jollibee origin country (Bloomberg) — Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has scored another win as International Business Machines Corp. is investing in the state’s new quantum and microelectronics park in Chicago. IBM and partners including the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will build the first ever national algorithm center for quantum computing in the city’s South Side, the company said in a statement on Thursday. The state will provide a $25 million grant that will help purchase equipment for the IBM project. The announcement comes five months after PsiQuantum Corp. said it would invest more than $1 billion to become the anchor tenant at Pritzker’s quantum campus. The billionaire governor, who has been trying to turn Illinois into a hub for new technologies, set aside $500 million for quantum as part of the budget passed earlier this year. “This is first of its kind for us,” Jay Gambetta, IBM vice president of quantum, said in an interview. “What made us choose Chicago is honestly the talent in computer scientists — you have so many computer scientists that graduate from the schools here, as well as applied mathematicians and physicists. And then you’ve also got many industries that are potential early adopters of quantum computing.” Quantum computers — which rely on “qubits” and can store data in multiple forms: ones, zeros, both, or something in between — are exponentially more powerful than their binary counterparts. Companies including IBM are trying to crack the technology, but skeptics have cast doubt over whether it will ever replace classical computers. The initial investment will be “in the tens of millions” and maybe reach the “low hundreds” in the next two years, IBM Chief Executive Officer Arvind Krishna said at a press conference. He declined to provide a precise figure. IBM’s investment, fueled by the IBM Quantum System Two quantum computer, is aimed at creating the software and algorithms that will allow quantum computing to generate effective commercial applications, Gambetta said. Industries typical of the Midwest including fertilizers, finance, insurance and materials could benefit from the quantum project. “As we go into this next phase of quantum computing where algorithm are just as important as the hardware, we are making the decision that that we will grow out algorithm footprint in Chicago,” Gambetta said. “The software is where most of the jobs end up, so as we go into the future, this is going to be our core footprint, that’s where we’re going to have our algorithm researchers.” IBM said it plan to start hiring effort almost immediately, and will have staff at other Chicago locations until the park is complete. The project is slated to create 50 jobs in five years. In July, PsiQuantum Corp., a Palo Alto, California-based company, said it will build the first utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer in the US at the 300,000 square-foot site at South Works, the old US Steel plant that closed in 1992. Construction of the park moved a step closer when City Council voted this week to approve the rezoning of the area, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Chicago also has one of the country’s longest quantum networks, which runs 124 miles (200 kilometers) and connects the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory to the University of Chicago and the Chicago Quantum Exchange. “We’re making Illinois the global quantum capital and the center for job growth in the quantum industry – a true center of innovation with the power to solve the world’s most pressing and complex challenges and create jobs and investment for our state,” Pritzker said in the statement. —With assistance from Shruti Date Singh. (Updates with IBM CEO comments in sixth paragraph.)

THE outcome of the recent United States elections has raised several questions for the Philippines. While the incoming Trump administration's commitment to increased tariffs has created uncertainty for many countries, the Philippines may find itself in a favorable position. Current indications suggest that the tariff hikes will most likely be targeted first at China, Canada and Mexico. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is right to remain confident that the Philippines will continue to maintain a strong and positive relationship with the United States. This approach is particularly significant in both the geopolitical and economic contexts for the Philippines. President Marcos is committed to strengthening the US' oldest partnership in the Indo-Pacific region. Because of the Trump administration's favorable stance toward bilateral trade, this presents the Philippines with more opportunities to negotiate detailed trade terms across various industries. Additionally, the Philippines Generalized System of Preferences arrangement with the United States, where the program allows products from the Philippines to enter the US duty-free, would permit Philippine industries such as those in manufacturing, electrical machinery, and even apparel, to flourish. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.

