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Is Enron back? If it's a joke, some former employees aren't laughing HOUSTON (AP) — Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in corporate fraud and greed in America after it went bankrupt in 2001, is coming back. But the infamous company's return seems to be an elaborate joke. If its return is comedic, some former Enron employees who lost everything in the company’s collapse aren’t laughing. They're angry at a publicity stunt they say minimizes what they went through. Enron was once the nation’s seventh-largest company, but it went bankrupt amid massive accounting fraud. On Monday, a company representing itself as Enron announced it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” But a paper trail of legal documents points to the comeback being parody and performance art. Sean Penn accuses Academy Awards of cowardice at Marrakech Film Festival MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — Sean Penn has blasted the organizers of the Oscars of being cowards who, in effect, limit the kind of films that can be funded and made. The 64-year-old actor said Tuesday he gets excited about the Academy Awards only on the rare occasion that films he values are nominated. Penn’s remarks dovetail with longstanding criticisms of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for lacking diversity. The institution has in recent years tried to adopt more proactive steps to reform and rebrand itself, but has faced criticism for not going far enough. Penn's comments came at the Marrakech Film Festival. Kendrick Lamar and SZA announce 2025 North American stadium tour NEW YORK (AP) — “Not Like Us,” it’s like them. Kendrick Lamar and SZA will hit the road together in 2025. Lamar and SZA announced Tuesday the Grand National Tour, which will hit 19 stadiums across North America next spring and summer. The tour kicks off on April 19 in Minneapolis before going to Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Washington state, California, Arizona, Nevada, Illinois, Michigan and Washington, D.C. Tickets go on sale Friday. A pre-sale for Cash App Visa Card holders will launch Wednesday. The news arrives less than two weeks after Lamar released his latest album, “GNX,” which features SZA on two tracks. Authorities fear a Pennsylvania woman was swallowed by a sinkhole while looking for her cat Authorities fear a grandmother who disappeared while looking for her cat may have been swallowed up by a sinkhole that recently opened up in a western Pennsylvania village. Crews lowered a pole camera with a sensitive listening device into the hole in Marguerite on Tuesday morning but detected nothing. A second camera lowered into the hole showed what could be a shoe. Police say the family of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard called police at about 1 a.m. to say she hadn't been seen since going out Monday evening to search for Pepper, her cat. They found her 5-year-old granddaughter in her parked car near the manhole-sized opening. It’s not clear what happened to Pepper. Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair suspended 3 games without pay after violent hit on Trevor Lawrence HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended by the NFL without pay for three games for repeated violations of player safety rules following his hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion. Al-Shaair’s punishment was announced by NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan. In his letter to Al-Shaair, he noted that he has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons. Runyan says “video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide.” Last 2 defendants in Atlanta's Young Thug trial are acquitted of murder and gang charges ATLANTA (AP) — The long-running gang and racketeering trial in Atlanta that led rapper Young Thug to plead guilty in October has ended with a jury finding the last two defendants not guilty of racketeering, murder and gang-related charges. Deamonte Kendrick, who raps as Yak Gotti, was acquitted of all charges and Shannon Stillwell was found guilty only of a gun possession charge. Jury selection in the trial began nearly two years ago after prosecutors indicted 28 defendants. They said YSL was a criminal gang co-founded by Grammy-winning Young Thug. The Atlanta-born rapper’s given name is Jeffery Williams. He was released on probation after pleading guilty to gang, drug and gun charges. Great Lakes region braces for more snow while cleaning up after lake-effect storms Cleanup work is continuing around parts of the Great Lakes region socked by lake-effect snowstorms that dropped several feet of snow over the weekend. Forecasters are warning that another storm system could add a few more inches and maybe even more later this week. Many school districts in western Pennsylvania remained closed Tuesday as the storms were finally slowing after several days of lake-effect snow that also fell on parts of western New York, Ohio and Michigan. Snow totals since Thanksgiving in some places are nearing six feet. New women's baseball league names 