a Justice Department sex-trafficking probe that revolved around him. In February of last year, the DOJ opted against charging him. Then the ethics panel recommenced its probe of him shortly thereafter. Many details of the report’s accusations had been previously known, such as allegations that he had sex with a minor. A lawyer for one of the people who claimed to have witnessed Gaetz’s alleged sexual encounter with a minor said her “understanding was that Matt Gaetz did not know that [the 17-year-old] was a minor. “When he learned that she was a minor ... he broke off things and did not continue a sexual relationship until she turned 18,” the lawyer said, quoting her client, ABC News reported. Gaetz had been President-elect Donald Trump’s initial pick to serve as US attorney general, though he bowed out of consideration last month when it became clear he faced an uphill battle to get confirmed. The pol stepped down from the 118th Congress and has indicated that he won’t return to the 119th Congress when it gets sworn in next month. He is set to anchor a show on the One America News Network next month. The former congressman has blasted the House committee for releasing its report and underscored that the DOJ did not pursue charges against him. “In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated — even some I never dated but who asked,” Gaetz has previously written on X. “I dated several of these women for years. I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18. “My 30’s were an era of working very hard – and playing hard too. It’s embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanized, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now.”Following three straight home games to begin their season, which included two wins and a loss to the Gonzaga Bulldogs, the San Diego State men’s basketball team will hit the road for the first time this season when they travel to Las Vegas for the Players Era Festival. The Aztecs will have had a week in between their loss to Gonzaga and their game against No. 14 ranked Creighton on Tuesday. Coach Brian Dutcher said in a press conference that his team showed good and bad things in their loss to the No. 3 ranked Bulldogs, Dutcher’s first loss at home against a top 25 ranked team as the Aztecs coach. “We’re trying to grow our program and get better everyday,” Dutcher said. “It should be a competitive basketball game in Las Vegas on Tuesday.” Creighton is coming off their only loss on the season to Nebraska, where they never led in a 74-63 defeat. We have launched our year-end campaign. Our goal: Raise $50,000 by Dec. 31. Help us get there. Times of San Diego is devoted to producing timely, comprehensive news about San Diego County. Your donation helps keep our work free-to-read, funds reporters who cover local issues and allows us to write stories that hold public officials accountable. Join the growing list of donors investing in our community's long-term future. The Aztecs and Bluejays have had recent history against each other. Their last meeting was in the Elite Eight in 2023, which resulted in a 57-56 win for the Aztecs to send them to the FInal Four. After the Aztecs and Bluejays face off on Tuesday, Wednesday brings the Aztecs to a matchup with Oregon, who will enter the tournament undefeated at 5-0. The final day of the tournament falls on Saturday, with the matchups including the championship game to be determined. Tuesday’s game will be broadcasted on TBS and will tip off at 11 a.m. Wednesday’s game will start at 1 p.m. and be broadcasted on TNT. All times are Pacific Time. Get Our Free Daily Email Newsletter Get the latest local and California news from Times of San Diego delivered to your inbox at 8 a.m. daily. Sign up for our free email newsletter and be fully informed of the most important developments.

Judge hears closing arguments on whether Google's advertising tech constitutes a monopolyHONG KONG, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prestige Wealth Inc. (NASDAQ: PWM) (“PWM”, or the “Company”), a wealth management and asset management services provider based in Hong Kong, today announced that, on December 16, 2024, it completed its acquisition of all shares of InnoSphere Tech Inc (“InnoSphere Tech”), a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. PWM also announced that, on December 16, 2024, it completed its acquisition of all shares of Tokyo Bay Management Inc (“Tokyo Bay”), a company incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. About Prestige Wealth Inc. Prestige Wealth Inc. is a wealth management and asset management services provider based in Hong Kong, assisting its clients in identifying and purchasing well-matched wealth management products and global asset management products. With a focus on quality service, the Company has retained a loyal customer base consisting of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients in Asia. Through the Company’s wealth management service, it introduces clients to customized wealth management products and provides them with tailored value-added services. The Company provides asset management services via investment funds that it manages and also provides discretionary account management services and asset management-related advisory services to clients. For more information, please visit the Company’s website: http://ir.prestigewm.hk. About InnoSphere Tech InnoSphere Tech is a technology company that leverages its advantages in web scraping technology to collect data on finance, wealth management, and related industries according to international standards. Through the accumulation and processing of large amounts of data, its system can train a specialized large model tailored for the wealth management industry, providing robust foundational support to clients in the financial sector that surpasses traditional general-purpose large models. About Tokyo Bay Tokyo Bay is a company based in Tokyo, Japan. Founded by experienced professionals, the Tokyo Bay team has accumulated extensive premium client resources and local market knowledge over the past years, providing wealth management services, family affairs services, lifestyle management services and related value-added services to high-net-worth clients in Japan.