LIVERMORE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 12, 2024-- McGrath RentCorp (“McGrath” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: MGRC), a leading business-to-business rental company in North America, today announced the Board of Directors’ declaration of a quarterly cash dividend of $0.475 per common share for the quarter ending December 31, 2024. The dividend will be payable on January 31, 2025 to all shareholders of record on January 17, 2025. The year 2025 marks 33 consecutive years that McGrath RentCorp has raised its dividend to shareholders. ABOUT MCGRATH: McGrath RentCorp (Nasdaq: MGRC) is a leading business-to-business rental company in North America with a strong record of profitable business growth. Founded in 1979, McGrath’s operations are centered on modular solutions through its Mobile Modular and Mobile Modular Portable Storage businesses. In addition, its TRS-RenTelco business offers electronic test equipment rental solutions. The Company’s rental product offerings and services are part of the circular supply economy, helping customers work more efficiently, and sustainably manage their environmental footprint. With over 40 years of experience, McGrath’s success is driven by a focus on exceptional customer experiences. This focus has underpinned the Company’s long-term financial success and supported over 30 consecutive years of annual dividend increases to shareholders, a rare distinction among publicly listed companies. McGrath is headquartered in Livermore, California. Additional information about McGrath and its businesses is available at mgrc.com and investors.mgrc.com . View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212717160/en/ CONTACT: Keith E. Pratt EVP & Chief Financial Officer 925-606-9200 KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMMERCIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE TECHNOLOGY CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY ENGINEERING OTHER TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING MACHINERY HARDWARE OTHER CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY SOURCE: McGrath RentCorp Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 04:01 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 04:00 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241212717160/en

OTTAWA - First Nations leaders in Manitoba are calling on the federal government to address a backlog in requests for Indigenous children to receive swift access to health care and other services. They say the delay in approval of requests under Jordan’s Principle has resulted in communities paying out of pocket for health, social or educational services that are supported under the principle, putting other important programming at risk. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs said the backlog has added financial strain to communities, forcing them to provide essential services with limited resources. “Many First Nations are trying to meet the needs of their families. They are not receiving funding to provide these services. They are currently running deficits,” acting Grand Chief Betsy Kennedy told reporters in Ottawa on Thursday during the Assembly of First Nations annual winter meeting. “First Nations need (Indigenous Services Canada) to fully resource and prioritize full and equitable funding and reimbursement for costs before year’s end.” Kennedy added First Nations often have to refer their members to other organizations that are also not getting fully funded to complete requests for assistance. The principle is named after Jordan River Anderson of Norway House Cree Nation in northern Manitoba. Born in 1999 with multiple disabilities, Anderson died at the age of five without ever leaving the hospital because federal and provincial governments couldn’t decide who should pay for his at-home care. The principle stipulates that when a First Nations child needs health, social or educational services, they are to receive them from the government first approached, with questions about final jurisdiction worked out afterward. Some projects in the 11 First Nations the Keewatin Tribal Council in northern Manitoba represents are at a standstill because money has had to be allocated to cover the costs of service requests, said Grand Chief Walter Wastesicoot. “There’s a deep, deep hole there right now,” he said. The Keewatin Tribal Council previously had to pay $7 million out of pocket for Jordan’s Principle requests before the federal government reimbursed them, said Wastesicoot. He said the Keewatin communities are currently owed millions, but could not provide an exact amount. Kennedy said a regional Indigenous Services Canada representative told the assembly that there may not be further funding for First Nations until the fiscal year ends. Indigenous Services Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The department says on the government’s website that Ottawa has provided more than 8.2 million products, services and supports under the principle from 2016 to the end of October of this year. The office of Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu previously told The Canadian Press that the department remains focused on ensuring First Nations children can access the services they need, and that since 2016, the federal government has allocated nearly $8.1 billion to meet the needs of First Nations children. The Manitoba chiefs’ complaints come as the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has ordered Canada to address a backlog of requests. The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society raised concerns earlier this year that Ottawa was taking too long to process requests for financing through Jordan’s Principle, leaving children without access to services. Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the Caring Society, said the ever-growing backlog is of Canada’s own making. “Canada chose to create these backlogs,” she said while supporting chiefs on Thursday. “They’re not saying they’re overwhelmed and backlogged with thousands of cases under a Canadian pension plan or under an unemployment insurance. The government does this stuff. It is choosing not to do it and it’s making excuses for itself.” Urgent Jordan’s Principle requests are supposed to be processed within 24 hours. But they are taking up to one month to be reviewed, says Independent First Nations, an advocacy body representing a dozen First Nations in Ontario and Quebec. Blackstock filed an affidavit earlier this year that said nearly half of requests made by individuals from those First Nations in 2023-24 are still in review, along with 10 per cent of the files submitted in 2022-23. The tribunal ordered Canada to return to it with a detailed plan, timelines and targets to address the backlog before Dec. 10. — By Brittany Hobson in Winnipeg. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024.