97-year-old AAGPBL alum honorary chair on advisory board Former baseball pitcher Maybelle Blair will be an honorary chair on the advisory board of the Women’s Professional Baseball League, which last month announced plans to launch in 2026 as a six-team circuit for female players. The 97-year-old Blair helped inspire the baseball film “A League of Their Own” with her play in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She will chair a board of women who have worked in sports and business. The list includes a leader from the upstart Professional Women’s Hockey League, a longtime ESPN executive, and baseball pitcher and six-time World Cup winner Ayami Sato. Search suspended for man believed to have gone overboard from cruise ship off California's coast SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says it has suspended the search for a man believed to have gone overboard from a cruise ship as it was returning to San Francisco after a voyage to Ensenada, Mexico. The Ruby Princess arrived in San Francisco at 6:50 a.m. Monday following the five-day trip. Officials searched the ship several times for the missing passenger. They also scoured CCTV videos, but there was no sign of the man. Princess Cruises says the 72-year-old American citizen was traveling alone. The Coast Guard began aerial searches that were suspended around 5:30 p.m. Chicago house party shooting kills 3 men and wounds five other people, police say CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago police say eight people were shot at a house party, three of them fatally. Others fled as gunfire erupted. Police Chief of Patrol Jon Hein says officers responded Monday afternoon to the “social gathering” at a home in the city's southwest Chicago Lawn neighborhood. He says four men and four women between the ages of 20 and 35 were shot. Police say a 26-year-old man and two other men were pronounced dead. A 27-year-old woman was in critical condition, a 24-year-old woman was in serious condition and three other shooting victims were in good condition.Romania's top court annuls first round of presidential vote won by far-right candidate

Christensen King & Associates Investment Services Inc. reduced its position in NVIDIA Co. ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report ) by 13.5% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 14,576 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock after selling 2,280 shares during the quarter. NVIDIA comprises approximately 0.8% of Christensen King & Associates Investment Services Inc.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest position. Christensen King & Associates Investment Services Inc.’s holdings in NVIDIA were worth $1,770,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Hamilton Wealth LLC raised its position in NVIDIA by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Hamilton Wealth LLC now owns 3,142 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $2,839,000 after purchasing an additional 9 shares in the last quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of NVIDIA by 3.0% during the 1st quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 486 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $439,000 after acquiring an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Clean Yield Group raised its position in shares of NVIDIA by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Clean Yield Group now owns 1,795 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $1,622,000 after acquiring an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Earnest Partners LLC raised its position in shares of NVIDIA by 1.5% during the 1st quarter. Earnest Partners LLC now owns 1,133 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $1,024,000 after acquiring an additional 17 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aspect Partners LLC raised its position in shares of NVIDIA by 5.6% during the 1st quarter. Aspect Partners LLC now owns 320 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $289,000 after acquiring an additional 17 shares in the last quarter. 65.27% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. NVIDIA Stock Performance NVIDIA stock opened at $138.25 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $136.05 and a 200 day moving average price of $123.67. NVIDIA Co. has a 52 week low of $45.01 and a 52 week high of $152.89. The company has a current ratio of 4.10, a quick ratio of 3.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The firm has a market capitalization of $3.39 trillion, a P/E ratio of 54.41, a PEG ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 1.66. NVIDIA announced that its board has initiated a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, August 28th that authorizes the company to repurchase $50.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the computer hardware maker to buy up to 1.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are typically an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued. NVIDIA Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 27th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 5th will be given a dividend of $0.01 per share. This represents a $0.