Premier League underlines huge appeal with £439m Far East TV deal
Matt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz is not coming back to Congress. The Florida Republican said Friday he has no intention of serving another term in the House now that he is no longer President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew as the nominee this week amid growing fallout from the allegations of sexual conduct against him. Gaetz denies the allegations. Gaetz didn't lay out his plans now that he's out of office, saying only, “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch." After Gaetz's withdrawal on Thursday, Trump named former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department. Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump's most contentious picks WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role. He's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate, where he has served for the last two years. Vance spent part of Wednesday at the Capitol with Rep. Matt Gaetz sitting in on meetings with Trump’s controversial choice for attorney general. On Thursday, Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings over the coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad Donald Trump’s lock on the white evangelical vote is legendary, but he didn't focus exclusively on large religious voter blocs. He and his allies also wooed smaller religious groups, away from the mainstream. He posted a tribute to Coptic church members on social media and met with members of Assyrians for Trump — two smaller Christian communities with Middle Eastern roots. He visited the grave of the revered late leader of an Orthodox Jewish movement. His allies sought votes from the separatist Amish community. While Trump won decisively, the outreaches reflected aggressive campaigning in what was expected to be a tight race. NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with a hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. Ukraine's parliament canceled a session Friday over the security threat. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech Thursday that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik, saying it's so powerful that several of them fitted with conventional warheads could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Texas education board approves optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ education board has voted to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools. The approval Friday follows other Republican-led states that have pushed this year to give religion a larger presence in public classrooms. The curriculum adopted by the Texas State Board of Education is optional for schools to adopt, but they’ll receive additional funding if they do so. Parents and teachers who opposed the curriculum say the lessons will alienate students of other faith backgrounds. Supporters argue the Bible is a core feature of American history and that teaching it will enrich learning. 2 convicted in human smuggling case after Indian family froze to death on US-Canada border FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A jury has convicted two men of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand each faced four charges related to human smuggling before being convicted on Friday. Patel is an Indian national. Shand is an American from Florida. They were arrested after the family froze while trying to cross the desolate border during a 2022 blizzard. Storm inundates Northern California with rain, heavy snow. Thousands remain in the dark in Seattle HEALDSBURG, Calif. (AP) — Heavy rain from a major storm prompted evacuations from communities near a Northern California river that forecasters say could break its banks Friday, as the storm keeps dumping heavy snow in the region's mountains where some ski resorts opened for the season. The storm reached the Pacific Northwest earlier this week, killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands before moving through Northern California, where several roads were closed due to flooding and strong winds toppled some trees. Forecasters are warning about the risk of flash flooding and rockslides in areas north of San Francisco as the region was inundated by this season’s strongest atmospheric river. Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of ancient Maya WASHINGTON (AP) — Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize. The research published Friday in Science Advances shows that long before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America’s Yucatan peninsula. The ancient fish canals were used to channel and catch freshwater species such as catfish. These structures were used for around 1,000 years — including during the “formative” period when the Maya began to settle in permanent farming villages and a distinctive culture started to emerge. California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health officials are confirming bird flu in a California child — the first reported case in a U.S. minor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced confirmatory test results on Friday. Officials say the child had mild symptoms, was treated with antiviral medication and is recovering. The child’s infection brings the reported number of U.S. bird flu cases this year to 55, including 29 in California. State officials have said the child lives in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, and attends day care, but released no other details. Brazilian police formally accuse former President Bolsonaro and aides of alleged 2022 coup attempt SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal Police have formally accused former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his electoral defeat in the 2022 elections. The findings are to be delivered Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which will refer them to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who will either formally charge Bolsonaro and put the former president on trial or toss the investigation. The former right-wing president has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has faced a series of legal threats since then.
