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The orbital launch manifest for the week of Dec. 16 through Dec. 22 is set to be one of the busiest yet, with 12 total launches currently planned worldwide. SpaceX plans to launch seven Falcon 9 missions this week, with five customer missions, one rideshare mission, and one Starlink mission. Outside of the U.S., three orbital launches are scheduled out of China with the Chang Zheng 5B, Chang Zheng 2D, and Ceres-1S rockets. Rocket Lab plans to launch its Electron rocket on the Owl The Way Up mission, and private Japanese launch company Space One is set to attempt a launch of its Kairos rocket. Chang Zheng 5B/YZ-2 | SatNet LEO Group 01 A Chinese Chang Zheng 5B (CZ-5B) is set to kick off the week by launching the SatNet LEO Group 01 mission from Launch Complex (LC) 101 at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in China. Liftoff is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 16, at 10:00 UTC. Rocket hardware was first spotted at Wenchang in early November, with the rocket rolling out to LC-101 on Dec. 10. CZ-5B is a variation of the Chang Zheng 5, China’s most powerful heavy-lift launch vehicle. Standing 54 m tall with three stages, CZ-5B can loft 15,000 kg to low-Earth orbit (LEO). CZ-5B will fly with the Yuanzheng-2 (YZ-2) upper stage for this mission. The payload for this mission is the first batch of 10 satellites for the Chinese state-owned GuoWang mega constellation, also known as SatNet. Once in orbit, the China Satellite Network Group will operate the constellation, which is expected to grow to around 13,000 satellites. Chang Zheng 2D | Unknown Payload On Monday, the second of two Chinese launches will see a Cheng Zheng 2D (CZ-2D) launch at 18:55 UTC from LC-9 at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the Shanxi Province of China with an unknown payload. Liftoff was originally scheduled for last weekend but was scrubbed and pushed to Monday. The payload for this mission is currently unknown but is suspected to be a second batch of PIESAT-2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites for ZhuZhou Space. The first batch was launched into a Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) in early November atop a Chang Zheng 5C rocket. The constellation will grow to 16 satellites by mid-2025 and use X-band. Falcon 9 | RRT-1 Falcon 9 will launch the RRT-1 mission on Monday from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the first of seven Falcon 9 launches planned for this week. Liftoff is scheduled for 7:52 PM EST (00:52 UTC on Dec. 17), with backup launch opportunities available starting Tuesday. This mission was initially scheduled to launch on Friday, Dec. 13, but was scrubbed due to high winds. RRT-1 is a mission for the U.S. Space Force. The payload is suspected to be the GPS III-10 satellite, though limited information is available. Falcon 9 will fly the satellite to a medium-Earth orbit on a northeast trajectory out of the Cape. GPS III (also known as Navstar-3) is the first evolution of the third generation of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. GPS III improves positioning, navigating, and timing services for all GPS users worldwide. GPS III satellites also feature increased resistance to jamming and spoofing through M-code security algorithms. When fully deployed in orbit, the constellation will utilize a cross-linked command control architecture, allowing for faster updates and less ground station usage. Artist’s impression of a GPS III satellite in orbit. (Credit: Lockheed Martin) GPS III satellites are built on Lockheed Martin’s A2100M satellite bus. Each satellite carries eight deployable antennas, which are built by Northrup Grumman. Falcon 9 booster B1085 is supporting this mission, flying its fourth mission since its first in August. Following liftoff and stage separation, B1085 will land atop SpaceX’s autonomous droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas , stationed downrange from SLC-40 in the Atlantic. If schedules hold, B1085’s fourth landing attempt will be Falcon’s 400th recovery attempt. Falcon 9 | NROL-149 Falcon 9’s second mission of the week will see the launch of the NROL-149 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). Launch is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 1:20 AM PST (09:20 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The nature of NROL-149’s payload is classified but is expected to be the sixth batch of Starshield satellites built by SpaceX and Northrup Grumman for the NRO. The booster supporting this mission has not yet been announced but is planned to land on SpaceX’s west coast droneship Of Course I Still Love You , which will be stationed downrange in the Pacific. Electron/Curie | Owl The Way Up Rocket Lab is set to launch the Owl The Way Up mission for Synspective with its Electron rocket at 14:00 UTC on Tuesday, Dec. 17, from Rocket Lab’s Launch Complex 1B (LC-1B) on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand. Electron’s launch window extends until 15:15 UTC. The owl is set to take flight again🦉 We’ve been the sole launch provider for @Synspective since we launched their 1st StriX spacecraft in 2020. Next week’s mission, scheduled for lift-off 18 Dec NZT, will be our 6th of a total of 16 launches booked with the team at... pic.twitter.com/xQh7beBJ9g — Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) December 12, 2024 The mission will see Electron and its Curie upper stage deploy a single Synspective StriX satellite. This is the sixth mission in a total of 16 purchased by Synspective for launch on Electron. The StriX satellites offer SAR capabilities and are designed to collect observations that can detect millimeter-level changes in Earth’s surface from space with a ground resolution of 1 to 3 m over a swath of 10-30 km. Standing 18 m tall and 1.2 m wide, Electron is among the smallest orbital rockets currently in operation. Rocket Lab will utilize its Curie upper stage on this mission to launch the StriX