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.03%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, December 5th. NVIDIA’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 1.57%. Insider Transactions at NVIDIA In other news, CEO Jen Hsun Huang sold 120,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.76, for a total value of $13,291,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 76,375,705 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,459,373,085.80. This trade represents a 0.16 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link . Also, Director John Dabiri sold 716 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $142.00, for a total value of $101,672.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 19,942 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,831,764. This trade represents a 3.47 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold 2,036,986 shares of company stock valued at $240,602,399 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 4.23% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on NVDA shares. Robert W. Baird raised their target price on NVIDIA from $150.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Melius Research raised their target price on NVIDIA from $165.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Benchmark lifted their price target on NVIDIA from $170.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on NVIDIA from $140.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price target on NVIDIA from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty-nine have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $164.15. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on NVIDIA About NVIDIA ( Free Report ) NVIDIA Corporation provides graphics and compute and networking solutions in the United States, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and internationally. The Graphics segment offers GeForce GPUs for gaming and PCs, the GeForce NOW game streaming service and related infrastructure, and solutions for gaming platforms; Quadro/NVIDIA RTX GPUs for enterprise workstation graphics; virtual GPU or vGPU software for cloud-based visual and virtual computing; automotive platforms for infotainment systems; and Omniverse software for building and operating metaverse and 3D internet applications. See Also Five stocks we like better than NVIDIA Do Real Estate Investment Trusts Deserve a Place in Your Portfolio? The Latest 13F Filings Are In: See Where Big Money Is Flowing Best ESG Stocks: 11 Best Stocks for ESG Investing 3 Penny Stocks Ready to Break Out in 2025 How to buy stock: A step-by-step guide for beginners FMC, Mosaic, Nutrien: Top Agricultural Stocks With Big Potential Receive News & Ratings for NVIDIA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NVIDIA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump’s most contentious picks

Amid the rampant speculation about what’s next for Matt Gaetz after the MAGA firebrand abruptly and dramatically withdrew his nomination for attorney general, one right-wing cable channel is making it abundantly clear they’d like him to join their lineup. Hours after the former Florida congressman pulled his name from consideration to be the nation’s top prosecutor amid sexual misconduct allegations, Newsmax host Greg Kelly told his viewers that there was a job waiting for Gaetz at the network if he wanted it. “Hey, he’s got a couple of fallback plans,” the Trump-boosting host declared. “He could always come and work here at Newsmax, as he has done quite a bit over the past couple of years, like filling in as an anchor on this program.” Airing a clip of Gaetz guest-anchoring his primetime program in May 2023, which occurred while Gaetz was a sitting U.S. congressman, Kelly went on to praise the ex-lawmaker as a “great guy with a big future.” Besides Kelly’s show, Gaetz has also sat in the anchor’s chair to spell Newsmax star Rob Schmitt in the past. “Greg is a great friend,” Gaetz told The Independent of Kelly’s offer. “I really look up to him. It’s very kind that he said something to lift my spirits.” According to multiple Newsmax insiders and staffers who spoke with The Independent , Kelly’s segment was part of a concerted effort to both appeal to Gaetz directly while also planting the idea in viewers’ minds that the former congressman may bring his services to the network’s airwaves. One source familiar with the situation told The Independent that Newsmax vice president of programming Chris Knowles mandated Kelly’s monologue alongside the clip of Gaetz’s past hosting performances on the network. The source added that the appeal to Gaetz was similar to when Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy pressed the network’s lineup to run multiple segments a day on Fox News firing its top-rated host Tucker Carlson last year. With conservatives furious at Fox for terminating Carlson, the source added, Ruddy hoped to convince the former Fox News star to come to Newsmax. Even before Gaetz dropped his bid to become