Beans are kind of like the your best friend from high school — nearly forgotten but always ready to step back into the limelight and help out an old pal when needed. As gorgeously (and tantalizingly) demonstrated in Rancho Gordo’s new cookbook, “The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans” (Ten Speed, $35), beans are indeed a magical fruit, though not in the way you heard as a kid. Classified as both a vegetable and a plant-based protein in the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, beans and other legumes can be the ingredient you build an entire vegetarian or veggie-forward meal around. Or, they can help an economical cook stretch a dish twice as far with nutritious calories. A healthful and shelf-staple plant food — they last for years when dried — beans have been among a home cook’s most reliable pantry items for a very long time. (Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are thought to have been grown in Mexico more than 7,000 years ago.) That’s why, for some, they’re often something of an afterthought, especially if the only time you ate them as a kid was when your mom tossed kidney beans into a pot of beef chili or made baked beans (with brown sugar and bacon, please!) for a family cookout. Vegetarians have always appreciated their versatility and nutritional punch, and because they’re cheap, they also were quite popular during the Great Depression and World War II as C rations. Sales also peaked during the coronavirus pandemic, when shoppers stockpiled long-lasting pantry essentials. It wasn’t until Rancho Gordo, a California-based bean company, trotted out its branded packages of colorful heirloom beans that the plant began to take on cult status among some shoppers. Unlike the bean varieties commonly found in even the smallest grocery stores, heirloom beans are mostly forgotten varieties that were developed on a small scale for certain characteristics, with seeds from the best crops passed down through the generations. The result is beans that are fresher and more colorful than mass-produced beans, and come in different shapes and sizes. They also have a more complex and intense flavor, fans say. “The Bean Book” dishes up dozens of different ways to cook Rancho Gordo’s 50 heirloom bean varieties, which include red-streaked cranberry beans, mint-green flageolets, black and classic garbanzos and (my favorite) vaquero — which wear the same black-and-white spots as a Holstein cow. Other gotta-try varieties (if just for the name) include eye of the goat, European Soldier, Jacob’s Cattle and Good Mother Stallard, a purple bean with cream-colored flecks. “The very good news is that you have to work extra hard to mess up a pot of beans, and it’s not difficult to make an excellent pot,” Steve Sando writes in the book’s foreword. “The even better news is that you become a better cook with each pot you make.” Not convinced? Here are five reasons to jump on the bean bandwagon: Even the smallest grocery store will have a selection of dried and canned beans. Common varieties include black, cannellini (white kidney), Great Northern, pinto, navy, kidney, Lima and garbanzo (chickpea) beans. Even when they’re not on sale, beans are a bargain at the supermarket. Many varieties cost less than $1 a can, and dried beans are an economical way to build a menu. I paid $1.25 for a one-pound bag of cranberry beans, a smooth and velvety bean with a slightly nutty flavor, at my local grocery store. Rancho Gordo’s heirloom beans cost substantially more. (They run $6.25-$7.50 for a one-pound bag, with free shipping on orders over $50.) But they are sold within a year of harvest, which makes them more flavorful and tender. A bag also comes with cooking instructions and recipe suggestions, and the quality is outstanding. Plus, after cooking their beans with aromatics, “you are left with essentially free soup,” Sando writes in the cookbook. “If you drain properly cooked and seasoned beans, the liquid you are left with is delicious.” Beans are a great source of plant-based protein and both soluble and insoluble fiber, and they include essential minerals like iron, magnesium and potassium. If you’re watching your weight or following a particular diet, beans are naturally free of fat, sodium and cholesterol and are rich in complex carbohydrates. They also contain antioxidants and folate. And if you’re vegan or vegetarian, most types of dry beans are rich sources of iron. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating 1-3 cups of legumes, including beans, per week Dry beans have to be soaked overnight, but cooking them is easy. They can be cooked on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, in the pressure cooker and in the oven. Canned beans are even easier — just rinse and drain, and they’re ready to go. Beans can be used in so many different dishes. They can be made into soup, salad or dips, top nachos, add some heft to a casserole or be mashed into the makings of a veggie burger. You also can add them to brownies and other baked goods, toss them with pasta, add them to chili or a rice bowl or stuff them into a taco or burrito. Check out these four recipes: PG tested This light and creamy vegetarian soup benefits from a surprising garnish, roasted shiitake mushrooms, which taste exactly like bacon. For soup 1/4 cup olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 medium carrot, scrubbed and chopped 6 garlic cloves, finely grated or pressed 2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 4 cups vegetable broth 2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed For bacon 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, caps cut into 1/8 -inch slices 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt To finish Plant-based milk Chili oil, for drizzling Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make soup: In large pot, heat oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are fragrant and tender, 8-10 minutes. Add vegetable stock and beans, increase heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, 12-14 minutes. Meanwhile, make the bacon: Spread shiitake mushrooms into a single layer on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Bake until browned and crispy, 18-20 minutes, rotating pan front to back and tossing mushrooms with a spatula halfway through. Let cool in pan; mushrooms will continue to crisp as they cool. To finish, add some milk to the soup and use an immersion blender to puree it in the pot, or puree in a blender. (Cover lid with a clean kitchen towel.) Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Divide soup among bowls and top with shiitake bacon. Garnish with thyme sprigs and a drizzle of chili oil. Serves 4-6. — “Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking” by Joe Yonan PG tested Velvety cranberry beans simmered with tomato and the punch of red wine vinegar are a perfect match for a soft bed of cheesy polenta. This is a filling, stick-to-your-ribs dish perfect for fall. 1/4 cup olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes, juice reserved 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 4 fresh sage leaves Salt and pepper 4 cups cooked Lamon or cranberry beans 2 cups uncooked polenta 6 ounces pancetta, diced Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving In large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and red wine vinegar. In a small bowl, dissolve tomato paste in the broth and add to pan. Stir in sage and season with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, 15-20 minutes. Add beans to tomato sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare polenta according to package instructions. Place pancetta in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pancetta is brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper towel to drain. To serve, spoon polenta into serving dishes. Ladle the beans over the polenta and top with the pancetta. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with grated Parmesan. Serves 6. — “The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans” by Steve Sando PG tested Beans and seafood might seen like an unusual pairing, but in this recipe, mild white beans take on a lot of flavor from clams. Spanish chorizo adds a nice contrast. 4 cups cooked white beans, bean broth reserved 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 white onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/2 cup finely chopped Spanish-style cured chorizo 2 plum tomatoes, chopped 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 pounds small clams, scrubbed well Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish Country-style bread and butter, for serving In large pot, heat beans in their broth over medium-low heat. In large lidded saucepan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic and salt and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chorizo and cook gently until some of the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and wine and cook to allow the flavors to mingle, 5-6 minutes. Increase heat to medium and add clams. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Uncover the pan and cook until all of the clams open, another few minutes. Remove pan from heat, then remove and discard any clams that failed to open. Add clam mixture to the bean pot and stir very gently until well mixed. Simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to mingle but not get mushy. Ladle into large, shallow bowls and sprinkle with parsley. Set out a large bowl for discarded shells and encourage guests to eat with their fingers. Pass plenty of good bread and creamy butter at the table Serves 4-6. — “The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen” by Steve Sando with Julia Newberry PG tested So easy to pull together for your next party! 