The world according to Jim: • Sad to say, but the evidence is mounting that the traditional bowl game, historically considered an end-of-season reward for all of the toil that college football players put in during the year, might be reaching its expiration date. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin may have been the loudest voice, willing to call out the current procedure as a “dumb system,” but I’d guarantee he wasn’t and isn’t the only coach complaining about the perfect storm of the early signing period and opening of the transfer portal coming right on the heels of the end of the sport’s regular season and right before the bowls. Or maybe we should just refer to them as “non-playoff games,” as differentiated from those games, beginning this weekend, that really have something at stake. ... • The main impact, of course, is that players intending to transfer – as well as those who are already thinking about their NFL draft status – are more inclined to skip the bowl game. Really, since the choice exists and their futures are at stake here, can you blame them? ... • But the issue really came into stark relief this past week. Marshall, scheduled to face Army in the Independence Bowl – um, actually the “Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl” – pulled out because it ran out of players. Marshall head coach Charles Huff, who was in the final year of his contract, took the Southern Mississippi job, and more than 20 players immediately hit the portal. (For those familiar with the school’s nickname, this was a different sort of Thundering Herd.) Could the Radiance Techologies people, whoever they are, have come up with enough NIL money to convince those players to stay just one more game? We’ll never know. Instead, Louisiana Tech – a 5-7 team during the regular season, but conveniently located an hour’s drive from the game site in Shreveport – took Marshall’s place. ... • This reminds us of the 2021 Holiday Bowl at Petco Park. UCLA was scheduled to play North Carolina State, but a little more than five hours before kickoff the Bruins had to bow out because a COVID-19 outbreak depleted their defensive line. • As it turned out, four other bowl games that year were canceled and two others had to replace teams that pulled out, in the days of the Omicron variant. That was unforeseen, although by then we were deep enough into the pandemic that it shouldn’t have been a total surprise. (And the portal, first instituted in 2018, was just beginning to turn college football into a form of mass free agency.) The date that the portal opens now practically invites bowl opt-outs, so this should be not at all surprising. Indeed, it’s another example of how the leadership void at the top of college sports has turned the whole enterprise, and especially football, into one big squirrel derby. ... • That description, incidentally, came from a football guy: Gene Murphy, the late Cal State Fullerton (and later Fullerton JC) coach who had, shall we say, a distinctive way with the language. The definition of squirrel derby: Utter chaos. ... • Can we blame Christian McCaffrey and Leonard Fournette for this trend? Both skipped bowl games at the end of 2016 to prepare for the NFL draft (and to avoid the risk of an injury that could send them spiraling on draft lists). Stanford’s McCaffrey skipped the Sun Bowl and LSU’s Fournette the Citrus Bowl. It was an outlier then but wouldn’t be for long. ... • So what happens the first time a player on one of the playoff teams decides to opt out? The suspicion here: He certainly wouldn’t be helping his draft status. ... • Along those same lines, would anyone else in the NFL dare take a chance on soon to be former 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell now? As you might expect, after Campbell declined to play in the second half last week against the Rams, and then walked to the locker room during the fourth quarter, the club suspended him for the rest of the regular season and cleared out his locker. Whatever the player’s reasons, if you’re a coach or a personnel guy would you even think of signing someone who walked out on his previous team in such an egregious fashion? Opting out is one thing. Flat out quitting is another. ... • We are now approaching the third anniversary of the schoolyard 3-pointer seen around the world, the half-court (or so) shot that third-grade teacher and former college player Kathleen Fitzpatrick (aka Ms. Fitz) sank, earning her entire class at Holy Trininty School in Georgetown hot chocolate. That clip never gets old. ... • What seems less relevant, NBA fans? The NBA Cup final, or the league’s attempt to reinvent an All-Star Game that has become increasingly unwatchable? ... • Reminder: From the moment the banner celebrating the “in-season tournament” championship went up on the wall at the Arena Formerly Known As Staples Center a year ago, the Lakers lost 11 of their next 15. So when the Milwaukee Bucks talk about using this year’s mini-title as an impetus toward a real one in June, take it for what it’s worth (i.e., not much). ... • If they need a reminder, Darvin Ham – Lakers head coach then, Bucks assistant now – can provide it. Related Articles College Sports | Alexander: Chargers’ playoff hopes dwindle as margin for error shrinks College Sports | Alexander: Melissa Ludtke recalls her battle for access College Sports | Alexander: Golden at-bat? It would only tarnish baseball College Sports | Alexander: Trojans’ season filled with valuable lessons College Sports | Alexander: Kings goalie Erik Portillo can be proud after dazzling NHL debut Ham’s Lakers had the same record through 27 games last season, 15-12, that JJ Redick’s team has at the same point this year. Last year’s team finished 47-35 with a roster full of play-in level players beyond LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and there’s not that much difference in talent level this year. In an interview with Andscape Ham noted, “Anywhere else I’m probably looking at an extension with what I did.” He’s not wrong, and that’s the savage part of Laker Exceptionalism. ... • Their best plan right now? Try to work a couple more of those weeks off for LeBron into the middle of the schedule. The most recent one seemed to have the desired effect. The goal has to be to make sure he’s at his best by playoff time, and if that means running afoul of the league’s load management standards, so be it. jalexander@scng.comSony Group and Honda Motor plan to start taking orders for their first electric vehicle after collaborating for two and a half years as two of Japan’s most renowned companies. Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) will show a prototype of its fully electric sedan called Afeela next month at the Consumer Technology Show (CES) 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This announcement was made by Izumi Kawanishi, president and chief operating officer of SHM. To launch in the US SHM recently announced that they will be exhibiting at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, from January 7, 2025. Before the public exhibition, the JV will present at the Sony Group press conference on January 6. In addition, on January 7, SHM will hold its first solo press conference to present further details about the official launch of Afeela in 2025. The booth at CES 2025 will showcase the latest model updated towards its product launch. Through the vehicles on display and various visual contents, the latest initiatives and specifics on AFEELA’s concept of “Autonomy (evolving autonomy), Augmentation (extension of the body, time and space) and Affinity (affinity with people, and coexistence with society)” will be introduced. The brand “Afeela,” which aims to “redefine the relationship between people and mobility,” is scheduled to launch its first mass-produced EV model in 2025, with deliveries expected to start in 2026. Sony, Honda’s first electric sedan The sedan will be all-wheel drive and powered by two electric motors, one on each axle, producing 241 horsepower. A combined horsepower rating has not been released, but an electric sedan with the potential to make over 400 horsepower has caught our attention. The company says the sedan will ride on an air-spring suspension system and a staggered tire setup with wider rubber in the rear. A 91.0-kWh battery pack is sandwiched under the Afeela’s floorboards, but we are still determining the car’s range estimate. The company claims it can charge up to 150 KW at fast chargers. Peeking inside the Afeela EV sedan reveals a U-shaped yoke-style steering wheel—seemingly inspired by the Tesla Model S Plaid—among several futuristic elements. The cabin glows with ambient lighting, and we can see a rotary controller ahead of the center armrest that allows us to access the car’s entirely digital dashboard. The general layout is simple and clean, and the cabin seems spacious for a sedan, but we won’t know more until closer to the car’s on-sale date. The official range of the sedan still needs to be unveiled, but it could be between 250 miles and 275 miles on a single charge. In addition, SHM has decided to introduce Ridevu, an in-car entertainment service developed for the automotive industry by Sony Pictures Entertainment, as an offering for Afeela in the US. SHM is committed to pursuing mobility as a creative entertainment space. With the introduction of RIDEVU, customers can enjoy hundreds of feature films from Sony Pictures Entertainment’s premium content library and stream them whenever they want by purchasing or renting through the application. As a Mobility Tech Company that connects diverse inspirations and pursues cutting-edge technology, SHM will realize innovations in mobility that affect people’s sensibilities and behavior.