attorney general, multiple staffers said Knowles had long made it clear behind the scenes that he wanted to make Gaetz a permanent fixture at the network. Knowles “has wanted Matt Gaetz to bring his firebrand personality to the network full-time for a long time,” one current Newsmax employee stated. “Knowles has said several times in the past he wants Gaetz on the air with a show one day, and he has recently said there’s a spot for him on the network if he isn’t confirmed,” another staffer stated prior to Gaetz’s withdrawing his nomination. Network executives also felt that Fox News growing increasingly squeamish over Gaetz’s nomination amid the drip-drip of more sexual misconduct allegations would only help Newsmax in building trust with the MAGA base, one source added. Newsmax gave Gaetz nothing but positive coverage throughout the nomination while repeatedly brushing off the allegations, noting that the Justice Department has not charged Gaetz with a crime. In a statement, a Newsmax spokesperson said the network “is not planning any lineup changes and has no plans to offer Rep. Gaetz a position at the network.” Gaetz did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While the network is denying there have been any discussions between the two parties, Gaetz did acknowledge in 2021 that he held numerous conversations with several conservative media outlets about potential post-Congress gigs — including Newsmax. Gaetz’s initial exploration for a “soft landing in right-wing media” took place shortly before it was announced he was under federal investigation for possible sex trafficking. Gaetz, meanwhile, has remained vague about what his plans are now that his dreams of being attorney general have flamed out. In a Friday interview with conservative pundit Charlie Kirk, Gaetz confirmed that he won’t return to Congress while pledging to keep fighting for the president-elect in other ways. He also slammed the allegations against him as a “smear” campaign. The former congressman took to social media on Friday morning, claiming he’d soon tell the “stories of corruption, treason and betrayal” regarding members of Congress trading stocks. So will Gaetz do that as a member of Trump’s White House — or within the world of right-wing media? Stay tuned.Trump transition signs agreement with Justice Department, paving the way for FBI background checks on Trump picks

However, the N-Dubz star has since left the jungle following a public vote but viewers of the show are shocked at her actions since. Before heading into the Australian jungle, celebrities often share pictures of themselves in their camp uniforms and the ITV show also shares videos and images of them while they’re in there which they share to their own personal accounts. However, viewers noticed the lack of Instagram posts about Tulisa’s time in the jungle following her exit. A post shared by I'm a Celebrity... (@imacelebrity) Taking to X, formerly Twitter, fans of the show noticed the singer has deleted her posts about the ITV show and her involvement. After leaving the show, Tulisa would’ve been given her phone back so it’s likely she deleted the posts herself. One viewer said: “Why has Tulisa deleted everything from her socials in relation to #ImACeleb”. (function (d, s, n) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; js = d.createElement(s); js.className = n; js.src = "//player.ex.co/player/6754809d-db39-472a-a8e5-411c1ebefb1d"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); js.setAttribute('programmatic', 'true'); js.onload = function () { const playerApi237931 = ExCoPlayer.connect('6754809d-db39-472a-a8e5-411c1ebefb1d'); playerApi237931.init({ "autoPlay": false, "mute": true, "showAds": true, "playbackMode": "play-in-view", "content": { "playFirst": [ { "title": "How much is Ant and Dec's net worth?", "src": "https://large-cdn.ex.co/transformations/production/3dac3c05-257d-45d2-b760-c1524f8b72f3/720p.mp4" } ] }, "sticky": { "mode": "persistent", "closeButton": true, "pauseOnClose": true, "desktop": { "enabled": false, "position": "bottom-right" }, "mobile": { "enabled": false, "position": "upper-small" } }}); }; }(document, 'script', 'exco-player')); Another commented: “Why has Tulisa deleted all traces of I’m a celeb off her socials?” A third called the singer out, saying: “So grateful you delete all trace of I’m a Celeb on your Instagram ey Tulisa?” After public votes, three celebrities have been eliminated from the ITV show so far. Loose Women star Jane Moore was the first to leave while Dean McCullough, a BBC Radio 1 presenter, was the second to be reunited with loved ones. Recommended reading: How much is Tulisa Contostavlos being paid for appearing on I'm a Celebrity 2024? 'Ruined my day': GK Barry disgusted as Tulisa Contostavlos talks eating spiders What is Tulisa Contostavlos' net worth as the N-Dubz star takes on I'm A Celeb? N-Dubz star Tulisa was the third to leave the jungle and said: “It is tough in there, leaving is still a happy thing.” Speaking about her I'm A Celebrity experience, she added: “I just think you're more grateful for everything, the food you eat, being around the people you love, the home comforts, just makes you very appreciative of life.” Tonight (December 3), another celebrity will leave the jungle. I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1, STV and ITVX.None