satellite to SSO. Falcon 9 | O3b mPOWER 7 & 8 SpaceX plans to launch the fourth pair of O3b mPOWER satellites for SES on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 3:59 PM EST (20:59 UTC) from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Falcon 9 is expected to launch at the beginning of the window, which extends until 5:26 PM EST (22:26 UTC). Falcon 9 will launch the seventh and eighth O3b mPOWER satellites into a medium-Earth orbit after flying a due east trajectory out of the Cape. The satellites are the second generation of high-throughput and low-latency internet satellites built by SES, allowing the company to allocate bandwidth and power dynamically to customers as required. Boeing built the two satellites in El Segundo, California, and shipped them to the Cape in November. Each satellite features newly redesigned power modules that address the previous electrical issues experienced by the first six O3b mPOWER satellites. These electrical issues significantly impaired the performance of the satellites and led to SES extending their contract with Boeing by two satellites, bringing the finished constellation to 13 total satellites. Once fully operational, the constellation will use the first six impaired satellites as spares and commit to fully operating the latter seven satellites. SES expects the final pair of O3b mPOWER satellites to be launched in 2026. The booster launching this mission has not yet been confirmed and will land on SpaceX’s droneship Just Read the Instructions in the Atlantic. Kairos | Flight 2 Japanese commercial launch company Space One is expected to attempt to launch the second flight of its Kairos rocket this week. After scrubbing two launch attempts on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15, Space One looks to try for its third launch attempt on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 02:00 UTC during a 20-minute launch window. Launch is set to occur from Spaceport Kii, Space One’s dedicated launch site for Kairos located in the Wakayama Prefecture in Japan. Following liftoff, Kairos will launch its payloads into an SSO at 500 km altitude. The payloads aboard Kairos are a 50 kg Tarara-1 microsatellite and four 3U cubesats built by high school students. The primary payload is a satellite including the first Buddha statue to launch into orbit, enshrined atop a small encasing dubbed the Kounji Temple. Following payload deployment, the Kairos upper stage will deorbit itself and burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. Space One’s first Kairos launch attempt saw the vehicle experience an anomaly and subsequent rapid unscheduled disassembly only a few seconds into flight due to a lower-than-expected thrust rate, triggering the rocket’s automatic flight termination system. Kairos is similar in size to Rocket Lab’s Electron, standing 18 m in height and 1.5 m in diameter. It is capable of launching 250 kg to LEO and 150 kg to SSO. Comprised of four stages, the first three utilize solid motors developed by IHI Aerospace, while the fourth is liquid-fuelled. Eventually, Space One hopes to increase its launch cadence to surpass JAXA, specifically aiming to reach 20 launches per year before the end of the decade. First launch of Space One’s Kairos rocket. (Credit: Kyodo) Falcon 9 | Astranis Block 2 Mission The third Falcon 9 launch within 24 hours will see the Astranis Block 2 Mission launch from SLC-40 in Florida on Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 10:38 PM EST (03:38 UTC on Dec. 18). Falcon 9’s launch window extends until 2:57 AM EST on Dec. 18 (07:57 UTC). The payload for this mission consists of four MicroGEO satellites built by Astranis Space Technologies Corp. in San Francisco, California. Designed to be smaller than typical geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellites, the MicroGEO satellites will provide broadband access and on-orbit services for various Astranis customers. One satellite will provide the Philippines with broadband access via Orbits Corp, two satellites will provide internet connectivity services to aircraft and cruise ships through Anuvu, and the final satellite will be reconfigured to replace the failed Arcturus satellite. Falcon 9 will launch the four satellites to GEO after flying east out of the Cape. Following liftoff, the currently unknown booster will land on one of SpaceX’s autonomous droneships, which will be stationed in the Atlantic. Ceres 1S | Unknown Payload Chinese private space launch company Galactic Energy is expected to launch its Ceres 1S rocket on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 10:20 UTC from the Haiyang Spaceport, a sea launch platform off the mainland coast in Chinese coastal waters. The launch window opens at 10:07 UTC and closes at 10:36 UTC. Details on the rocket launching this mission and the payload being launched remain highly uncertain. Ceres 1S stands 19 m in height and 1.4 m in diameter, launching 400 kg to LEO with four stages. Current reports point to the payload being the Tianqi-1 33-36 satellites. Falcon 9 | Bandwagon-2 SpaceX plans to launch the Bandwagon-2 rideshare mission atop a Falcon 9 on Friday, Dec. 20, at 3:53 AM PST (11:53 UTC) from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch window extends to 4:33 AM PST (12:33 UTC). Launch of the Bandwagon-1 mission. (Credit: SpaceX) Bandwagon-2 is the second mission in SpaceX’s Bandwagon rideshare program, which provides small satellite operators with frequent launch opportunities to mid-inclination LEOs. The targeted spacecraft for Bandwagon missions are ESPA-class payloads of up to 50 kg. Approximately 15 payloads will be launched on Bandwagon-2. Falcon 9 will launch south out of Vandenberg to an orbit inclined by 45.4 degrees with payload deployment orbits at 510 km and 590 km in altitude. Following stage separation, the currently unannounced booster will perform a return-to-launch-site (RTLS) landing at SpaceX’s Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg. Falcon 9 | Thuraya 4-NGS