
The struggling Oklahoma-based electric van startup Canoo appears to have reached the end of the road . According to an internal email obtained by TechCrunch , the startup has placed employees on a " mandatory unpaid break " through the end of the year. The email said that just a few days before Christmas, the company locked employees out of Canoo's systems . As of mid-November, the startup had $700k in cash or cash equivalents as it rounded out a very turbulent year amid an ongoing EV downturn . "It recently closed the Los Angeles office that used to serve as its headquarters. It has lost a lot of executives , including its chief technology officer, chief financial officer, and general counsel," TechCrunch noted. Auto blog Jalopnik provided more color on Canoo's struggles , including how "the company spent twice as much on a private jet for its CEO than it had earned for the entire year of 2023. It burned through capital and now seems unable to wrap up the year." "Canoo was supposed to bring automotive manufacturing back to the state of Oklahoma, and the company received taxpayer-funded, performance-based incentives totaling $100 million spaced out over 10 years to do exactly that," Jalopnik said, adding, "But the way things are going right now, it's questionable whether Canoo will last long enough to bring those promised steady jobs to the Sooner State." A former employee provided Oklahoma news outlet KFOR with deeper insight into the startup, alleging that it has produced nothing... "They have tons of equipment," the former employee said. "It looks great. They have literally everything to run an entire assembly line for cars." Last December, Canoo proudly announced it had built its first three vehicles in the Oklahoma City plant, before selling them to the state. The former employee told News 4 that "made in Oklahoma" announcement gave him a good laugh . "I can tell you, those did not come off our assembly line," the former employee said. "If you talk to any Canoo employee, they'll tell you those do not come off the assembly line." He says Canoo never paid the company that provided the software that the machines use to operate. The former employee also says the company only ran the machines when showing them off to media or investors . "The majority of those folks that were employed there, especially those hourly people, were just standing around twiddling their thumbs ," the former employee said. The company has boasted about partnerships with Walmart, DoD, and the USPS over the years... Shares (GOEV) plunged into the abyss since it SPAC'd in late 2020. What a giant waste of money.
NEW YORK (AP) — Bob Menendez asked a judge Wednesday to set aside guilty verdicts that forced his resignation from the U.S. Senate and grant a new bribery trial. Lawyers for the New Jersey Democrat said in papers filed in Manhattan federal court that a recent revelation by prosecutors that improper evidence was put on a computer used by jurors during deliberations means that a new trial is “unavoidable.” The 70-year-old Menendez was convicted in July of 16 charges , including bribery, in part based on an allegation that he accepted bribes in exchange for approving military aid to Egypt. He awaits a Jan. 29 sentencing. Menendez resigned from the Senate in August. At trial, prosecutors said Menendez accepted gold and cash from three New Jersey businessmen in return for favors. Earlier this month, prosecutors revealed in a letter to Judge Sidney H. Stein that they had discovered that some factual information that the judge had ruled should be excluded from several trial exhibits was instead inadvertently loaded onto a computer used by jurors to reach their verdict. In their letter, prosecutors said incorrect versions of nine government exhibits were missing some redactions ordered by Stein to ensure that the exhibits did not violate the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause, which protects speech relating to information shared by legislators. Prosecutors argued in their letter that no action was necessary in light of the error for several reasons, including that defense lawyers did not object after they inspected documents on that laptop before it was given to jurors. They also said there was a “reasonable likelihood” that no jurors saw the erroneously redacted versions of the exhibits and that the documents could not have prejudiced the defendants anyway because they were of “secondary relevance and cumulative with abundant properly admitted evidence.” Lawyers for Menendez, though, said in their submission Wednesday that the exhibits contained the “only evidence in the record” tying Menendez to military aid to Egypt, “an otherwise-missing fact at the very center of the central charge against him.” “In light of this serious breach, a new trial is unavoidable, despite all the hard work and resources that went into the first one,” they wrote. The lawyers criticized the government's attempt to shift blame for the error onto them by saying they viewed the laptop's contents and approved it. “That is both factually and legally outrageous,” they wrote. “The defense had only a few hours to review a laptop that contained nearly 3,000 exhibits; it had the right to expect that the government had not mislabeled non-introduced and constitutionally barred exhibits as admitted ones. If this were treated as a waiver, that would give parties the incentive to intentionally try to pull a fast one.” Larry Neumeister, The Associated PressResMed CEO Michael Farrell sells $499k in stockMaverick Marler made the game fun... he was no ordinary Joe, writes CHRIS FOY as the England and Harlequins star calls time on his rugby career