The Taoiseach has said climate issues are “not owned” by any one political party after the Greens suggested carbon reductions will not be met by any other party . Simon Harris said climate is now “bigger than any one party”, but added that people should not be “lectured” on the changes that will need to be implemented across various sectors in the coming years. He said: “I think it’s really important that we do help the people, that we do this in a partnership approach, and that we never lecture people, but we engage with people to make the switch in their own lives.” Mr Harris said the Green Party had a very “positive role” in government and the outgoing coalition had made considerable progress to reduce carbon emissions. However, he added: “What I’m not prepared to do, is allow any one party suggest that they did it all on their own in any aspect. “My own party, Fianna Fáil, or the Greens, we have collective cabinet responsibility. I chair a Cabinet made up of three parties, everybody pulls together, we passed five progressive budgets, budgets that I am proud of, we passed climate legislation. It comes after members of the Green Party said no coalition will meet climate targets set down unless it is in government. The Green party leader, Roderic O’Gorman, said: “I’m not confident that, if the Greens aren’t part of the next government, whatever its makeup, I’m not confident that that progress will continue, that we will see another 7% [in carbon reductions], that we’ll see the commitment of those financial resources that are necessary to deliver these really important projects that get us our cuts, but also improve people’s quality of life as well.” Asked about this, Mr Harris said: “Climate issues are now issues for every party. They’re issues for every person in Ireland, and they’re not issues owned by one political party.” Separately, Mr Harris said it was “disappointing” that Mary Lou McDonald could not say whether or not she would attend an IRA funeral if elected to the office of An Taoiseach. Mr Harris said such an action would “cause a lot of hurt to people”. On Thursday, Ms McDonald defended the comments made during an interview on Virgin Media, saying she would possibly attend an IRA funeral if she becomes Ireland’s next taoiseach. Mr Harris said: "When you are the taoiseach, you represent people right across this country, you represent people who are Irish in many ways across the world and across the island and I think it's very important to be always sensitive to victims." Plans for Dublin city centre Meanwhile, Fine Gael is due to announce on Friday its plan to revitalise and rejuvenate Dublin City centre. Fine Gael is promising to introduce improved security measures in the city centre with increased CCTV coverage and a targeted response to reduce open drug use. It also wants to redevelop the GPO reinforcing its role as a central landmark in Dublin and provide funding and resources to enhance the National Concert Hall. The plans also includes a proposal to collaborate with cultural institutions to offer more late-night events and extended opening hours. Mr Harris’ party is strongly in favour of removing the passenger cap at Dublin Airport. When it comes to safety, Fine Gael is promising to fund the recruitment of 6,000 gardaí over the next five years. It would also produce a plan to reduce the concentration of temporary accommodation, drug treatment facilities, and other essential services in Dublin City centre.Man Utd insider reveals Marcus Rashford ‘issues’ with ‘every’ manager; confirms forward’s ‘perspective’
Fox attorneys seek to dismiss shareholder lawsuit over reporting of vote rigging allegations in 2020LOS ANGELES, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP (“GPM”) reminds investors of the upcoming February 3, 2025 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the class action filed on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired ASP Isotopes Inc. (“ASP Isotopes” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: ASPI ) securities between October 30, 2024 and November 26, 2024 , inclusive (the “Class Period”). If you suffered a loss on your ASP Isotopes investments or would like to inquire about potentially pursuing claims to recover your loss under the federal securities laws, you can submit your contact information at www.glancylaw.com/cases/ASP-Isotopes-Inc/ . You can also contact Charles H. Linehan, of GPM at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, or via email at shareholders@glancylaw.com to learn more about your rights. On November 26, 2024, Fuzzy Panda Research published a report which alleged that ASP Isotopes is “using old, disregarded laser enrichment technology to masquerade as a new, cutting-edge Uranium enrichment.” The report quoted a former employee of Klydon (the company ASP Isotopes purchased its “proprietary” technology from) as stating scientists “did not think it would work on Uranium.” The report revealed a series of experts interviewed stated the Company’s reported cost estimates and timeline for building its HALEU uranium facilities was misleading to the point of being “delusional.” The report further alleged the Company had significantly overstated the significance of its agreement with TerraPower, which was only a “non-binding” memorandum of understanding entered into to “put pressure on [TerraPower’s] real suppliers.” The report quoted a former TerraPower executives as stating that ASP Isotopes was “missing the manufacturing; They are missing the processes as well; They still have to develop the HALEU...the most important part.” Finally, the report revealed that the Company’s subsidiary, Quantum Leap Energy, which operates its nuclear fuels segment and to which the Company assigned the TerraPower memoranda of understanding, was completely absent from its registered South African address. The report revealed there were “zero signs” of their presence and “security guards and neighboring business about them all told us they had never heard of the companies.” On this news, the Company’s stock price fell $1.80 or 23.53%, to close at $5.85 per share on November 26, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. The stock continued to fall on the subsequent trading date, falling $0.83 or 14.19%, to close at $5.02 per share on November 27, 2024, on unusually heavy trading volume. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements, as well as failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose to investors: (1) the Company overstated the potential effectiveness of its enrichment technology; (2) the Company overstated the development potential of its high assay low-enriched uranium facility; (3) the Company overstated the Company’s nuclear fuels operating segment results; and (4) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants’ positive statements about the Company’s business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn , Twitter , or Facebook . If you purchased or otherwise acquired ASP Isotopes securities during the Class Period, you may move the Court no later than February 3, 2025 to request appointment as lead plaintiff in this putative class action lawsuit. To be a member of the class action you need not take any action at this time; you may retain counsel of your choice or take no action and remain an absent member of the class action. If you wish to learn more about this class action, or if you have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Charles Linehan, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com , or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com . If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Contacts Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, Los Angeles Charles Linehan, 310-201-9150 or 888-773-9224 shareholders@glancylaw.com www.glancylaw.com
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Juan Soto gets free luxury suite and up to 4 premium tickets for home games in $765M Mets dealNone
Luxembourg – 11 December 2024 – Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Børs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) today announced the award of a substantial 1 contract for a subsea tieback development in the US Gulf of Mexico. Subsea7's scope of work includes the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) of subsea equipment, including structures, umbilicals, production risers, and flowlines. Project management and engineering work will start immediately at Subsea7's office in Houston, Texas, with offshore activities expected to begin in 2026. Craig Broussard, Senior Vice President of Subsea7 Gulf of Mexico, said, “ We are proud to be part of this high-pressure deepwater subsea tieback development. This project builds on our strong track record of successfully delivering oil and gas projects in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico .” Subsea7 defines a substantial contract as being between $150 million and $300 million. ******************************************************************************* Subsea7 is a global leader in the delivery of offshore projects and services for the evolving energy industry, creating sustainable value by being the industry’s partner and employer of choice in delivering the efficient offshore solutions the world needs. Subsea7 is listed on the Oslo Børs (SUBC), ISIN LU0075646355, LEI 222100AIF0CBCY80AH62. ******************************************************************************* Contact for investment community enquiries: Katherine Tonks Investor Relations Director Tel +44 20 8210 5568 ir@subsea7.com Contact for media enquiries: Ashley Shearer Communications Manager Tel +1-713-300-6792 ashley.shearer@subsea7.com Forward-Looking Statements: This document may contain ‘forward-looking statements’ (within the meaning of the safe harbour provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements relate to our current expectations, beliefs, intentions, assumptions or strategies regarding the future and are subject to known and unknown risks that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘future’, ‘goal’, ‘intend’, ‘likely’ ‘may’, ‘plan’, ‘project’, ‘seek’, ‘should’, ‘strategy’ ‘will’, and similar expressions. The principal risks which could affect future operations of the Group are described in the ‘Risk Management’ section of the Group’s Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements. Factors that may cause actual and future results and trends to differ materially from our forward-looking statements include (but are not limited to): (i) our ability to deliver fixed price projects in accordance with client expectations and within the parameters of our bids, and to avoid cost overruns; (ii) our ability to collect receivables, negotiate variation orders and collect the related revenue; (iii) our ability to recover costs on significant projects; (iv) capital expenditure by oil and gas companies, which is affected by fluctuations in the price of, and demand for, crude oil and natural gas; (v) unanticipated delays or cancellation of projects included in our backlog; (vi) competition and price fluctuations in the markets and businesses in which we operate; (vii) the loss of, or deterioration in our relationship with, any significant clients; (viii) the outcome of legal proceedings or governmental inquiries; (ix) uncertainties inherent in operating internationally, including economic, political and social instability, boycotts or embargoes, labour unrest, changes in foreign governmental regulations, corruption and currency fluctuations; (x) the effects of a pandemic or epidemic or a natural disaster; (xi) liability to third parties for the failure of our joint venture partners to fulfil their obligations; (xii) changes in, or our failure to comply with, applicable laws and regulations (including regulatory measures addressing climate change); (xiii) operating hazards, including spills, environmental damage, personal or property damage and business interruptions caused by adverse weather; (xiv) equipment or mechanical failures, which could increase costs, impair revenue and result in penalties for failure to meet project completion requirements; (xv) the timely delivery of vessels on order and the timely completion of ship conversion programmes; (xvi) our ability to keep pace with technological changes and the impact of potential information technology, cyber security or data security breaches; (xvii) global availability at scale and commercially viability of suitable alternative vessel fuels; and (xviii) the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this document. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This information is inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This stock exchange release was published by Katherine Tonks, Investor Relations, Subsea7, on 11 December 2024 at 23:25 CET. Attachment SUBC Gulf of Mexico Dec 2024I’m A Celeb bosses plot tear-jerking surprise for Coleen in jungle as they aim for most emotional moment of the seriesAn esteemed Michelin-starred chef has issued a heartfelt plea to the culprits who spirited away his van, laden with 2,500 pies, urging them to "do the right thing" and leave the baked goods where those in need might benefit from them. Chef Tommy Banks, proprietor of two eateries and a tavern within the bounds of North Yorkshire, took to Instagram on the morning of Monday to reveal that his vehicle, brimming with £25,000 worth of provisions, was pilfered just outside Ripon. In his video message, Mr Banks highlighted that the purloined stock which encompassed varieties such as steak and ale, turkey and butternut squash pies, plus accompaniments like gravy and custard had been destined for the festive stalls of York Christmas Market. He made an appeal to the bandits' better nature to deposit the pies somewhere communal, like a community centre, stating "I know you're a criminal, but maybe just do something nice because it's Christmas and maybe we can feed a few thousand people with these pies that you've stolen, do the right thing". Moreover, Banks requested that should anyone encounter his pies being hawked by anyone other than himself, they should promptly notify the authorities. North Yorkshire Police said it had been informed of the theft and asked anyone with information to get in touch, the BBC reported. Accompanying Mr Banks's video was a caption revealing the extent of the heist: "So @matthewalockwood went into @madeinoldstead this morning to pick up the van and it has been stolen." Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from the North East with our free newsletter He added: "These guys had loaded up the van with stock for @tommyspieshop today and left plugged in overnight." Banks hypothesised about the thieves' lack of awareness, saying, "I'm guessing the thieves didn't realise they were stealing 2,500 pies along with the van! The pies are all in boxes with my name on so not very easy to sell." "If you are the thieves and read this I urge you to drop the pies off somewhere. So we can at least give them to people who need food and they are not wasted." Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Banks shared his distress: "What was really making me sad this morning, I thought suddenly they're going to realise what's in the back and ditch the food." He lamented the potential waste, saying, "We talk about zero waste and when you've got just short of a tonne of food that's probably been ditched, it would be good if it could find its way to people who need it." Mr Banks also mentioned that his team were "much less bothered about the van as they're bothered about the pies" since it represented a week's worth of their production. The chef revealed plans for a new chicken pie creation this week, humorously dubbed by one of his staff as the "bandit butter chicken pie". He likened the ordeal to a festive caper, commenting, "It's all a bit Home Alone at Christmas with the pie bandit stealing our pies." Join our Court and Crime WhatsApp community for all the latest court and crime news sent direct to your phone. In this private group, you can expect the day's top court and crime stories, including breaking news and live blogs To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is click on the link and press 'join community'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, affiliate content, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice . CLICK HERE TO JOIN
Five new driving laws you need to know in 2025 – including car tax changes Several drivers will be affected by new law changes (stock) (Image: Getty Images ) UK motorists are set to face a set of new rules and regulations from 2025, including major changes to car tax, Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), and others. Fees are due for a significant overhaul from spring, affecting drivers across the country. VED, also known as road tax, car tax or the road fund licence, is a tax that drivers must pay to legally drive or park a vehicle on public roads. The Office for Budget Responsibility predicts that VED will generate £9.4 billion by 2027/28, up from £7.3 billion collected for the 2022-23 tax year, or £5.8 billion in the year before the VED car tax changes in 2017. However, this isn't the only change drivers should prepare for as we approach the new year. New legislation will bring about a range of changes for drivers, some of which could be expensive for car owners who have previously been exempt from certain laws. Drivers will be faced with several new laws in 2025 (stock) (Image: Getty Images ) 1. Green vehicle discount will be cancelled The cleaner vehicle discount will cease on 25 December 2025. This means that if you renew your discount after 24 December 2024, you will receive less than 12 months of discount and the £10 renewal fee will still apply. If you can provide TFL with all your cleaner vehicle discount documents you can apply online now. You can... Claudia Trotman , James Rodger , Steve BagnallInternational Paper Co. stock outperforms competitors despite losses on the day