The second of three planned Falcon 9 launches on Friday will see SpaceX launch the Thuraya 4-NGS mission for United Arab Emirates-based Yahsat. Launch is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 20, at 8:36 PM EST (01:26 UTC on Dec. 21) from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch window extends until 12:53 AM EST on Dec. 21 (05:53 UTC). Thuraya 4-NGS is a communications satellite for Yahsat built by Airbus Defense and Space. The satellite will feature a 12 m L-band antenna and onboard processing, which provides advanced routing flexibility of up to 3,200 channels. The satellite’s design is based on the all-electric Airbus Eurostar-Neo platform. Falcon 9 will launch the 5,000 kg satellite to a geostationary transfer orbit after following an easterly trajectory out of the Cape. The booster supporting this mission has not yet been announced but will land on one of SpaceX’s droneships in the Atlantic following launch. Falcon 9 | Starlink Group 12-2 The seventh and final planned Falcon 9 launch of the week is the Starlink Group 12-2 mission. Liftoff is set for Friday, Dec. 20, at 11:28 PM EST (04:28 UTC on Dec. 21) from LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with a launch window that extends until 3:28 AM EST on Dec. 21 (08:28 UTC). The 23 Starlink v2 Mini internet satellites, 13 of which include direct-to-cell capabilities, will launch into a LEO inclined 43 degrees on a southeasterly trajectory out of the Cape. The yet-to-be-announced booster is expected to land downrange in the Atlantic atop one of SpaceX’s east coast droneships. This mission will be Falcon 9’s 417th mission overall and 131st mission of 2024. Additionally, this mission will serve as SpaceX’s 433rd mission overall and 133rd mission of 2024. Lastly, Starlink Group 12-2, if schedules hold, will be the 254th orbital launch attempt worldwide in 2024. (Lead image: Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida. Credit: Julia Bergeron for NSF)Meta (PRNewsfoto/Meta) MENLO PARK, Calif. , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Meta Platforms, Inc. (Nasdaq: META) board of directors today declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.50 per share of the company's outstanding Class A common stock and Class B common stock, payable on December 27, 2024 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 16, 2024 . Contacts Investors: Kenneth Dorell investor@meta.com / investor.fb.com Press: Ryan Moore press@meta.com / about.fb.com/news/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/meta-announces-quarterly-cash-dividend-302324358.html SOURCE MetaTaiwan’s Fair Trade Commission (FTC) has reportedly blocked Uber Technologies, Inc. UBER $950 million acquisition of Delivery Hero’s Foodpanda business due to anti-competitive concerns. The merger, which was initially announced in May 2023, would have significantly increased Uber Eats’ dominance in Taiwan’s food delivery market, giving the combined company over 90% of the market share, Reuters reports. The FTC cited concerns that the merger would eliminate Foodpanda as Uber Eats’ main competitor, reducing market pressure on the combined entity. The commission argued that without this competition, Uber would have less incentive to keep prices low for consumers or commissions reasonable for restaurant partners. With a huge market share, the merger could have led to higher prices and less choice for consumers, undermining the competitive landscape of Taiwan’s food delivery sector. The deal was scrutinized by the FTC after Uber filed the application in November 2023. The commission stated that the merger’s negative effects would outweigh any economic benefits. Also Read: Elon Musk Calls Jeff Bezos’ Ex-Wife MacKenzie Scott’s $19 Billion Charitable Donations ‘Concerning’ The FTC also noted that corrective measures would not be sufficient to address these concerns. In response, Uber and Delivery Hero said they might appeal the decision or consider terminating the acquisition. Uber was optimistic about the deal, as it had hoped the merger would help boost its delivery business by contributing $150 million annually to its adjusted core profit. While online food delivery platforms in Taiwan account for a small fraction of the broader food delivery market, Foodpanda’s operations had reached breakeven in adjusted core earnings by March 2024. The proposed merger was expected to be finalized in the first half of 2025, but now faces significant regulatory hurdles in Taiwan. This decision highlights ongoing scrutiny of mergers in the tech and delivery sectors, as regulators assess their long-term impact on competition and consumers. Price Action: UBER shares 0.26% to $61.71 on Tuesday, while shares fell by 0.07% after hours. Read Next: Will Amazon Dethrone Walmart This Holiday Season? Here Is What You Should Know This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Like spy thrillers, which rarely focus on trust as the central plot, global politics is increasingly based on trust deficit. Could the lacklustre global leadership since the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s be the reason? Compared to the aftermath of the Second World War, political achievements in the new millennium seem puny and overwhelmingly self-serving, albeit more so for individual leaders, than their countries. The ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, Israel’s military adventurism in the Gaza Strip and now the Golan Heights, China’s braggadocio on the border with India, the antagonism in the South China Sea and intimidation of Taiwan are all instances, where conflict -- a convenient distraction from domestic shortcomings -- breeds distrust. Tangential, least-cost mechanisms to punish transgressors of the peace spawn new systemic risks. Consider, that economic sanctions on the purchase of Russian energy, devised as a rap for its Ukraine adventure, created a new security risk by incentivizing options to the dollar-dominated system for the settlement of international payments. In