Black Friday is just a couple of days away, and even though deals have been going on for weeks, some outlets around Metro Vancouver are still offering new deals as the day approaches. Technically, Black Friday is on November 29, but most retailers, both in-store and online, began offering early deals as early as weeks ago. Whether you’re looking for electronics, appliances, or clothing, these are some of the best deals around Metro Vancouver. Some of these deals could give you a headstart on your Christmas shopping. With the Canada Post strike ongoing, you’ll be happy to know that most of these retailers have plenty of in-store stock in Metro Vancouver for products on sale for Black Friday. Several electronic retailers are offering amazing deals on a variety of devices and products. Shoppers in the market for video game consoles, games, or accessories can find a wide range of deals. Best Buy has a on sale. Playstation 5 consoles are on sale at Best Buy for $100 off every model aside from the Pro, including digital and disc-based versions. Right now, you can get a PS5 digital edition, including a Fortnite bundle, , and as of Wednesday afternoon, most Metro Vancouver stores have stock. Controllers are also on sale . Nintendo, which is generally skimpy on deals and sales, is offering the regular and OLED Nintendo Switch with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and . Hockey fans can snag a copy of the latest EA Sports NHL 25 for $44.99, which is $45 off. Anyone interested in getting into VR who owns a PS5 can grab a for $340 off. Meta is also having a sale on most of its Quest VR headsets. If you need a new set of cans for your music listening needs, BestBuy also has a ton of top-of-the-line headphones up for sale, like the , one of the highest-rated Bluetooth headphones you can buy. Various are also heavily discounted right now. Best Buy also has a of appliances on sale. Items like vacuum cleaners and espresso machines are discounted by as much as $400. Vitamix blenders are still quite popular, and you can grab a from Best Buy for $400 off. Dyson tends to put much of its product line on sale for events like Black Friday, and this year is no exception. Many of its popular vacuum models are on sale for If the heat in your apartment or home isn’t doing the trick, have a look at these portable e. Some are as low as $50. Winter is around the corner, and things are cooling down quickly. If you need a warm winter jacket, now might be the best time. Local brand has some jackets discounted by hundreds for all genders. Another popular local brand that needs no introduction, lululemon, also has a , and some items are discounted by over $100. If you need some sports gear, Adidas currently has sales . The hockey season is well underway, and if you’re in the market for some Canucks apparel, for sales up to 60% off at Vanbase for adults and kids. also has jerseys on sale. If you’re a Walmart shopper, make sure to check out its . Walmart offers discounts on items like television sets, home appliances, and furniture, up to 50% off. It also has a selection of items for $20 and under. With Christmas around the corner, we should point out that some popular are on sale at places like Canadian Tire. Christmas lights and trees are on sale, discounted by as much as $200. are also heavily discounted. As of Wednesday afternoon, most Metro Vancouver locations have stock in-store, but online stock varies. Best Buy also has on sale, including games, toys, and decorations. Candles are some of the top trending purchases in Canada today. And one local company, Vancouver Candle Co., is . What Black Friday deals around Metro Vancouver have caught your eye? Shout them out in the comments. Also, make sure to check out the deals Costco currently has .Drop in Boxing Day footfall ‘signals return to declining pre-pandemic levels’Berry's 27 lead Charleston Southern past Columbia International 95-89
BJ’s Wholesale Club ( NYSE:BJ – Get Free Report ) had its price target raised by investment analysts at UBS Group from $102.00 to $108.00 in a research note issued on Friday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “buy” rating on the stock. UBS Group’s price target suggests a potential upside of 11.64% from the stock’s current price. BJ has been the topic of several other research reports. Roth Mkm boosted their target price on shares of BJ’s Wholesale Club from $68.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, August 23rd. TD Cowen boosted their price objective on BJ’s Wholesale Club from $95.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Bank of America cut their target price on BJ’s Wholesale Club from $95.00 to $90.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, August 23rd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on BJ’s Wholesale Club from $92.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on BJ’s Wholesale Club from $105.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, BJ’s Wholesale Club presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $92.50. Read Our Latest Research Report on BJ’s Wholesale Club BJ’s Wholesale Club Price Performance BJ’s Wholesale Club ( NYSE:BJ – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 22nd. The company reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.00 by $0.09. BJ’s Wholesale Club had a net margin of 2.71% and a return on equity of 35.41%. The firm had revenue of $5.21 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.15 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $0.97 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts expect that BJ’s Wholesale Club will post 3.9 EPS for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, SVP Joseph Mcgrail sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.57, for a total value of $83,570.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 13,566 shares in the company, valued at $1,133,710.62. This trade represents a 6.87 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink . Also, CEO Robert W. Eddy sold 11,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.75, for a total value of $921,250.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 434,792 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $36,413,830. This trade represents a 2.47 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 34,000 shares of company stock worth $2,818,390. Insiders own 2.00% of the company’s stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On BJ’s Wholesale Club Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC boosted its position in BJ’s Wholesale Club by 158.9% in the second quarter. Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management LLC now owns 4,189,932 shares of the company’s stock worth $368,044,000 after purchasing an additional 2,571,709 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its holdings in shares of BJ’s Wholesale Club by 7.2% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 14,357,118 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,184,175,000 after buying an additional 966,528 shares during the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its position in BJ’s Wholesale Club by 60.1% during the third quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 2,387,592 shares of the company’s stock valued at $196,929,000 after buying an additional 896,263 shares during the period. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. increased its holdings in BJ’s Wholesale Club by 4,834.5% during the third quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 625,205 shares of the company’s stock worth $51,567,000 after buying an additional 612,535 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP increased its holdings in BJ’s Wholesale Club by 143.6% during the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 848,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $74,488,000 after buying an additional 499,954 shares during the last quarter. 98.60% of the stock is owned by institutional investors. About BJ’s Wholesale Club ( Get Free Report ) BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates warehouse clubs on the eastern half of the United States. It provides groceries, general merchandise, gasoline and other ancillary services, coupon books, and promotions. The company sells its products through the websites BJs.com, BerkleyJensen.com, and Wellsleyfarms.com, as well as the mobile app. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for BJ's Wholesale Club Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for BJ's Wholesale Club and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .RoundTable Technology Honored with MSP Titans of Industry Award for Nonprofit Organizations Category
CROTON, N.Y. (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday threw out a defamation lawsuit against Fox News by a former Donald Trump supporter who said he received death threats when the network aired false conspiracy theories about his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection . Raymond Epps, a former Marine, was falsely accused by Fox of being a government agent causing trouble near the Capitol that day so that it would be blamed on Trump fans. U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Hall in Delaware granted, without comment, Fox's motion to dismiss the case. Epps was the subject of a “60 Minutes” interview in 2023, shortly before filing his lawsuit. He claimed that he and his wife sold an Arizona ranch where they lived and moved because of the harassment they faced because of the reports. Epps had named Tucker Carlson, who was fired from Fox in April 2023 for reasons never fully explained, as being the most active promoter of the conspiracy theory. At the time, Carlson hosted Fox's most popular show. In a statement, Fox News on Wednesday cited two other defamation lawsuits against the company that were also recently dismissed. They involved former Biden administration disinformation expert Nina Jankowicz and Tony Bobulinski, one of Hunter Biden's former business partners. “Following the dismissals of the Jankowicz, Bobulinski and now Epps cases, Fox News is pleased with these back-to-back decisions from federal courts preserving the press freedoms of the First Amendment,” the network said. The Associated Press
Cohen: Protesters should learn more about NATO before smashing windows at the Palais des Congrès
By CHRISTINE FERNANDO CHICAGO (AP) — As Donald Trump’s Cabinet begins to take shape, those on both sides of the abortion debate are watching closely for clues about how his picks might affect reproductive rights policy in the president-elect’s second term . Trump’s cabinet picks offer a preview of how his administration could handle abortion after he repeatedly flip-flopped on the issue on the campaign trail. He attempted to distance himself from anti-abortion allies by deferring to states on abortion policy, even while boasting about nominating three Supreme Court justices who helped strike down the constitutional protections for abortion that had stood for half a century. In an NBC News interview that aired Sunday, Trump said he doesn’t plan to restrict medication abortion but also seemed to leave the door open, saying “things change.” “Things do change, but I don’t think it’s going to change at all,” he said. The early lineup of his new administration , including nominations to lead health agencies, the Justice Department and event the Department of Veterans Affairs, has garnered mixed — but generally positive — reactions from anti-abortion groups. Abortion law experts said Trump’s decision to include fewer candidates with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement could indicate that abortion will not be a priority for Trump’s administration. “It almost seems to suggest that President Trump might be focusing his administration in other directions,” said Greer Donley, an associate law professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Karen Stone, vice president of public policy at Planned Parenthood Action Fund , said while many of the nominees have “extensive records against reproductive health care,” some do not. She cautioned against making assumptions based on Trump’s initial cabinet selections. Still, many abortion rights groups are wary, in part because many of the nominees hold strong anti-abortion views even if they do not have direct ties to anti-abortion activists. They’re concerned that an administration filled with top-level officials who are personally opposed to abortion could take steps to restrict access to the procedure and funding. After Trump’s ambiguity about abortion during his campaign, “there’s still a lot we don’t know about what policy is going to look like,” said Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law. That approach may be revealed as the staffs within key departments are announced. Trump announced he would nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department, which anti-abortion forces have long targeted as central to curtailing abortion rights nationwide. Yet Kennedy shifted on the issue during his own presidential campaign. In campaign videos, Kennedy said he supports abortion access until viability , which doctors say is sometime after 21 weeks, although there is no defined timeframe. But he also said “every abortion is a tragedy” and argued for a national ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a stance he quickly walked back. The head of Health and Human Services oversees Title X funding for a host of family planning services and has sweeping authority over agencies that directly affect abortion access, including the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The role is especially vital amid legal battles over a federal law known as EMTALA, which President Joe Biden’s administration has argued requires emergency abortion access nationwide, and FDA approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. Mini Timmaraju, president of the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All, called Kennedy an “unfit, unqualified extremist who cannot be trusted to protect the health, safety and reproductive freedom of American families.” His potential nomination also has caused waves in the anti-abortion movement. Former Vice President Mike Pence , a staunch abortion opponent, urged the Senate to reject Kennedy’s nomination. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the group had its own concerns about Kennedy. “There’s no question that we need a pro-life HHS secretary,” she said. Fox News correspondent Marty Makary is Trump’s pick to lead the FDA, which plays a critical role in access to medication abortion and contraception. Abortion rights groups have accused him of sharing misinformation about abortion on air. Russell Vought , a staunch anti-abortion conservative, has been nominated for director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought was a key architect of Project 2025 , a right-wing blueprint for running the federal government. Among other actions to limit reproductive rights, it calls for eliminating access to medication abortion nationwide, cutting Medicaid funding for abortion and restricting access to contraceptive care, especially long-acting reversible contraceptives such as IUD’s. Despite distancing himself from the conservative manifesto on the campaign trail, Trump is stocking his administration with people who played central roles in developing Project 2025. Trump acknowledged that drafters of the report would be part of his incoming administration during the Sunday interview with NBC News, saying “Many of those things I happen to agree with.” “These cabinet appointments all confirm that Project 2025 was in fact the blueprint all along, and the alarm we saw about it was warranted,” said Amy Williams Navarro, director of government relations for Reproductive Freedom for All. Dr. Mehmet Oz , Trump’s choice to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is a former television talk show host who has been accused of hawking dubious medical treatments and products. He voiced contradictory abortion views during his failed Senate run in 2022. Oz has described himself as “strongly pro-life, praised the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade , claimed “life starts at conception” and referred to abortion as “murder.” But he also has echoed Trump’s states-rights approach, arguing the federal government should not be involved in abortion decisions. “I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves,” he said during a Senate debate two years ago. An array of reproductive rights groups opposed his Senate run. As CMS administrator, Oz would be in a key position to determine Medicaid coverage for family planning services and investigate potential EMTALA violations. Related Articles National Politics | Honor after exoneration: Port Chicago sailors’ fight for justice isn’t over National Politics | In promising to shake up Washington, Trump is in a class of his own National Politics | Election Day has long passed. In some states, legislatures are working to undermine the results National Politics | Trump taps his attorney Alina Habba to serve as counselor to the president National Politics | With Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight As Florida’s attorney general, Pam Bondi defended abortion restrictions, including a 24-hour waiting period. Now she’s Trump’s choice for attorney general . Her nomination is being celebrated by abortion opponents but denounced by abortion rights groups concerned she may revive the Comstock Act , an anti-vice law passed by Congress in 1873 that, among other things, bans mailing of medication or instruments used in abortion. An anti-abortion and anti-vaccine former Florida congressman, David Weldon, has been chosen to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which collects and monitors abortion data across the country. Former Republican congressman Doug Collins is Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs amid a political battle over abortion access and funding for troops and veterans. Collins voted consistently to restrict funding and access to abortion and celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “This is a team that the pro-life movement can work with,” said Kristin Hawkins, president of the national anti-abortion organization Students for Life.Judge weighs Minnesota law banning "statements of faith" for colleges in PSEO program
Drop in Boxing Day footfall ‘signals return to declining pre-pandemic levels’Boxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first “proper Christmas” period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found £4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: “We’ve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. “Figures have come out that things have stabilised, we’re almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.” There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: “It’s the shift to online shopping, it’s the convenience, you’ve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: “We see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so they’ve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they don’t really need to go out again until later on in that week. “We did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.” Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and “a lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own home”, she said. She added: “I feel like it’s becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.” Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend £236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still £50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store – an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. “This year, we’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.” Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.Reynolds puts up 22 for St. Joseph's in 76-58 victory over Delaware State
Israeli forces kill 40 Palestinians in Gaza, arrest hospital director
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