Kyodo News Digest: Dec. 7, 2024

League hands out Democracy Works AwardsIs Enron back? If it's a joke, some former employees aren't laughingFoley is here to help you through all aspects of rethinking your long-term business strategies, investments, partnerships, and technology. Contact the authors, your Foley relationship partner, or our Automotive Team to discuss and learn more. Key Developments Foley & Lardner announced the 2024 installment of its Auto Trends series—A Year in Review: Updates, Trends and the Road Ahead . This series delves deep into the transformative forces shaping the automotive world by providing weekly insights and analysis tailored to help business leaders navigate a shifting market landscape. The first two articles in the series address the regulatory themes and outlook for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , and potential scenarios for a realignment of the EV and EV infrastructure market . manufacturing under President-elect Donald Trump’s administration in the Pitchbook article, “ Manufacturers prep for a new tariff regime .” President-elect Donald Trump in a November 25 social media post stated he would impose additional 10% tariffs on goods from China , and 25% tariffs on all products from Mexico and Canada for the nations’ alleged facilitation of illegal immigration and fentanyl abuse in the U.S. In response, officials from Canada and Mexico indicated retaliatory tariffs would be pursued. [ News coverage of this development is rapidly evolving .] The cost of tariffs on imported vehicles or components would eventually be passed along to consumers in the form of higher vehicle prices , according to commentary from S&P Global Mobility. The New York Times reported the effects of U.S. tariffs on Mexico’s auto industry “would be profound , affecting the price in the United States of popular models like Ford Maverick pickups, Chevrolet Equinox sport-utility vehicles and several variations of Ram trucks.” A number of provincial leaders in Canada recently called for a bilateral trade agreement between the U.S. and Canada that would exclude Mexico. In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated that including Mexico in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement is his “first choice,” but he is “leaving all doors open.” Political leaders in the U.S. and Canada have expressed concerns over the potential for Chinese goods to avoid tariffs by entering the North American market through Mexico , a claim Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has disputed , as well as the possibility that Chinese companies such as BYD could soon establish manufacturing operations in Mexico. As part of a goal to dismantle Biden administration policies that have been described as equivalent to an “EV mandate,” the incoming Trump administration signaled an intent to weaken the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards and the Environmental Protection Agency’s tailpipe emissions requirements . The first Trump administration overturned similar Obama-era vehicle fuel economy and emissions regulations. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation urged President-elect Donald Trump to maintain the $7,500 consumer tax credit for qualifying EV purchases , and to establish policies to accelerate the deployment of autonomous vehicles . The industry association also suggested revisions to vehicle emissions and fuel-economy regulations , as well as the need to rethink a requirement to equip nearly all new light vehicles with advanced automatic emergency braking systems by 2029. Wood Mackenzie analysis indicates a potential revision or repeal of federal EV subsidies , as well as fuel economy and vehicle emissions rules ,could lower projected U.S. EV sales by nine percentage points to 23% of new light vehicles by 2030 . The analysis also predicts hybrid vehicles could achieve a U.S. market share of 18% by 2030 . Consultancy AlixPartners predicted that up to $129 billion of EV investments in North America through 2027 are “at risk” due to anticipated Trump administration policiesthat are expected to be unfavorable to EVs , as well as the expectation automakers will delay or cancel BEV models and further reduce electrification expenditures. Members of President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team indicated that establishing a federal framework for autonomous vehicles could be among the Transportation Department’s top priorities, according to unnamed sources in Bloomberg . Foley & Lardner provided highlights from the MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers Annual Conference held on November 12 and 13 in Novi, Michigan. During the conference, at least one automotive analyst remarked on the risk of excessive inventory levels and underutilized manufacturing capacity. OEMs/Suppliers Automotive News summarized remarks by Ford and GM regarding the automakers’ scenario