turn, US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened countries exploring dollar alternatives for global settlements with trade sanctions! Global disarray is inherent to the unravelling of the consensus on climate action in Glasgow in 2021. Gone is the desire to comply with the Kyoto 1990 principle of the “common but differentiated responsibilities” which front-loads climate action for developed economies, making them squarely responsible for consuming more than their per capita share of the historical carbon emissions budget. Not only have the agreed finances ($100 billion per year) not been provided to the developing countries, but the European Union has gone one step further by scheduling a carbon tax, effective from 2026, on imports exceeding a specified carbon intensity. Ostensibly designed to preserve the competitiveness of domestic EU producers against “dirty” imports, it conveniently fast-forwards and imposes developed world obligations for climate mitigation action on all exporting developing countries, in defiance of the Kyoto mandate. Some of this backsliding could be because three decades on, several developing economies have quickly become less poor. Consider that 48 per cent of the growth in global GDP was driven by the United States and its European allies during 1960-1980. During 2000-2023 they were down to just a 28 per cent share. In contrast, China grew from contributing a two per cent share in global GDP, in the earlier period, to 11 per cent over the latter period. India’s contribution grew slower, but it also increased from one per cent to five per cent. The change in relative economic muscle and the spectacular rise of China raises the question whether a rearrangement of global responsibilities is also not necessary. This conversation has long been stymied by the reluctance of the entrenched order to smell the coffee and initiate a more equitable sharing of the levers of global power in the United Nations and other multilateral bodies. The consequence of ignoring shifts in global economic power are most visible in the growing trend for a brazen transactional approach to global relations. China’s wolf warrior diplomacy, its opaque bilateral infrastructure financing initiatives and military stridency in the South China Sea are examples. Even the United States, till recently an advocate of an open global economic order, still the mightiest military power and the most dynamic developed economy, growing faster than the global economy is now turning mercantilist, building trade walls and adopting industrial protection policies more suitable for poor, developing economies with nascent economies. This flags a complete breakdown in global economic consensus. It was not always so. Mahatma Gandhi built trust and solidarity across castes and communities in India (1920-1947) at a time when the very concept of nationality in India was nascent or colonial at best. To give this “big tent’ a political structure, India chose democracy, modelling itself on countries like the UK -- at the time, one sixth its population, and the US, half its population, France and Ireland -- all significantly richer and well-endowed with infrastructure. Dismissed by colonial rulers at the time, as an unlikely fit for India, democracy remains its bedrock even as it works to become the third largest economy. Margaret Thatcher drew as many bouquets as brickbats for disrupting the economic order in the UK. But her 1980s drive to privatise government and bolster business set the tone for more than four decades of global governance and efficiency reform in the developing world. Compare that with the political theatrics around Brexit which reduced the UK’s influence to the moat around its shores. Nelson Mandella’s long, principled struggle against apartheid, touched hearts and minds globally. After the end of apartheid in 1994, his inclusiveness consolidated South Africa’s role in African economic development by preserving the integrity of the inherited institutional architecture. In the US, Henry Ford set the tone in 1912 by creating a motorized car, the Model T, for common use, as did Karl Benz in Germany. Around these cars grew a globally replicable ecosystem of manufacturing-led development which spawned a large, well-paid middle class powering the economy with domestic consumption. A century later this model is increasingly broken. Manufacturing productivity has improved vastly with digital design, automation, and robotics but the supply of “good” jobs has fallen behind population growth, reducing the net benefits for workers and increasing benefits for those with capital invested in such enterprises. Productivity gains, concentrated at the top, do nothing for providing gainful and satisfying work at scale, beyond “burger flipping,” for a workforce surging on the back of degenderized occupations, better medical care, and immigration. In China, after the ideological purification of the Long March, Mao Zedong in 1949 curated the transformation of an ancient monarchy into an equitable but inefficient Asian version of Communism, five times more populous than the Soviet Union. By the 1980s, with the material gains from centralized production and statism stagnating, Deng Xiaoping boldly encouraged economic reform. Import of foreign investment, technology, and access to foreign education rapidly retrofitted China, making it a hub for global supply chains, enhancing the availability of domestic jobs, reducing poverty, and providing public resources for new infrastructure. In contrast, contemporary global leadership appears blind to inclusive goals which can cement social cohesion. It seems unmindful of the economic paradigm that inefficiency bleeds national wealth and is uninterested in the proposition that the best policy options come with personal and political risk. Clinging to the wheel is human but surely not at the expense of sinking the ship unless an escape route exists, to a second home on Mars.The first open-source digital twin of the Mcity Test Facility—the