Board Approves Dividend of $0.2875 Per Share on the Company's Common Stock NORTH BETHESDA, Md. , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's leading lodging franchisors, announced that its board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.2875 per share on the company's common stock. The dividend is payable on January 16, 2025 , to shareholders of record on January 2 , 2025. About Choice Hotels® Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. The one to watch in upscale and a leader in midscale and extended stay, Choice® has over 7,500 hotels, representing nearly 635,000 rooms, in 45 countries and territories. A diverse portfolio of 22 brands that range from full-service upper upscale properties to midscale, extended stay and economy enables Choice ® to meet travelers' needs in more places and for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and shareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and co-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn reward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com . Forward-Looking Statements Certain matters discussed in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain, but not necessarily all, of such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as "expect," "estimate," "believe," "anticipate," "should," "will," "forecast," "plan," "project," "assume," or similar words of futurity. All statements other than historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current beliefs, assumptions, and expectations regarding future events, which, in turn, are based on information currently available to management. Such statements may relate to projections of the company's revenue, expenses, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, earnings, debt levels, ability to repay outstanding indebtedness, payment of dividends, repurchases of common stock and other financial and operational measures, including the company's occupancy and open hotels, RevPAR, and liquidity, among other matters. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors. Several factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements of the company to differ materially from those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Such risks include, but are not limited to, changes to general, domestic and foreign economic conditions, including access to liquidity and capital; changes in consumer demand and confidence, including consumer discretionary spending and the demand for travel, transient and group business; the timing and amount of future dividends and share repurchases; future domestic or global outbreaks of epidemics, pandemics or contagious diseases or fear of such outbreaks, and the related impact on the global hospitality industry, particularly but not exclusively the U.S. travel market; changes in law and regulation applicable to the travel, lodging or franchising industries, including with respect to the status of the company's relationship with employees of our franchisees; foreign currency fluctuations; impairments or declines in the value of the company's assets; operating risks common in the travel, lodging or franchising industries; changes to the desirability of our brands as viewed by hotel operators and customers; changes to the terms or termination of our contracts with franchisees and our relationships with our franchisees; our ability to keep pace with improvements in technology utilized for marketing and reservations systems and other operating systems; our ability to grow our franchise system; exposure to risks related to our hotel development, financing and ownership activities; exposures to risks associated with our investments in new businesses; fluctuations in the supply and demand for hotel rooms; our ability to realize anticipated benefits from acquired businesses; impairments or losses relating to acquired businesses; the level of acceptance of alternative growth strategies we may implement; the impact of inflation; cyber security and data breach risks; climate change and sustainability related concerns; ownership and financing activities; hotel closures or financial difficulties of our franchisees; operating risks associated with our international operations; labor shortages; the outcome of litigation; and our ability to effectively manage our indebtedness and secure our indebtedness. These and other risk factors are discussed in detail in the company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, as applicable, our Quarter Reports on Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. © 2024 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All Rights Reserved View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/choice-hotels-announces-quarterly-cash-dividend-302329442.html SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.Conservative Texas lawmakers and power brokers in recent years have criticized university professors for being “woke” activists who indoctrinate college students with far-left teachings and ideas. Now, as state lawmakers head back to the Capitol for the 2025 legislative session, they could limit the influence faculty have over campus culture and curriculum. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants lawmakers to recommend potential changes to the roles of faculty senates, which traditionally take the lead on developing curriculum — and ensuring professors have the academic freedom to teach and research their subject areas without fear of political interference. But conservatives say university curriculum has been infused with ideologies that have helped take higher education in Texas in an overly liberal direction. “If we’re going to refocus our universities on their mission of open inquiry and freedom of speech, we’ve got to take a look at the curriculum and who’s controlling it,” Sherry Sylvester, a fellow at the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation, told state senators in November. Some Texas professors, though, fear the Republican-controlled Legislature could undermine a long-standing balance of power at universities that’s meant to protect higher education from politicization. Their concerns are that without a proper voice on campus, and a guarantee that faculty have control over their teaching and research, faculty might leave Texas or be less likely to take a job at a Texas university, research would be imperiled, and there would be no checks and balances on university leadership. “There’s very clearly an ideological based attack against higher education and more specifically against faculty,” said Michael Harris, a professor of higher education at Southern Methodist University, a private institution in Dallas. “A place where faculty are most noticeable is a faculty senate.” Here’s a look at faculty senates in Texas and the role they play in higher education. Faculty senates are made up of professors from across