planning ahead of the incoming Trump administration . Stellantis is exploring potential revisions to its manufacturing and sourcing strategies in the event Trump administration policies affect supply chains, and the automaker indicated it could revisit a plan to expand production and sourcing from lower-cost countries if new tariffs are imposed. GM will lay off approximately 1,000 workers worldwide , and a significant portion of the reductions will affect employees at the Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. This follows layoffs of over 1,000 software and services employees in August 2024 . A report in The Detroit News estimates Stellantis has laid off over 3,750 hourly workers in the U.S. in recent months. Ford will eliminate 4,000 employees in Europe, equivalent to 14% of the region’s workforce, by the end of 2027 because of economic challenges, increased competition and weaker-than-anticipated EV sales. The majority of the reductions will occur in Germany . Volkswagen’s union workersin Germany could begin mass walkouts in December if an agreement is not reached during negotiations over the automaker’s planned cost reductions. VW’s labor costs in Germany are reported to be higher than competitors that include BMW and Mercedes. Ford will reallocate 400 hourly workers following reduced Bronco production at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, MI. Electric Vehicles and Low EmissionS Technology During a panel at the MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers Annual Conference , purchasing executives at three major automakers assured suppliers of transparency for evolving product plans and EV programs. Volkswagen increased its potential investment in Rivian by $800 million to $5.8 billion, as part of a joint venture to advance both in-vehicle software capabilities and EV development . VW previously invested $1 billion in the EV maker as part of a collaboration announced earlier this year. S&P Global Market Intelligence estimates global private equity and venture capital deal value in EVs and EV components reached $3.32 billion in the first three quarters of 2024, compared to $4.03 billion raised by non-EV companies in the same period. Global private equity deal value in EV charging infrastructure from January through October 18, 2024, reached $1.04 billion, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. This compares to a deal value of $1.11 billion in full-year 2023. Swedish battery maker Northvolt AB filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Separately, Northvolt recently sold certain production assets to Lyten , a California-based lithium-sulfur battery maker. Rivian received approval for a conditional loan of up to $6.6 billion from the Department of Energy to expand EV production. Separately, LG Energy Solution was awarded a five-year battery supply agreement for Rivian’s R2 crossover model. Ford will no longer participate in a joint venture manufacturing plant in Quebec that will produce battery materials for EVs. Construction on the cathode active materials plant is already underway and it is expected to continue, according to a report in La Presse . Workers at the Ford – SK On battery joint venture plant in Kentucky signed union authorization cards to begin a campaign to join the UAW. Stellantis delayed the launch of the 2025 Ram 1500 REV electric pickup truck and its range-extended version to the first half of 2025 from the end of this year. The automaker is also working toward two additional EV launches, the Dodge Charger Daytona muscle car and the Jeep Wagoneer S SUV . EVgo hopes to close a U.S. Energy Department $ 1.05 billion conditional loan guarantee for up to 7,500 fast-charging stalls ahead of the incoming Trump administration. Chinese EV makers delivered 9.75 million EVs to mainland buyers in the first ten months of 2024, reflecting an increase of 34% compared to the same period last year. BYD could surpass Ford in worldwide annual shipments this year, and the milestone would establish the Chinese EV maker as a top 10 global automaker measured by unit volumes. California Governor Gavin Newsom plans to offer EV rebates to consumers in the state if the federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for qualifying EV purchases is eliminated. Stellantis plans to add a hybrid model to the Jeep lineup sometime next year, according to an announcement at the Los Angeles Auto Show . Kia intends to produce the 2025 EV6 compact electric crossover at its plant in Georgia , and the vehicle will begin sales in the first half of next year. Hyundai’s 2026 Ioniq 9 electric SUV will have three-row seating and an estimated 300 miles of range. Hyundai and Kia will recall over 200,000 EVs in North America over a defect that may cause the loss of drive power. Automated, Autonomous or Connected Vehicles Technologies GM autonomous driving unit Cruise agreed to pay a $500,000 criminal fine to end claims that it made false statements to federal investigators after one of its vehicles struck a pedestrian. This follows a $1.5 million civil penalty for the same incident. Autonomous technology developer