University of Kashmir’s (KU) performance in the 2024 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) shows concerning trends that merit serious attention from policymakers and educational administrators. Over the past five years, KU has struggled to maintain its competitive edge despite substantial financial resources. While KU secured the 14th position in the newly introduced ‘Top 50 State Public Universities’ category in NIRF 2024, there is more to this achievement than meets the eye. The university has slipped 11 positions in the Overall Ranking and 12 spots in the Top 100 University category compared to the previous year. This decline is particularly worrying for an institution with a 76-year legacy and substantial financial resources. KU’s teaching metrics show modest progress, with a 0.5-point overall gain in Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR). Two factors drove this improvement: Faculty-Student Ratio rose by 0.78 points, while Faculty Quality and Experience increased by 0.14 points. These gains likely reflect recent recruitment efforts, which expanded the teaching staff from 552 to 644 between 2021 and 2024. Despite these positive developments, KU lost ground in other areas: (FRU) sub-parameter. Perhaps the most striking finding is what might be termed the “efficiency gap” in KU’s resource utilization. With an annual FRU of approximately ₹375 crore, KU outspends several better-performing institutions. Yet, this financial advantage has not resulted in proportional improvements in key performance metrics. While KU’s operational expenditure increased by 21.80% over three years (from ₹276 crores to ₹337 crores), its academic expenditure saw only a modest 6.80% rise (from ₹35 crores to ₹37 crores). This disparity raises questions about the institution’s spending priorities and efficiency in resource allocation. The NIRF measures FRU using two main factors: These calculations exclude hostel maintenance and related services. Over the last three years (2020-2023), KU’s spending per student has grown by 23% to ₹3.85 lakh. While day-to-day operational costs per student jumped by nearly 23% to ₹3.46 lakh, academic investments saw a modest 9.31% rise to ₹39,000 per student. But here is the catch: despite spending more overall, KU’s FRU score actually dropped by 1.89 points this year. This drop may reflect reduced spending across several key areas. The numbers become even more concerning when looking at academic spending. As student enrolment grew from 9,380 to 9,730 between 2021 to 2023, academic expenditure per student unexpectedly fell from ₹39,628 to ₹38,970 – a 1.66% decline. This raises important questions about resource allocation: shouldn’t adding 350 more students lead to increased academic investment, not less? KU’s Research and Professional Practice (RPP) score increased by 4.32 points year-over-year. However, this improvement is primarily due to the new Sustainable Developments Goals (SDG) sub-parameter, which inflated the score to 31.25 points. When considering only the original four sub-parameters, KU’s performance actually declined by 0.09 points to 26.84, indicating that the overall increase does not reflect genuine improvement in core research practices. Despite a 1.2-point increase in Publication score, KU’s Quality of Publication score dropped by 0.93 points. Given NIRF’s strong emphasis on RPP scores and its reliance on Scopus and Web of Science databases, KU should incentivize its faculty to publish in these indexed journals rather than predatory ones. A 2021 found that about two-thirds of KU’s social sciences publications appeared in predatory journals, which do not contribute to RPP scores. The focus should shift from quantity to quality in research output. KU scored just 0.50 points in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for 2024. While this, perhaps, reflects a patent from Dr. Shabir Ahmad Parah and his team from the Department of Electronics and Instrumentation Technology, recent patents for and is expected to improve KU’s IPR score in the next NIRF ranking, as these fall outside the current three-year assessment period (2020-2022). KU’s Footprint of Projects and Professional Practice (FPPP) score dropped 0.37 points this year, reflecting sharp declines in both funding and consultancy. Research funding at KU has plummeted by 68% – from ₹40.91 crore for 82 projects in FY 2020-21 to ₹13.25 crore for 84 projects in FY 2022-23. Consultancy projects have seen an even steeper decline of 79%. These figures suggest a significant weakening of the university’s research ecosystem. This decline has broader implications since funded research, which help generate new empirical data, often leads to high-quality publications in prestigious journals. To improve its Research and Professional Practice score, KU must actively pursue diverse funding sources beyond ICSSR to retain intellectual property rights and data usage and focus on converting research projects into impactful publications. The placement figures paint a troubling picture at KU. With less than 15% of its students securing jobs through campus recruitment, KU lags far behind its peer institutions. Anna University, Panjab University, University of Kerala, and Jadavpur University all boast placement rates above 40% – nearly triple KU’s performance. This falls drastically short of UGC’s 2018 ‘Quality Mandate’ target of 50% placement. What makes this even more concerning is that KU ranks second highest in faculty-student ratio among these institutions (excluding PhD scholars), and third highest when including doctoral students. Despite this advantage in teaching resources, the university’s placement outcomes remain disappointingly low. Anna University, operating on about half of KU’s FRU (₹23,000 per student), achieves a 60% placement rate for postgraduates. Even more impressive is Jadavpur University, which manages 68% placement despite spending just ₹20,000 per student – less than half of KU’s investment. Despite higher spending per student, KU’s placement record raises serious questions about how effectively these resources are being used to prepare students for the job market. In a region already grappling with 18% unemployment – more than double the all-India average of 8% – KU’s placement struggles are particularly concerning. While the