University of Michigan's test center for connected and autonomous vehicles and technologies—is now available to the public, giving researchers around the world a new free tool. A is a virtual representation of a physical environment that also exchanges data with that environment, enabling simulation and testing. The new Mcity digital twin is the first open-source digital twin for mobility systems testing, including autonomous driving. It provides a faster, safer, less expensive way to test autonomous and connected vehicle software. Researchers anywhere can use the facility's features—with a variety of road materials, markings, signals and intersections—to test their autonomous algorithms without having to make the trip to Ann Arbor. "This takes our almost 10-year-old track and puts the digital replica directly over it," said Greg Stevens, Mcity's director of research. "That's a living, breathing manifestation of that physical track where people can do mixed reality testing and development." The digital twin works with , an open-source traffic simulator developed by Mcity researchers. It introduces other , such as pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers, and generates safety-critical events like potential collisions. Using traffic behavioral models calibrated with real-world data, it simulates both normal and high-risk driving scenarios. Mobility officials have touted AVs, along with connected vehicles and infrastructure, as a path to safer, more efficient and equitable transportation. Still, a great deal of research remains ahead before the technologies will produce everyday benefits for a large portion of the population. Testing in the real world takes time and money and creates a host of safety issues, but virtual testing can enable control software to demonstrate a high level of safety ahead of that stage. "You can drive millions of miles in your AV in a digital twin built off of a real-world environment before your AV actually touches the real world," said Darian Hogue, an Mcity software engineer who helped develop the digital twin. "With this, we can control all kinds of factors. That includes controlling and manipulating simulated —a factor that is random in the real world. This focuses and accelerates simulated testing." Opened in 2015, the Mcity Test Facility is the world's first purpose-built proving ground for connected and automated vehicles. Its physical features include: Mcity is continuously adding new features, and officials have worked to make the facility and its technologies available to a larger group of researchers. In 2022, development of Mcity's digital infrastructure enabled remote use of the Mcity Test Facility—dubbed Mcity 2.0. This led to the creation of the Mcity digital twin. Mcity officially launched its remote use capabilities in October. Researchers operating from their home bases can test their autonomous algorithms in virtual and mixed reality environments by connecting to Mcity's cloud-based digital infrastructure. Using 5G , they can control physical vehicles and traffic signals on Mcity's test streets and receive real-time data in return—all while protecting proprietary information. "What differentiates the Mcity digital twin is that it supports virtual testing, while remote use involves testing a physical vehicle at our physical test track from a remote location," said Mcity Director Henry Liu, professor of civil and environmental engineering and the Bruce D. Greenshields Collegiate Professor. "As an open-source tool, the Mcity digital twin lowers barriers to use of the by technology developers and researchers. The digital twin could also help developers better prepare for on-site testing at Mcity."

U.S. Bancorp stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors despite daily gainsSEHA's SKMC marks medical milestone with UAE's ECPR ECMO Procedure in Emergency DepartmentMr. Kathwari Welcomes Platinum Spirit Award Winners Chairman, President and CEO Farooq Kathwari recognizes top sales writers for the 2024 fiscal year. Ethan Allen Focused on the Future During the 2024 convention, Chairman, President and CEO Farooq Kathwari listed the company's focus areas for the coming year. Kathwari Welcomes Attendees to 2024 Convention Chairman, President and CEO Farooq Kathwari greeted about 4,000 live and virtual audience members at Ethan Allen's 2024 convention. Led by its Chairman, President and CEO Farooq Kathwari, the convention highlighted five key areas of focus for Ethan Allen: talent, service, marketing, technology, and social responsibility. "It was good to review all areas of our vertically integrated enterprise, to share new products and initiatives, and to celebrate the work and achievements of our team members. We take pride in sharing this special event with about 4,000 in attendance both watching and participating each year.” Ethan Allen's annual convention is an important, decades-long tradition that gives its associates the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues from all over the world while they review the progress the Company has made over the past year. The Spirit Awards highlight Ethan Allen's interior design network, one of the world's largest, and emphasize the Company's unique combination of technology and personal service. The celebratory event concluded with Mr. Kathwari saying, "We are just getting started,” as the Company is Focused on the Future . ABOUT ETHAN ALLEN Ethan Allen (NYSE:ETD), named America's #1 Premium Furniture Retailer by Newsweek for the second year in a row, is a leading interior design destination combining state-of-the-art technology with personal service. Our design centers, which represent a mix of independent licensees and Company-owned and operated locations, offer complimentary interior design service and sell a full range of home furnishings, including custom furniture and artisan-crafted accents for every room in the home. Vertically integrated from product design through logistics, we manufacture about 75% of our custom-crafted products in our North American manufacturing facilities and have been recognized for product quality and craftsmanship since 1932. Learn more at www.ethanallen.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. CONTACT: Catherine Plaisted Senior Vice President, Marketing [email protected] Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/03602b41-d7d5-4e48-89b9-c4cf8d11a28f https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f03d7cf2-d8e6-433e-afb3-45d6616ed037 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6dd9c843-54d2-4f8e-970f-e8a2d90d71ae