1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 small garlic clove, minced Generous pinch of salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 or 3 tablespoons water, if needed 2 fresh basil leaves, chopped, optional 1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves chopped, optional In a food processor, pulse cannellini beans, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt and several grinds of pepper until combined. If it’s too thick, slowly add the water with the food processor running until it is smooth and creamy. Blend in the basil and/or rosemary, if using Serve with veggies, pita or bruschetta. Makes 1 1/2 cups — Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette ©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Archer Aviation's ( ACHR -23.72% ) electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles are still grounded, but the stock was taking flight last month as enthusiasm for the new short-distance transportation technology mounted. According to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence , the stock finished last month up 204%. A surge in the second half of the month came after Needham initiated coverage on the stock with a buy rating after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a new set of rules in October, clearing the way for the new vehicles to take flight. As you can see from the chart below, the stock went parabolic shortly after the Needham note came out, soaring nearly every session after Nov. 18. ACHR data by YCharts. Archer gains altitude Archer Aviation is still a development-stage company without revenue, but it's hopeful its vehicles will begin flying commercially as soon as late 2025. Archer's eVTOL vehicles resemble advanced helicopters but have advantages, including being electric, being less noisy than helicopters, and having multiple engines, which means they don't have a single point of failure, unlike conventional helicopters. Interest in the stock has been building as it moves closer to commercialization, but shares soared on high volume following the Needham note, which seemed to spark the rally. The stock jumped 16.3% on the bullish endorsement. Needham gave the stock a buy rating and a price target of $11, noting that industry momentum had reached a tipping point. Analyst Chris Pierce also said its $6 billion order book thanks to customers like United Airlines gave it confidence in the stock, and it saw a path to $3 billion in annual revenue. Archer stock gained in nearly every session in November since the Needham note came out as investors jumped on the bandwagon. What's next for Archer Aviation eVTOL stocks have soared since the FAA released new special regulations to integrate eVTOL aircraft safely into the aviation system, essentially giving them government clearance. However, the recent rally in the stock may have reached its ceiling as Archer shares plunged on Dec. 1 even though there was no news on the stock. Instead, investors took the opportunity to pocket profits, and the selling could also signal fears of a bubble in the stock as it's unclear how close it is to commercialization or what the underlying demand for eVTOL transportation is. Investors should expect continued volatility in the stock as shares are likely to move in response to updates on its progress toward commercialization.

New pro-European coalition approved in Romania amid period of political turmoilVictor Boniface suffers fresh muscle injury

NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail on Wednesday as he awaits a May sex trafficking trial by a judge who cited evidence showing him to be a serious risk of witness tampering and proof that he has violated regulations in jail. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian made the decision in a written ruling following a bail hearing last week, when lawyers for the hip-hop mogul argued that a $50 million bail package they proposed would be sufficient to ensure Combs doesn’t flee and doesn’t try to intimidate prospective trial witnesses. Two other judges previously had been persuaded by prosecutors’ arguments that the Bad Boy Records founder was a danger to the community if he is not behind bars. Lawyers did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the decision. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to for years, aided by associates and employees. An indictment alleges that he silenced victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. A federal appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan considers his bail request. Prosecutors have insisted that no bail conditions would be sufficient to protect the public and prevent the “I'll Be Missing You” singer from fleeing. They say that even in a federal lockup in Brooklyn, Combs has orchestrated social media campaigns designed to influence prospective jurors and tried to publicly leak materials he thinks can help his case. They say he also has contacted potential witnesses through third parties. Lawyers for Combs say any alleged sexual abuse described in the indictment occurred during consensual relations between adults and that new evidence refutes allegations that Combs used his to induce into drugged-up, elaborately produced sexual performances with male sex workers known as “Freak Offs.”