valley’s limited private sector poses challenges, this alone does not explain the full picture. Other universities in moderately industrialized states, like Odisha, have managed to secure jobs for over 80% of their postgraduates. KU’s low placement rates may be contributing to J&K’s growing educated unemployment crisis. For a premier institution in the region, this calls for an urgent rethinking of how academic programs align with employment opportunities. KU reputation among employers and academics remains a major concern. Scoring just 30.53 out of 100 in perception ratings, KU lags far behind its peers – Panjab University (69.13) and Jadavpur University (86.62). This score, based on feedback from a large category of employers, professionals and academic peers, represents a critical area for improvement if KU aims to climb the rankings. To improve its Perception score KU needs to strategically focusing on key areas. To enhance visibility among employers, KU can strengthen collaboration with industry through partnerships with leading private organizations. Introducing ‘Industry PhD program’ can help aligning doctoral research with industry needs. This will allow KU attract partnerships with companies, offering students valuable industry exposure and improving their job prospects. Regular and deeper interactions with employers and recruiters, regular feedback sessions, and tailored training programs for students can help in aligning KU’s curriculum with industry needs, thereby improving employer and peer perception of KU. Effective communication and branding, including a strong online presence and media engagement, are crucial to positively influence perception of KU among the stakeholders. Lovely Professional University (LPU), established just 18 years ago, has shown remarkable progress in NIRF rankings, jumping from 78th position in 2020 to 27th in 2024. Similarly, SRM Institute of Science & Technology has climbed from 35th to 12th place. Meanwhile, KU’s advancement has been minimal, improving by only three positions over five years before its recent decline. Money does not seem to be the issue. KU’s ₹375 crore budget actually exceeds LPU’s ₹367 crore. The message is clear: it is not about how much you spend, but how effectively you use those resources. As competition within the higher education sector intensifies, KU must not only improve its absolute performance but also keep pace with the rapid advancements of newer, more agile institutions. This requires innovative approaches to education delivery, research output, and stakeholder engagement to reverse the current negative trend in rankings. Despite impressive credentials – 644 experienced faculty members, 1,160 full-time PhD students, and over 540 PhD graduates in three years – Kashmir University’s research standing falls short of expectations. The university’s absence from NIRF’s ‘Top 50 Research Institutions’ list stands in stark contrast to peer institutions like Panjab University, Jadavpur University, and Anna University. This underperformance extends to specific departments. The 50-year-old Law Department fails to crack the ‘Top 30 in Law’, while the 33-year-old School of Business remains outside the Top 100 in Management, lagging behind even relatively new business school at LPU. The research quality at KU’s Law Department and School of Business raises serious concerns. A telling example: The Business School’s publication list on its website consists entirely of works from Notion Press, a self-publishing company. Similarly, three out of four books listed on the Law Department’s website are self-published through the same platform. This reliance on vanity publishing, rather than peer-reviewed academic outlets, not only hurts KU’s NIRF rankings but also damages the academic reputation of these departments. It raises serious questions about research standards and academic rigor at these flagship departments. Strong rankings boost prestige and appeal, while poor performance risks decreased interest, reduced funding (in some cases), and a weakened reputation. This makes the university’s competitiveness and growth contingent on its ranking. Therefore, KU must adopt a strategic approach to improve its rankings and fulfil its potential. First and foremost, KU must develop a ‘comprehensive strategic document’ to guide the university toward academic excellence. It is not merely about increasing spending, but about making targeted investments in priority areas, identifying where immediate interventions are needed, and ensuring that these investments yield optimal outcomes. Without strategic planning, efficient resource utilization, and a culture of academic excellence, even well-funded institutions risk falling behind in the increasingly competitive higher education landscape. KU stands at a critical crossroads. As newer institutions demonstrate remarkable agility in climbing the NIRF rankings, KU must move beyond merely increasing expenditure to implementing strategic reforms. The success of private institutions offers valuable lessons in adaptation and innovation. The performance of private institutions in the NIRF rankings raises some questions. What strategies are these newer institutions employing to achieve such significant improvements? How can provincial universities like KU adapt to the competitive tertiary education landscape? What other factors, apart from financial resources, are contributing to these ranking disparities? For KU, although located in a specific regional and political context, these trends signal an urgent need for strategic planning. The university must identify areas where it lags behind its competitors within SPU category and accordingly frame and implement targeted initiatives to improve its performance across key NIRF parameters. To this end, the following recommendations are crucial: The path forward requires more than incremental changes. KU must transform its approach to education delivery, research output, and stakeholder engagement. In today’s competitive academic landscape, maintaining the status quo is not an option. The university needs decisive action to reverse its ranking decline and ensure sustained progress in academic excellence. This strategic overhaul is challenging but essential for KU to reclaim its position as a leading institution of higher learning.