‘Releasing Nnamdi Kanu will make you hero’ – Ohanaeze chieftain writes TinubuA bankruptcy judge will hear arguments on Monday over the auction that allowed satirical newspaper The Onion to buy Alex Jones' Infowars . Jones is attempting to block the sale, claiming there was fraud and collusion in the Nov. 14 bankruptcy auction where The Onion was named the winning bidder. A federal judge ordered the liquidation of Austin-based conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' personal assets. He owes more than a billion dollars for lies he spread about the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting. Alex Jones declared bankruptcy and was forced to liquidate his assets after he was ordered to pay $1.4 billion to the families of victims in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Jones called the 2012 shooting that killed 20 first-graders and six educators a hoax. He has since acknowledged the shooting happened. A judge found Jones liable for defamation and emotional distress. All proceeds from the liquidation would go to Jones' creditors, which include the Sandy Hook families. Jones is appealing the $1.5 billion ruling, citing free speech rights. Satirical news publication, The Onion, has purchased Alex Jones' Infowars with plans to use the platform to raise awareness about gun violence prevention. The Onion was declared the winning bidder for Jones' Infowars. The live auction was held for the intellectual properties owned by Free Speech Systems Media Holdings, which includes Infowars, its production rights, archives and social media accounts. The auction also packaged the Infowars store to include its web domain, trademarks, contracts, e-commerce platform and customer lists. Jones' store sells supplements and apparel. Jones claims The Onion colluded with some of the families and a court-appointed trustee overseeing the liquidation process. The other bidder, First United American Companies, runs a website affiliated with Jones that sells nutritional supplements. First United American Companies offered $3.5 million, while The Onion offered $1.75 million in cash. The humor sites' bid also included a pledge to Sandy Hook families to forgo some or all of the auction proceeds due to them to give other creditors a total of $100,000 more than they would receive under other bids. Court-appointed trustee Christopher Murray says the provisions made the lower bid more beneficial to the creditors. Jones alleges the bid violated the rules of the auction and says Murray canceled an expected round of live bidding. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez said during a Nov. 14 hearing that he was concerned about the process and transparency. Jones has called the auction "rigged and a "fraud" on his show. InfoWars founder Alex Jones (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images) and The Onion website (Photo Illustration by Mario Tama/Getty Images) It is not clear how soon Lopez will issue a ruling. He could allow The Onion to move forward with the purchase, order a new auction or name First United American Companies the winner. If The Onion is declared the winner, it could kick Jones out of his Infowars studio in Austin. "The Onion is proud to acquire Infowars, and we look forward to continuing its storied tradition of scaring the site’s users with lies until they fork over their cold, hard cash," said The Onion’s CEO Ben Collins in a statement. The nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety said it would be the "exclusive launch advertiser" for the reworked site. If the sale is approved, it is expected to launch in January 2025. Jones has already set up a new studio, websites and social media platforms. Lopez is also expected to rule on if Jones' personal X account, and its 3.3 million followers, should be included in the sale. Lawyers for X submitted a court filing saying that the social media company is the owner of both Jones' and Infowars' accounts and that they have not given permission for them to be sold. Information in this article comes from the Associated Press, Everytown for Gun Safety, court filings and previous FOX 7 reporting.

DC Edit | Don’t give up consensus path to poll transparency

DC Edit | Don’t give up consensus path to poll transparency

Needham initiates coverage on On Holding with buy ratingThe South African National Parks (SANParks) has reminded day visitors planning to visit the Kruger National Park (KNP) during the festive season that gate quotas will be in place. “Visitors are urged to observe the park’s rules, which are primarily intended to ensure safe and pleasant experiences. By respecting these rules, visitors contribute to the preservation of the park’s natural beauty and the safety of all its inhabitants,” SANParks said in a statement. Visitors are further urged to plan their trips and allow sufficient time to enjoy the bush, relax, and arrive safely at their destination. Visitors are advised to book online ahead of their visit. Special attention is also drawn to operational times as it pertains to the gate quotas: • Time slot 1: 05.30 to 08:00 • Time slot 2: 08:00 to 10:00 • Time slot 3: 10:00 onwards The Kruger National Park has the following entrance gates: Crocodile Bridge, Malelane, Numbi, Phabeni, Paul Kruger, Orpen, Phalaborwa, Punda Maria, Pafuri, and Giriyondo Port of Entry. “The Day Visitor Quota for the Park is a management tool to prevent overcrowding on the roads and facilities; it