May Mobility launched robotaxi operations in Ann Arbor, Michigan, without human backup drivers in the vehicles. The company previously established driverless operations in Sun City, Arizona. Market Trends and Regulatory Recent appointments announced by the incoming Trump administration include: former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Transportation ; Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer , described as a “pro-union Republican,” to lead the Labor Department ; Cantor Fitzgerald CEO Howard Lutnick to head the Commerce Department and have “additional direct responsibility” for the U.S. Trade Representative’s office; and Tesla CEO Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency tasked to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fined Ford $165 million over claims the automaker delayed the recall of more than 600,000 vehicles with defective rearview cameras. This represents the second largest civil penalty in the agency’s history. Less than a week later, NHTSA opened separate investigations into 457,000 Ford Bronco Sport SUVs over the potential for vehicles to lose power, and roughly 113,000 Ford Expeditions due to the possibility of faulty seat belts. New passenger car registrations in Europe reached 8.9 million units for the first ten months of 2024, reflecting growth of less than 1% when compared to the same period in 2023. In the past decade, venture capitalists have invested approximately $120 billion globally into shared mobility service businesses such as ride-hailing and station-based bike systems. The Federal Communications Commission announced final rules governing cellular-vehicle-to-everything technology in the 5.9 GHz band. This is expected to promote the use of 30 megahertz of spectrum previously reserved for dedicated short-range radio communications for in-vehicle and roadside C-V2X units. Analysis by Julie Dautermann, Competitive Intelligence AnalystAHL suspends Griffins' William Lagesson three games for UFC-style chokehold - Sportsnet.ca

By WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS NEW YORK (AP) — A ransomware attack that hit a major software provider last week caused disruptions for a handful of companies over recent days, from Starbucks to U.K. grocery giant Morrisons. Blue Yonder, which provides supply chain technology to a range of brands worldwide, said that it experienced disruptions to services it manages for customers on Thursday, which the third-party software supplier determined to be “the result of a ransomware incident.” Some systems went offline, impacting clients using Blue Yonder’s software. A spokesperson for Starbucks, for example, said that the chain’s ability to manage barista schedules and track hours was disrupted — meaning store leaders across North America are currently being instructed to use manual workarounds. Starbucks maintained that the outage is not impacting how customers are served and that ensuring workers get paid for all hours worked is a top priority. While the company continues to work towards full recovery, the spokesperson added that Starbucks was able to process payroll again as of Tuesday morning. Two of the U.K.’s biggest grocers, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s, were also affected — with both telling CNN over the weekend that they had turned to contingency plans to keep operations flowing. A spokesperson for Morrisons confirmed to The Associated Press that the outage “impacted our warehouse management systems for fresh and produce” and that it was continuing to operate on back up systems Tuesday. Sainsbury’s, meanwhile, said Tuesday that its service was restored. Related Articles Nation | Man found guilty of holding down teen while he was raped at a youth center in 1998 Nation | What Black Friday’s history tells us about holiday shopping in 2024 Nation | New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants Nation | Walmart becomes latest – and biggest – company to roll back its DEI policies Nation | Today in History: November 26, Mumbai terror attacks of 2008 begin Blue Yonder declined to disclose how many of its customers were impacted by the hack. In a statement sent to the AP, a spokesperson maintained that it had notified “relevant customers” and would continue to communicate as needed. The spokesperson also maintained that recovery efforts were still underway — noting that Blue Yonder “has been working diligently together with external cybersecurity firms to make progress,” including the implementation of several defensive and forensic protocols. Blue Yonder’s website touts an extensive global roster of customers — including Gap, Ford and Walgreens. Walgreens and Gap were not impacted following the ransomware attack, spokespeople for the companies said. Ford shared that it was investigating whether the incident affected its operations earlier this week, but had no further updates when reached Tuesday. Blue Yonder, based in Arizona, is a subsidiary of Japan’s Panasonic Corp. Panasonic acquired the supply chain software firm in September 2021.Aston Villa’s disallowed goal would have counted in England – Unai Emery