Pure Storage stock surges on hyperscaler win and earnings beat( MENAFN - media OutReach Newswire) SINGAPORE - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 December 2024 – Graphisoft, a global leader in Building Information Modeling (BIM) software for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, is poised to deepen its impact in Southeast Asia, driven by surging demand for advanced digital tools amid the region's rapid development and growing focus on sustainable construction practices. (from left to right) Márton Kiss, Chief Product Officer, Daniel Csillag, CEO and Gergely Kmethy, Chief Customer Success Officer of Graphisoft Graphisoft's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Daniel Csillag emphasized the importance of the Southeast Asia market to the company's global growth during his recent visit to Kuala Lumpur with key executives, including Chief Product Officer, Márton Kiss, and Chief Customer Success Officer, Gergely Kmethy. "Southeast Asia is a growth powerhouse for the construction industry and is poised to be one of the most dynamic regions in the next 20 years. While Japan is experiencing rapid growth, Southeast Asia remains a key focus for us, with its significant potential and opportunities," said Csillag. "We are excited about the opportunities here and remain committed to strengthen our presence." Established in 1982 by Hungarian architects and mathematicians, Graphisoft has grown into a global powerhouse, often called the ancestor of BIM, with over 200,000 users worldwide and 25 offices across 14 countries. At the heart of Graphisoft's success is its flagship product, Archicad, the world's leading 3D architectural design software. Archicad was recently honored as BIM Product of the Year 2024 at the prestigious Construction Computing Awards (The Hammers), marking its 14th consecutive win in the category. Archicad offers an intuitive interface and powerful tools that streamline design documentation, one-click publishing, photo-realistic rendering, and advanced analysis, allowing architects to focus on creativity. Key features include an automated Keynotes system for consistent documentation, enhanced Rhino-Grasshopper integration for faster parametric design, and a cloud-based AI Visualizer for instant, high-quality rendering. It also supports sustainable design with lifecycle assessment tools integrated with One Click LCA and improves renovation workflows with advanced Point Cloud capabilities . Graphisoft's confidence in Southeast Asia is bolstered by its strong positioning and recent success stories, including its role in the iconic Merdeka 118 skyscraper – the world's second-tallest building –– standing as a testament to Archicad's capabilities. The project exemplifies how Graphisoft's innovative solutions empower architects and engineers to deliver groundbreaking designs while preserving cultural significance and meeting stringent sustainability goals. The global AEC industry's rapid adoption of BIM technologies further underscores Graphisoft's optimism. The global BIM market, valued at US$8.6 billion in 2023, is projected to grow at a robust CAGR of 16.3%, reaching US$24.8 billion by 2030 . In the Asia-Pacific region , the construction market is experiencing a remarkable upward trend, driven by substantial government investments in infrastructure development. Southeast Asia , in particular, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% between 2024 and 2028, underscoring the region's pivotal role in the industry's transformation. Initiatives like Malaysia's Public Works Department (JKR) Strategic Plan 2021-2025, which targets 90% BIM adoption for projects exceeding RM10 million, exemplify the region's commitment to digital transformation in construction. Graphisoft's growth plan in Southeast Asia is supported by a robust network of partnerships designed to meet the unique needs of the local market: MENAFN22122024003551001712ID1109022263 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Mark Few likes No. 3 Gonzaga's toughness after win over future Pac-12 'partner' SDSUAs 2025 approaches, investors are being urged to position themselves strategically in response to three major megatrends that are expected to dominate the global financial landscape. According to deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory and asset management firms, these trends—rising geopolitical conflict, surging energy demand, and the transformative rise of artificial intelligence (AI)—are set to reshape markets and create significant investment opportunities. Geopolitical tensions are escalating in various regions, with Europe still reeling from ongoing conflicts, the Middle East facing renewed unrest, and East Asia grappling with heightened territorial disputes. The Institute for Economics & Peace reports that the global conflict index is at its highest point since World War II, with over 50 active armed conflicts worldwide. These tensions are driving defense budgets to unprecedented levels, particularly in the United States, which is expected to exceed $1 trillion in defense spending by 2025. In response to the rising threats, investments are flowing into military technologies, missile defense systems, and cybersecurity. Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group, highlights that the growing demand for digital defense solutions will provide long-term opportunities for investors, especially as AI-driven threats continue to emerge. Another key megatrend is the surging demand for energy, driven by economic growth, the electrification of transport, and the rapid expansion of AI technologies. A notable shift in the energy sector is the resurgence of nuclear energy, which is being reintroduced to the global energy mix. Legacy nuclear plants are being refurbished and upgraded, offering substantial investment opportunities, especially as new projects face regulatory hurdles. Green explains that the energy transition is at a critical juncture, with nuclear energy becoming an essential part of the solution. Companies with established nuclear infrastructure are expected to experience significant growth, while offshore oil and gas exploration also sees a revival, signaling strong long-term profitability in the energy sector. Artificial intelligence continues to revolutionize industries across the globe. In the past year, the adoption of AI technologies has accelerated, with businesses across sectors racing to implement AI to drive efficiency and unlock new sources of revenue. Major investments are pouring into AI infrastructure, particularly in data centers and cloud technologies. Green stresses that AI is not just a technological trend but the cornerstone of future economic growth. Companies that are building the infrastructure to support AI’s rapid expansion will be the key drivers of market gains in the years to come. Despite concerns about overvaluation, AI’s transformative potential is still in its early stages, and investors who capitalize on this growth now are poised to benefit in the long term. In this complex environment, strategic positioning is more crucial than ever. As global markets are shaped by geopolitical risks, energy challenges, and AI-driven innovation, Nigel Green advises investors to align their portfolios with these megatrends. By doing so, they are likely to outperform those who react to short-term market shifts. According to Green, 2025 will be a year of complexity and opportunity, and proactive investors who identify and align with these forces will be well-positioned to succeed. “At deVere, we are focused on helping our clients stay ahead of the curve by identifying the forces that will truly shape the future. The megatrends of conflict, energy, and AI will define 2025. Now is the time to act,” Green concludes.AP News Summary at 5:31 p.m. EST
Chewy (CHWY) Q3 2024 Earnings Call Transcript
Conditions in abandoned mine are too dangerous for crew searching for Pennsylvania woman