is applied throughout the year, although we mostly reach carrying capacity during long weekends and school holidays,” SANParks said. Visitors should take note of the following: • All guests (drivers and passengers) will be required to identify themselves upon admission (by producing a South African driver’s license, identity document or passport); please ensure you are in possession of one of these documents and have them ready. • Pre-booking is crucial for day visitors, as it allows them to secure up to 80% of the Day Visitor Quota per gate. This can be done via SANParks Reservations offices at 012 428 9111 and online at www.sanparks.org. • Day visitor pre-bookings are subject to a non-refundable booking fee of R56 per adult and R28 per child, which must be paid in advance. This fee ensures their space because they would have been counted in the number that made the daily quota. • Day visitors who have pre-booked will still be required to pay Conservation Fees or use a valid Wild Card to enter the Park. The Conservation Fee for SA residents as well as Zimbabwe and Mozambique nationals (passport required to prove this) is R128 per adult and R64 per child (between ages 2 – 11). For nationals of Eswatini and other SADC countries, the conservation fees are R257 per adult and R128 per child. The standard conservation fees of R535 for adults and R257 for children apply to all other guests. • Pre-booked day visitors are prioritised at the gate but must arrive within their booked time slots. Late arrivals will be treated as non-booked and will not receive preference. It’s also important to note that Wild Card members are not exempt from the pre-booking fee. • Once the daily quota has been reached, only people who made pre-bookings are allowed to enter. The rest will have to queue and rely on the people moving out of the park to create space for them; this situation does not affect overnight guests. • Guests are reminded of the secure and convenient cash-free payment system at the gates (Paul Kruger, Phabeni, Numbi, Malelane and Crocodile Bridge) and fuel stations in the southern part of the park. This system ensures a smooth and hassle-free entry and exit from the park. “Vehicles without licence plates will not be allowed to enter/exit the park at the entrance gates; any vehicle found inside the park without front and rear licence plates will be impounded, and the driver will be charged under the NEMPA [National Environmental Management: Protected Areas] Act and fined. “Ranger services, South African National Defence Force (SANDF), and Protection Services will be in full force to ensure compliance and prevent poaching. “The upgraded camera technology will assist them, vigilant law enforcers, and the public, who have shared information to assist in numerous arrests,” SANParks said. Are you planning on visiting the Kruger National Park this festive season? Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp for the latest news.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Over 18,000 people in Mexico have registered online to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships in the country's contentious new selection process , but a random drawing in the end will determine who gets on the ballot, officials said Monday. The ruling party pushed through a constitutional reform in September to make all federal judges stand for election, replacing the system where court employees and lawyers mainly move up through the ranks. Current court employees and their supporters have staged dozens of demonstrations against the reforms, calling them part of a ruling-party campaign to weaken checks and balances and eliminate independent regulatory and oversight bodies. Now, candidates for Supreme Court seats and federal judgeships need only a law degree, a grade point average of 3.2, “five years of professional experience” and five letters of recommendation from neighbors or friends. That, and some luck in the final drawing. Officials rejected criticism that has called the process rushed or amateurish for the often highly technical posts that can hear cases including intellectual property, organized crime and Constitutional law. “The results have been spectacular,” said Arturo Zaldivar, a top advisor to President Claudia Sheinbaum. According to the plan, evaluation committees will have just over a month to review thousands of resumes and whittle the field to about 10 candidates or less for each for the 881 judgeships and nine seats on the Supreme Court. Then 1,793 names chosen at random from those selected will appear on the ballot on June 1. Critics warn that many who land on the ballot will be unknowns who perhaps have never argued a case in the courts they seek to run. “You don’t elect a doctor or a surgeon for an operation based on their popularity, you elect them based on their technical expertise, their ability, their knowledge,” said Sergio Méndez Silva, the legal coordinator for the civic group Foundation for Justice. “That also applies for a judge.” With candidates now having to run election campaigns, critics warn there's a chance drug cartels or political parties could finance them to get friendly judges onto the bench. There are also concerns that the evaluation committees deciding who makes the cut for the selection to appear on ballots may not be impartial. Most committee members were appointed by the legislative or executive branches, controlled by the ruling Morena party. Some critics argue that the current justice system, which is riddled with nepotism, corruption and a lack of accountability, needs to be changed. “We need a justice system that gives results,” said Martínez Garza, an academic and former head of the human rights commission in the northern border state of Nuevo Leon who has registered to run for a Supreme Court seat. Trials in Mexico can last for years, and the ruling party has added to the growing list of crimes for which bail is not allowed, meaning that a large percentage of the prison population is people awaiting trial.