LONDON (AP) — A woman who claimed mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in a Dublin hotel penthouse was awarded nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) on Friday by a civil court jury in Ireland. Nikita Hand said the Dec. 9, 2018, assault after a night of partying left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced the woman to do anything against her will and said she fabricated the allegations after the two had consensual sex. His lawyer had called Hand a gold digger. The fighter, once the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship but now past his prime, shook his head as the jury of eight women and four men returned the verdict after deliberating for about six hours in the High Court in Dublin. He was mobbed by cameras as he left court but did not comment. He later said on the social platform X that he would appeal the verdict and the “modest award.” Hand's voice cracked and her hands trembled as she read a statement outside the courthouse, saying she would never forget what happened to her but would now be able to move on with her life. She thanked her family, partner, friends, jurors, the judge and all the supporters that had reached out to her online, but particularly her daughter. “She has given me so much strength and courage over the last six years throughout this nightmare to keep on pushing forward for justice,” she said. “I want to show (her) and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” The Associated Press generally does not name alleged victims of sexual violence unless they come forward publicly, as Hand has done. Under Irish law, she did not have the anonymity she would have been granted in a criminal proceeding and was named publicly throughout the trial. Her lawyer told jurors that McGregor was angry about a fight he had lost in Las Vegas two months earlier and took it out on his client. “He’s not a man, he’s a coward,” attorney John Gordon said in his closing speech. “A devious coward and you should treat him for what he is.” Gordon said his client never pretended to be a saint and was only looking to have fun when she sent McGregor a message through Instagram after attending a Christmas party. He said Hand knew McGregor socially and that they had grown up in the same area. She said he picked her and a friend up in a car and shared cocaine with them, which McGregor admitted in court, on the way to the Beacon Hotel. Hand said she told McGregor she didn't want to have sex with him and that she was menstruating. She said she told him “no” as he started kissing her but he eventually pinned her to a bed and she couldn't move. McGregor put her in a chokehold and later told her, “now you know how I felt in the octagon where I tapped out three times,” referring to a UFC match when he had to admit defeat, she said. Hand had to take several breaks in emotional testimony over three days. She said McGregor threatened to kill her during the encounter and she feared she would never see her young daughter again. Eventually, he let go of her. “I remember saying I was sorry, as I felt that I did something wrong and I wanted to reassure him that I wouldn’t tell anyone so he wouldn’t hurt me again,” she testified. She said she then let him do what he wanted and he had sex with her. A paramedic who examined Hand the next day testified that she had never before seen someone with that intensity of bruising. A doctor told jurors Hand had multiple injuries. Hand said the trauma of the attack had left her unable to work as a hairdresser, she fell behind on her mortgage and had to move out of her house. Police investigated the woman’s complaint but prosecutors declined to bring charges, saying there was insufficient evidence and a conviction was unlikely. McGregor, in his post on X, said he was disappointed jurors didn't see all the evidence prosecutors had reviewed. He testified that the two had athletic and vigorous sex, but that it was not rough. He said “she never said ‘no’ or stopped” and testified that everything she said was a lie. “It is a full blown lie among many lies,” he said when asked about the chokehold allegation. “How anyone could believe that me, as a prideful person, would highlight my shortcomings.” McGregor’s lawyer told jurors they had to set aside their animus toward the fighter. “You may have an active dislike of him, some of you may even loathe him – there is no point pretending that the situation might be otherwise,” attorney Remy Farrell said. “I’m not asking you to invite him to Sunday brunch.” The defense said the woman never told investigators McGregor threatened her life. They also showed surveillance video in court that they said appeared to show the woman kiss McGregor’s arm and hug him after they left the hotel room. Farrell said she looked “happy, happy, happy.” McGregor said he was “beyond petrified” when first questioned by police and read them a prepared statement. On the advice of his lawyer, he refused to answer more than 100 follow-up questions. The jury ruled against Hand in a case she brought against one of McGregor’s friends, James Lawrence, whom she accused of having sex with her in the hotel without consent.Chargers activate RB J.K. Dobbins from IRThe leaders of the ruling NDA alliance are scheduled to meet at BJP president JP Nadda's residence on Wednesday to attend the prayer programme to commemorate former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birth centenary year. ET Year-end Special Reads Top 10 equity mutual funds of the year. Do you have any? How India flexed its global power muscles in 2024 2024 was the year India became the talk of America The BJP, like previous years, has requested all its NDA allies to attend the prayer programme. The BJP has been holding prayer meetings on the birth anniversary of its stalwart leader every year. The meeting at Nadda's residence is being termed as a regular feature of the NDA allies but it assumes importance as it is happening at a time when the Opposition is trying to corner the BJP on Union home minister Amit Shah's remarks on BR Ambedkar. Sources in NDA said the BJP may also discuss several other issues, including future course of action on two crucial draft legislations - Waqf Amendment Bill and the Constitution Amendment Bill for 'One Nation, One Election'. Sources in the BJP said these meetings are a regular feature to keep strengthening the coordination among the allies and also that the allies should be on the same page on crucial political issues. 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The Edo state Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has signed the 2025 Appropriation Bill of N675 billion into law. The State House of Assembly had increased the budget estimate by #72 billion before passing it into law. Assenting to the bill at the Government House in Benin City, Governor Okphebholo said the budget would revive the economy of Edo state and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the State. He noted: “I have just signed into law, a budget of 675,220,058,858.52 tagged “A Renewed Hope Budget For A Rising Edo. “It is hoped that the 2025 approved budget will revive the economy of Edo State and deliver the dividend of democracy to the good people of the State.” Continuing, the governor said special care was taken to ensure that a larger percentage was appropriated for capital expenditure during the budget preparation. He added that his administration was poised to embark on massive capital project in the new fiscal year. The governor further commended the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, and other lawmakers for the speedy consideration of the budget. Earlier, while presenting the bill to the governor, Rt Hon. Agbebaku said the budget was significantly increased from the initial sum of N605billion to ensure more funds are allotted to the agricultural sector.