Security cameras captured video of a University of Mississippi student leaving his campus apartment twice on the morning he was last seen alive, University Police Department Capt. Jane Mahan testified Wednesday in the trial of the man accused of killing the student. Jimmy “Jay” Lee, 20, was a gay man well known in the LGBTQ+ community at Ole Miss and in Oxford , where the university is located. He was last seen on July 8, 2022. Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., 24, of Grenada, Mississippi, is charged with capital murder in Lee's death, and his trial began Tuesday in Oxford. Herrington has maintained his innocence. Police said cellphone history showed conversations between Herrington and Lee on the morning Lee disappeared. Jurors on Wednesday were shown video clips of Lee leaving his own apartment shortly after 4 a.m., wearing a robe and slippers. The clips showed him returning about 40 minutes later and leaving again just before 6 a.m. When he left the last time, he was looking at his cellphone. A friend of Lee, Khalid Fears, testified Tuesday that he had a video chat with Lee while Lee left the apartment around 6 a.m. that day. Lee said he was going back to see a man he had seen hours earlier, Fears testified. Mahan testified Wednesday about the timeline of the video clips showing Lee at the campus apartment. She said campus police started searching for Lee after his mother, Stephanie Lee, called later that day to request a welfare check on her son after he didn't respond to multiple messages. Jay Lee's apartment had an electronic key card, and Mahan testified that police contacted the campus housing department to put an alert on his card, which would automatically send police an email if the card were used. An assistant district attorney, Gwen Agho, asked Mahan if Lee ever returned to his apartment after he was recorded leaving that morning. “Not that I've ever been notified of, no,” Mahan said. Lee and Herrington saw each other twice during the hours before Lee disappeared, Agho said during opening arguments Tuesday. She said the men had sexual contact during their first meeting, and Lee was upset when he left Herrington’s apartment. Herrington invited Lee back — and before Lee arrived, Herrington searched online for how long it takes to strangle someone, Agho said. Herrington “was not openly in the LGBTQ community,” she said. A witness, Kizziah Carter, testified Wednesday that he was driving home from work at about 7:30 that morning and saw Herrington jogging along a road in Oxford. Carter said he knew Herrington and honked to greet him, and Carter flagged him down to ask for a ride. The road was near an apartment complex where Lee's car was found later in the day. Carter said he drove Herrington to Herrington's apartment in another complex. Surveillance video also recorded Herrington running from where Lee’s car was found, and he was later seen picking up a shovel and wheelbarrow at his parents’ house, authorities said. Lee’s body has not been found. In October, a judge declared him dead at the request of Lee’s parents. Lee’s active presence on social media fell silent after July 8, 2022, and no transactions have appeared on his credit card since then, prosecutors said. Herrington was arrested two weeks after Lee vanished, then released five months later on a $250,000 bond. A grand jury indicted him in March 2023. Herrington’s attorney, Kevin Horan, told jurors Tuesday that prosecutors have “zero” proof that Lee was killed or that any crime happened. Both Herrington and Lee had graduated from the University of Mississippi. Lee was pursuing a master’s degree. He was known for his creative expression through fashion and makeup and often performed in drag shows in Oxford, according to a support group called Justice for Jay Lee. Prosecutors have announced they do not intend to pursue the death penalty, meaning Herrington could get a life sentence if convicted. Mississippi law defines capital murder as a killing committed along with another felony — in this case, kidnapping.Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday. The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law. The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school. Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA's previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth. People are also reading... “Can't say I didn't see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who is resigning in January, said the new gender policy "is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach." By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA. The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition. The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty. “Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is resigning in January. "The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.” Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports. United States Golf Association CEO Mike Whan said the new policy will prevent anyone from having "a competitive advantage based on their gender." “It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line. “We needed to be able to walk into any women's event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.” The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part. “Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.” The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours. Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels. The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida. Sports Week in Photos: NBA Cup, NFL snow game and more Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox!
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 22, 2024-- Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (Nasdaq: FFIE) (“FF”, “Faraday Future”, or “Company”), a California-based technology company specializing in artificial intelligence electric vehicles (AIEV), announced that it has secured approximately $30 million in cash financing commitments. The funds will be used to accelerate the Company’s growth and the development of Faraday X (FX), FF’s strategy of launching affordable high performance AIEV equipped vehicles with cutting edge technology, filling the U.S. market gap in this segment, and for general corporate purposes. Targeting the mainstream EV market in the U.S., FF is expected to have its first two FX prototype mules arrive in Los Angeles later this month, with product development and testing scheduled to begin at FF’s manufacturing facility in Hanford, CA. As part of their delivery journey, the two prototype mules will stop in Las Vegas from January 5 to 7, 2025, where the Company will provide updates on its FX strategy. The $30 million financing commitment includes a pre-funded $7.5 million, which was received in the fourth quarter of this year, and $22.5 million in new cash commitments (the “Financing”), structured in the form of unsecured convertible notes (“Convertible Notes”) and warrants to acquire additional shares of the Company’s common stock (“Warrants”). The conversion price for the Convertible Notes and exercise price for the Warrants are $1.16 and $1.392 per share, respectively, subject to adjustment as set forth therein. The shares of common stock underlying the Convertible Notes and Warrants issued in the Financing are currently unregistered, subject to trading restrictions, and not immediately tradable. The Financing is subject to customary closing conditions. For additional information regarding the material terms relating to the Financing, please see the Company’s Form 8-K to be filed with the SEC on December 23, 2024. “The new funding lays a solid foundation for both FF and its new brand as the Company approaches the end of 2024 and enters the new year,” said Matthias Aydt, Global CEO of FF “I am optimistic about the opportunities that this new funding will bring, including supporting the ongoing production of our FF 91 2.0 and the growth of the FX brand,” Aydt explained. “We are pleased to have supported FF in successfully completing this round of financing,” said Jerry Wang, President of FF Global Partners and Head of Corporate Development, FFIE (Consultant), “We are enthusiastic about the promising opportunities ahead for the FX brand, and we firmly believe in FF's ability to execute its strategy effectively and deliver significant value in the process.” The Convertible Notes, along with the Warrants, were offered and sold in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), pursuant to the exemption for transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506 of Regulation D of the Securities Act and in reliance on similar exemptions under applicable state laws. Accordingly, the Convertible Notes, Warrants and underlying shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes and exercise of the Warrants may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and such applicable state securities laws. The Company has agreed to file one or more registration statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission registering the resale of the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes and exercise of the Warrants issued in connection with the Financing. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the convertible notes, nor shall it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. ABOUT FARADAY FUTURE Faraday Future is the pioneer of the Ultimate AI TechLuxury market amidst the global trend of EVs. Luxury is just one of the key factors reflecting FF’s achievements in reshaping the EV industry. The company is dedicated to establishing an ever-evolving, interactive in-car software and operating system powered by artificial intelligence and user-generated data, optimizing the experience for each individual within an ecosystem of worldwide users who are also contributors to the innovative FF model. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release includes “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding the closing of the Convertible Notes financing, the Faraday X (FX) strategy and plans for the FX brand, the delivery of two prototype mules, and anticipated use of funds from the Convertible Notes financing, are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include, among others: that the closing of the Financing could be delayed or not occur at all; the timing for the two prototype mules to clear U.S. customs; the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and improve its liquidity and financial position; the Company’s ability to pay its outstanding obligations; the Company's ability to remediate its material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and the risks related to the restatement of previously issued consolidated financial statements; the Company’s limited operating history and the significant barriers to growth it faces; the Company’s history of losses and expectation of continued losses; the success of the Company’s payroll expense reduction plan; the Company’s ability to execute on its plans to develop and market its vehicles and the timing of these development programs; the Company’s estimates of the size of the markets for its vehicles and cost to bring those vehicles to market; the rate and degree of market acceptance of the Company’s vehicles; the Company’s ability to cover future warrant claims; the success of other competing manufacturers; the performance and security of the Company’s vehicles; current and potential litigation involving the Company; the Company’s ability to receive funds from, satisfy the conditions precedent of and close on the various financings described elsewhere by the Company; the result of future financing efforts, the failure of any of which could result in the Company seeking protection under the Bankruptcy Code; the Company’s indebtedness; the Company’s ability to cover future warranty claims; the Company’s ability to use its “at-the-market” program; insurance coverage; general economic and market conditions impacting demand for the Company’s products; potential negative impacts of a reverse stock split; potential cost, headcount and salary reduction actions may not be sufficient or may not achieve their expected results; circumstances outside of the Company's control, such as natural disasters, climate change, health epidemics and pandemics, terrorist attacks, and civil unrest; risks related to the Company's operations in China; the success of the Company's remedial measures taken in response to the Special Committee findings; the Company’s dependence on its suppliers and contract manufacturer; the Company's ability to develop and protect its technologies; the Company's ability to protect against cybersecurity risks; and the ability of the Company to attract and retain employees, any adverse developments in existing legal proceedings or the initiation of new legal proceedings, and volatility of the Company’s stock price. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on May 28, 2024, as amended on May 30, 2024, and June 24, 2024, as updated by the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s first quarter 2024 Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on July 30, 2024, and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241222966710/en/ CONTACT: Investors (English):ir@faradayfuture.com Investors (Chinese):cn-ir@faradayfuture.com Media:john.schilling@ff.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: LUXURY ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES/FUELS TECHNOLOGY EV/ELECTRIC VEHICLES AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING SOFTWARE MANUFACTURING RETAIL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOURCE: Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/22/2024 05:11 PM/DISC: 12/22/2024 05:09 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241222966710/enThe soaring stock market has helped fuel a bump in sales at luxury retailers in Toronto in December, but some brands that have been steeply increasing prices are experiencing headwinds, say experts. “The strong markets have made people feel more confident,” said Larry Rosen, CEO of Harry Rosen, citing strong December sales following a late start to the holiday season due to a later Black Friday than usual. “When people’s houses go up in price and people’s stock portfolios increase, it gives them a greater level of confidence, people are more free-spending and we’re certainly feeling a positiveness this December,” said Rosen. Holt Renfrew spokesperson Adam Grachnik said stores saw increased traffic in November and their strongest Black Friday and Cyber Monday in recent years. “More specifically, beauty and accessories are exceeding expectations the past few months, and it’s good to see the momentum continue,” said Grachnik. Darren Mason, president of Andrew’s, said sales at all three Toronto stores are positive and all channels are experiencing growth. “I believe the strength in the markets has helped offset the inflation effect made particularly worse by a low dollar ,” said Mason. Fashion — one of the pillars of luxury retailing — experienced a sluggish 2024 overall, according to a recent report by McKinsey & Company . In 2025, fashion industry growth is expected to remain low but increase slightly. “In particular, the industry will benefit from falling inflation and increased tourism in Europe, the resilience of high-net-worth individuals in the United States, and new growth engines in Asia (to counteract uncertainty around consumer spending in China, which is still recovering from the pandemic),” according to the report. “China will remain the region’s centre of gravity, but as the country is buffeted by macroeconomic headwinds, brands will pivot focus to other Asian markets, most notably Japan, Korea and India.” Fashion retailers have been feeling the brunt of the slowdown in the Chinese economy, and sales are down in the Japanese market as well. LVMH reported sales fell three per cent in the third quarter, and five per cent in the fashion and leather goods division, dominated by Louis Vuitton and Dior. Kering, the French luxury powerhouse that owns Gucci, reported a 16 per cent drop in the same quarter, with sales at Gucci itself down 25 per cent. Luxury and retail consultant Lanita Layton said some brands that have been increasing prices once or twice a year are beginning to experience pushback from some consumers, including investors in cryptocurrencies that have soared in value since the election of Donald Trump , who has signalled his support for the digital currencies. “People are starting to push back as to whether or not the quality is there for the prices they are charging,” said Layton. “They’re asking themselves: ‘How much is a bag or a pair of shoes really worth?’” While crypto investors often make headlines for top-end luxury purchases, research has shown they’re more likely to use profits to pay down their mortgage first. Shahin Zafar, who began investing in cryptocurrencies in 2017, is planning to exit his position in early 2025, pay off his condo, take a trip and get the car of his dreams, a BMW M4 convertible. “If I was in my 30s, I’d probably splurge, do something stupid,” said Zafar, 52. Ben Perrin, a Calgary-based Bitcoin investor since 2014, who now runs YouTube tutorials on the topic, said he’s not sure the run-up in cryptocurrency prices will trigger a wave of spending by investors. A lot of Bitcoin investors are in it for the long haul, and inflation has hit a lot of people hard, which would undermine the impulse to spend in an uncontrolled way, said Perrin. “Some people that had some disposable income to put away are going to be feeling good this holiday season, but I think there’s an awful lot of people that are also hurting right now, too.”