CenterPoint Energy continues to invest in the safety, reliability and resiliency of its natural gas system to benefit customers

European stocks bounced around Monday while US equities shook off early weakness to push higher as investors waited to see if a so-called Santa Claus rally sweeps over the market. Global stock markets had a tumultuous time last week, spiraling lower after the US Federal Reserve signaled fewer interest rate cuts than had been expected for 2025. But it ended on a positive note as traders welcomed below-forecast US inflation data that raised hopes about the health of the world's biggest economy. That helped Asian markets move higher on Monday, but the positive trend faltered in Europe and stumbled initially in the United States. "Another up leg in US yields not only put pressure on stock indices but also drove the greenback higher," said IG analyst Axel Rudolph. But after a sluggish start, US stocks rose progressively in a quiet session with analysts pointing to low pre-holiday trading volumes. "Stocks didn't really have any direction in the morning, then we got this tech rally that just sort of drifted higher all day," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers. Analysts view elevated Treasury bond yields as a threat to year-end gains in an historically strong period of the calendar. Known as a Santa Claus rally, there are various explanations for the phenomenon including seasonal optimism and end-of-year tax considerations. But there remains some trepidation among investors as Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, pledging to cut taxes, slash regulations and impose tariffs on imports, which some economists warn could reignite inflation. "The initial response to the US election was positive as investors focused on the obvious tailwinds to profitability: lower corporate tax rates and less regulation," said Ronald Temple, chief market strategist at Lazard. "However, I expect much more dispersion within the equity market when the reality of a much-less-friendly trade environment sets in." In Europe, the FTSE 100 moved higher as the pound slid following data that showed that the UK economy stagnated in the third quarter, revised down from initial estimates of 0.1 percent growth. Official data out of Spain on Monday showed that the Spanish economy grew 0.8 percent in the third quarter as domestic consumption and exports increased, comfortably outstripping the European Union average. In company news, shares in crisis-hit German auto giant Volkswagen lost more than three percent on the back of news Friday that it plans to axe 35,000 jobs by 2030 in a drastic cost-cutting plan. Shares in Japanese auto giant Honda rose over three percent after it announced Monday an agreement to launch merger talks with struggling compatriot Nissan that could create the world's third largest automaker. New York - Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 42,906.95 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.7 percent at 5,974.89 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 1.0 percent at 19,764.89 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 8,102.72 (close) Paris - CAC 40: FLAT at 7,272.32 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.2 percent at 19,848.77 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.2 percent at 39,161.34 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.8 percent at 19,883.13 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.5 percent at 3,351.26 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0408 from $1.0430 on Friday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2531 from $1.2570 Dollar/yen: UP at 157.14 yen from 156.31 yen Euro/pound: UP at 83.03 pence from 82.97 pence West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.3 percent at $69.24 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.4 percent at $72.63 per barrel burs-jmb/jgcUS to require passenger vehicles to sound alarms if rear passengers don't fasten their seat beltsVinicius celebrates Real Madrid's victory over Sevilla in an NFL game

Can Cross break the curse?P2P and A2P Messaging Market 2024: A Decade of Phenomenal Growth Ahead

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 25, 2024-- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced today that it arranged $148.5 million in loan proceeds to refinance Admirals Row, a 696,000 square foot, eight acre mixed-use property developed by Steiner NYC in the revitalized Brooklyn Navy Yard. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125932961/en/ Admirals Row (Photo: Steiner Studios) The Walker & Dunlop New York Capital Markets team, led by Jonathan Schwartz , Aaron Appel , Keith Kurland , Adam Schwartz , Michael Diaz, and William Herring, represented and acted as an exclusive advisor to Steiner. They identified Deutsche Bank as the bridge loan lender to refinance the existing debt. Admirals Row, located at the confluence of Flushing Avenue, Navy Street, and Sands Street, includes the first Wegmans supermarket in New York City, over 350,000 square feet of light industrial and creative manufacturing space master-leased to the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, additional retail space, a community facility, and surface and structured parking totaling over 700 spaces. The Brooklyn Navy Yard is home to over 450 businesses employing more than 12,000 people and generating over $2 billion annually in economic impact for the city. It sits just one block from the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, is within two blocks of the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge, and is steps from the red-hot neighborhood of DUMBO. "The ongoing redevelopment of the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard, particularly with the construction of Admirals Row, has brought thousands of new jobs and services to the community," said Doug Steiner, chairman of Steiner NYC, LLC. "This project exemplifies an outstanding urban model for mixed-use development, and we are pleased to have collaborated with Walker & Dunlop to secure very favorable refinancing in a difficult market." "The Brooklyn Navy Yard has long been the economic heart of Brooklyn. We commend Steiner for their exceptional sponsorship and unwavering commitment to the development of this vital area," said Jonathan Schwartz, senior managing director and co-head of New York Capital Markets at Walker & Dunlop. "Their ownership and operation of Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard further highlights their dedication to fostering growth and innovation in the community." Steiner traces its roots to 1907. Notable projects include: Steiner Studios, New York's only Hollywood-style film and television production facility, consisting of 900,000 square feet of soundstages and support space on 50 acres in the Brooklyn Navy Yard; "Hub," a best-in-class, 55-story, 750-rental unit building in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn; and "Steiner East Village," an 82-unit luxury condominium project that was the best-selling building in Manhattan upon completion. In 2023, Walker & Dunlop’s Capital Markets group sourced capital for transactions totaling nearly $12 billion from non-Agency capital providers. This vast experience has made them a top adviser on all asset classes for many of the industry’s top developers, owners, and operators. To learn more about Walker & Dunlop’s broad financing options, visit our website . About Walker & Dunlop Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD) is one of the largest commercial real estate finance and advisory services firms in the United States. Our ideas and capital create communities where people live, work, shop, and play. The diversity of our people, breadth of our brand and technological capabilities make us one of the most insightful and client-focused firms in the commercial real estate industry. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125932961/en/ CONTACT: Investors: Kelsey Duffey Investor Relations Phone301.202.3207 investorrelations@walkeranddunlop.comMedia : Nina H. von Waldegg VP, Public Relations Phone301.564.3291 info@walkeranddunlop.com KEYWORD: NEW YORK MARYLAND UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RESIDENTIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE COMMERCIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE FINANCE CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY CONSULTING REIT SOURCE: Walker & Dunlop, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/25/2024 06:00 PM/DISC: 11/25/2024 06:02 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125932961/en