One of the top runners in college football will be on display when Joshua Carter and the Eastern Kentucky Colonels (7-4) take on the North Alabama Lions (3-8) on Saturday, November 23, 2024. Find out how to watch this game on ESPN+ in the article below. Watch college football live without cable. Stream ACC, SEC, ESPN and more with Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Start your risk free trial today and start watching college football games now. Stop missing games and start streaming college football right now on Fubo. Stop missing games and start streaming college football right now on ESPN+. Get tickets for any college football game this season at Ticketmaster. Rep your favorite players with officially licensed gear. Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more.Security cameras captured video of a University of Mississippi student leaving his campus apartment twice on the morning he was last seen alive, University Police Department Capt. Jane Mahan testified Wednesday in the trial of the man accused of killing the student. Jimmy “Jay” Lee, 20, was a gay man well known in the LGBTQ+ community at Ole Miss and in Oxford, where the university is located. He was last seen on July 8, 2022. Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., 24, of Grenada, Mississippi, is charged with capital murder in Lee's death, and his trial began Tuesday in Oxford. Herrington has maintained his innocence. Police said cellphone history showed conversations between Herrington and Lee on the morning Lee disappeared. Jurors on Wednesday were shown video clips of Lee leaving his own apartment shortly after 4 a.m., wearing a robe and slippers. The clips showed him returning about 40 minutes later and leaving again just before 6 a.m. When he left the last time, he was looking at his cellphone. A friend of Lee, Khalid Fears, testified Tuesday that he had a video chat with Lee while Lee left the apartment around 6 a.m. that day. Lee said he was going back to see a man he had seen hours earlier, Fears testified. Mahan testified Wednesday about the timeline of the video clips showing Lee at the campus apartment. She said campus police started searching for Lee after his mother, Stephanie Lee, called later that day to request a welfare check on her son after he didn't respond to multiple messages. Jay Lee's apartment had an electronic key card, and Mahan testified that police contacted the campus housing department to put an alert on his card, which would automatically send police an email if the card were used. An assistant district attorney, Gwen Agho, asked Mahan if Lee ever returned to his apartment after he was recorded leaving that morning. “Not that I've ever been notified of, no,” Mahan said. Lee and Herrington saw each other twice during the hours before Lee disappeared, Agho said during opening arguments Tuesday. She said the men had sexual contact during their first meeting, and Lee was upset when he left Herrington’s apartment. Herrington invited Lee back — and before Lee arrived, Herrington searched online for how long it takes to strangle someone, Agho said. Herrington “was not openly in the LGBTQ community,” she said. A witness, Kizziah Carter, testified Wednesday that he was driving home from work at about 7:30 that morning and saw Herrington jogging along a road in Oxford. Carter said he knew Herrington and honked to greet him, and Carter flagged him down to ask for a ride. The road was near an apartment complex where Lee's car was found later in the day. Carter said he drove Herrington to Herrington's apartment in another complex. Surveillance video also recorded Herrington running from where Lee’s car was found, and he was later seen picking up a shovel and wheelbarrow at his parents’ house, authorities said. Lee’s body has not been found. In October, a judge declared him dead at the request of Lee’s parents. Lee’s active presence on social media fell silent after July 8, 2022, and no transactions have appeared on his credit card since then, prosecutors said. Herrington was arrested two weeks after Lee vanished, then released five months later on a $250,000 bond. A grand jury indicted him in March 2023. Herrington’s attorney, Kevin Horan, told jurors Tuesday that prosecutors have “zero” proof that Lee was killed or that any crime happened. Both Herrington and Lee had graduated from the University of Mississippi. Lee was pursuing a master’s degree. He was known for his creative expression through fashion and makeup and often performed in drag shows in Oxford, according to a support group called Justice for Jay Lee. Prosecutors have announced they do not intend to pursue the death penalty, meaning Herrington could get a life sentence if convicted. Mississippi law defines capital murder as a killing committed along with another felony — in this case, kidnapping.
UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The team looking for a missing Pennsylvania woman believed to have fallen into a sinkhole has determined that an abandoned coal mine is too unstable for people to safely search underground, authorities said Wednesday while still expressing hope Elizabeth Pollard will be found alive. Rescue workers continue to search for Elizabeth Pollard, who is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat, Wednesday in Marguerite, Pa. Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press Emergency crews and others have been trying to find Pollard, 64, for two days. Her relatives reported her missing early Tuesday and her vehicle with her unharmed 5-year-old granddaughter inside was found about two hours later, near what is thought to be a freshly opened sinkhole above the long closed, crumbling mine. Authorities said in a noon update that the roof of the mine collapsed in several places and is not stable. The sinkhole is in the village of Marguerite, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. “We did get, you know, where we wanted, where we thought that she was at. We’ve been to that spot," said Pleasant Unity Fire Chief John Bacha, the incident's operations officer. “What happened at that point, I don’t know, maybe the slurry of mud pushed her one direction. There were several different seams of that mine, shafts that all came together where this happened at.” Trooper Cliff Greenfield said crews were still actively searching for Pollard. “We are hopeful that she’s found alive,” Greenfield said. Searchers were using electronic devices and cameras as surface digging continued with the use of heavy equipment, Bacha said. Search dogs may also be used. Rescue workers search through the night in a sinkhole for Elizabeth Pollard, who disappeared while looking for her cat, Tuesday in Marguerite, Pa. Gene J. Puskar, Associated Press On Wednesday afternoon, machinery was removing material from the area around the hole while police and other government vehicles blocked a clear view of the scene. Sinkholes occur in the area because of subsidence from coal mining activity. Rescuers had been using water to break down and remove clay and dirt from the mine, which has been closed since the 1950s, but that increased the risk “for potential other mine subsidence to take place," Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson Trooper Steve Limani said. Crews lowered a pole camera with a sensitive listening device into the hole, but it detected nothing. Another camera lowered into the hole showed what could be a shoe about 30 feet below the surface, Limani said. Searchers have also deployed drones and thermal imaging equipment, to no avail. Marguerite Fire Chief Scot Graham, the incident commander, said access to the immediate area surrounding the hole was being tightly controlled and monitored, with rescuers attached by harness. The top of a sinkhole is seen Tuesday in the village of Marguerite, Pa., where rescuers searched for a woman who disappeared. Pennsylvania State Police “We cannot judge as to what’s going on underneath us. Again, you had a small hole on top but as soon as you stuck a camera down through to look, you had this big void,” Graham said. “And it was all different depths. The process is long, is tedious. We have to make sure that we are keeping safety in the forefront as well as the rescue effort.” Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts Bacha said they were “hoping that there’s a void that she could still be in.” Pollard's family called police at about 1 a.m. Tuesday to say she had not been seen since going out at about 5 p.m. Monday to search for Pepper, her cat. The temperature dropped well below freezing that night. Her son, Axel Hayes, said Pollard is a happy woman who likes going out to have fun. She and her husband adopted Hayes and his twin brother when they were infants. Hayes called Pollard “a great person overall, a great mother” who “never really did anybody wrong.” He said at one point Pollard had about 10 cats. “Every cat that she’s ever come in contact with, she has a close bond with them,” Hayes said. His mother worked for many years at Walmart but recently was not employed, he said. “I’m just hoping right now that she’s still with us and she’s able to come back to us,” he said. Police said they found Pollard's car parked behind Monday's Union Restaurant in Marguerite, about 20 feet from the sinkhole. Hunters and restaurant workers in the area said they had not noticed the manhole-size opening in the hours before Pollard disappeared, leading rescuers to speculate that the sinkhole was new. “It almost feels like it opened up with her standing on top of it,” Limani said. Searchers accessed the mine late Tuesday afternoon and dug a separate entrance out of concern that the ground around the sinkhole opening was not stable. “Let’s be honest, we need to get a little bit lucky, right?” Limani said Wednesday. “We need a little bit of luck on our side. We need a little bit of God’s good blessing on our side.” Pollard lives in a small neighborhood across the street from where her car and granddaughter were located, Limani said. The young girl “nodded off in the car and woke up. Grandma never came back," Limani said. The child stayed in the car until two troopers rescued her. It's not clear what happened to Pepper. In an era of rapid technological advancement and environmental change, American agriculture is undergoing a revolution that reaches far beyond the farm gate. From the food on consumer plates to the economic health of rural communities, the transformation of U.S. farming practices is reshaping the nation's landscape in ways both visible and hidden. LandTrust explores how these changes impact everyone, whether they live in the heartland or the heart of the city. The Changing Face of American Farms The image of the small family farm, while still a reality for many, is increasingly giving way to larger, more technologically advanced operations. According to the USDA, the number of farms in the U.S. has fallen from 6.8 million in 1935 to about 2 million today, with the average farm size growing from 155 acres to 444 acres. This shift has profound implications for rural communities and the food system as a whole. Despite these changes, diversity in farming practices is on the rise. A landmark study published in Science , involving data from over 2,000 farms across 11 countries, found that diversifying farmland simultaneously delivers environmental and social benefits. This challenges the longstanding idea that practices boosting biodiversity must come at a cost to yields and food security. Technology Revolution on the Farm The adoption of precision agriculture technologies is transforming how farmers manage their land and resources. GPS-guided tractors, drone surveillance, and AI-powered crop management systems are becoming commonplace on many farms. These technologies allow farmers to apply water, fertilizers, and pesticides with pinpoint accuracy, reducing waste and environmental impact while improving yields. However, the digital divide remains a challenge. More than 22% of rural communities lack reliable broadband internet access, hindering the widespread implementation of AI and other advanced technologies in agriculture. The Economic Tightrope: Challenges Facing Modern Farmers While technology offers new opportunities, farmers are also facing significant economic challenges. The USDA's 2024 farm income forecast projects a 4.4% decline in net farm income from 2023, following a sharp 19.5% drop from 2022 to 2023. This financial pressure is compounded by rising production costs and market volatility. Climate variability adds another layer of complexity. Extreme weather events, changing precipitation patterns, and shifting growing seasons are forcing farmers to adapt quickly. These factors could reduce agricultural productivity by up to 25% over the coming decades without significant adaptation measures. But adapting requires additional financial resources, further straining farm profitability. Diversification: A Lifeline for American Farms In the face of these challenges, many farmers are turning to diversification as a strategy for resilience and profitability. The Science study mentioned earlier found that farms integrating several diversification methods supported more biodiversity while seeing simultaneous increases in human well-being and food security. Agritourism is one popular diversification strategy. In 2022, 28,600 U.S. farms reported agritourism income, averaging gross revenue of $44,000 from these activities. Activities like farm tours, pick-your-own operations, and seasonal festivals not only provide additional income but also foster a deeper connection between consumers and agriculture. From Farm to Table: The Consumer Connection The changing face of agriculture is directly impacting consumers. The rise of farm-to-table and local food movements reflects a growing interest in where our food comes from and how it's produced. If every U.S. household spent just $10 per week on locally grown food, it would generate billions of dollars for local economies. However, the larger challenges in agriculture can also lead to price fluctuations at the grocery store. The USDA's Economic Research Service projects that food-at-home prices will increase between 1.2% and 2.2% in 2024. The Future of Farming: Opportunities and Innovations Looking ahead, several innovations are poised to reshape agriculture: Sustainable farming practices : Cover cropping, no-till farming, and precision agriculture are gaining traction. These practices can reduce soil erosion by up to 90% compared to conventional tillage. Genetic engineering : CRISPR and other gene-editing technologies offer the potential to develop crops with enhanced nutritional profiles and resistance to pests and diseases. Alternative protein sources : The market for plant-based and lab-grown meat alternatives is projected to reach $30 billion by 2030. Conclusion: A Call to Action The transformation of American agriculture affects everyone, from the food we eat to the health of our environment and rural communities. Consumers have the power to support sustainable and diverse farming practices through our purchasing decisions. As citizens, they can advocate for policies that support farmers in adopting innovative and sustainable practices. The challenges facing agriculture are complex, but they also present opportunities for innovation and positive change. By understanding and engaging with these issues, everyone can play a part in shaping a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable food system for the future. This story was produced by LandTrust and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. LandTrust