a university. The body approves academic policies, curriculum design, faculty hiring and evaluation, and other issues that impact the academic mission. They also relay university-wide news and plans back to their colleagues.. The senates often meet monthly and invite guests from the administration to speak directly to faculty on university issues. “They provide a critical advisory voice on so many things we do on campus,” Texas A&M University President Mark Welsh recently told reporters. “The faculty senate does work that is fundamentally important to what we do as a university.” Faculty at many Texas universities elect a professor in their specific college to serve as a representative on the senate. Faculty will typically elect a chair or co-chairs for a one or two year term. Other faculty members can serve on specific committees that provide recommendations to leadership on specific issues, such as budget, research or facility planning. Faculty say that it’s vital that they have a voice in the decision making processes and that university boards of regents listen to those on the ground when making decisions that impact their work. “At a Fortune 500 company, you wouldn’t want the CEO to make every single decision,” said Harris, the SMU professor. “They don’t have time. People close to the product line or business aspect are best able to do that. The same thing is true here. You want your faculty who teach undergrads to make policy (about undergrads). They know the issues there better.” Bill Carroll served as president of the University of Texas at Arlington’s faculty senate four years ago. He said administrators often haven’t taught in a classroom in years and rely on current faculty to share their experiences that can help shape decision-making. “The faculty senate can provide that input and that information to administration so they can understand how the faculty are perceiving things and understand what faculty needs to do their job in an effective way,” he said. Public universities and university systems are overseen by boards of regents, who are appointed by the governor. Those boards hire university presidents, who serve as a CEO of the institution. While there is nothing in state law that specifies how faculty senates should be organized or function, many universities have adopted rules based on the American Association of University Professors’ guidance that faculty have academic freedom in the classroom and in research. They also rely on the 1966 Statement on Government of Colleges and Universities to guide how boards, presidents and faculty senates interact to operate the university. This statement was developed by national organizations that represent faculty, university presidents and governing boards. The statement spells out who should handle each sector of university operations. “It’s not something that was just drawn up by faculty saying, ‘Here is our best practice, deal with it,’” said Joey Velasco, president of the Texas Council of Faculty Senates who also teaches at Sul Ross State University in Far West Texas. “It really was a joint effort.” Faculty should be responsible for curriculum, methods of instruction and research, the statement reads. If the governing board or university president ultimately makes a decision that goes against the faculty’s wishes, that statement urges the board or president to communicate those reasons with the faculty. “It’s through open dialogue and mutual respect and a shared vision that faculty, administrators and governing boards can ensure their institutions continue to thrive,” Velasco said. Faculty senates found themselves in Patrick’s crosshairs three years ago when he boldly declared he wanted to end tenure for new faculty hires at Texas’ public universities. It was a radical legislative priority condemned by faculty groups across the country. At the time, Patrick was honest about his motivations: he was angry at The Faculty Council at the University of Texas at Austin. The elected group of faculty had passed a nonbinding resolution reaffirming their right to teach critical race theory in the college classroom after the state banned its teaching in K-12 schools. In the statement, faculty at UT-Austin said they will “stand firm against any and all encroachment on faculty authority including by the legislature or the Board of Regents.” Patrick called the professors “Loony Marxists” on social media and accused them of poisoning the minds of college students with such teaching. Ending tenure would make it easier to terminate or punish faculty who were teaching these ideas. Patrick ultimately was unable to outright ban tenure at Texas’ public universities. But Harris said it’s clear that the Faculty Council “poked the bear.” “I do wonder, were it not for that, would it have been as much on the radar,” Harris said, though he feels like the wave of similar actions at universities in other states, such as Florida , would’ve led Texas to take similar routes. Faculty senates largely garner the most attention outside the university when they issue a vote of no confidence in a school leader. These votes are non binding, but are meant as a way for faculty to express their discontent with the direction a president is taking the school. Sometimes, they can lead to the resignation of a university leader. Other times, they’re completely ignored. Last year, most faculty members at West Texas A&M University in Canyon said they lost confidence in the president for a variety of issues, including his decision to cancel a student drag show on campus. Nothing happened after the vote and Walter Wendler remained president. At Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, faculty took a vote of no confidence in the leadership of former President Scott Gordon after he accepted an $85,000 pay bump amid a COVID-19 budget shortfall. In that case, the board of regents stood behind Gordon despite the no confidence vote. Still, he stepped down six months later. Nationally, a Chronicle of Higher Education analysis found that a president ends up leaving office within a year of a no-confidence vote about half of the time. This spring, more than 600 faculty at UT-Austin signed a letter stating they had no confidence in President Jay Hartzell’s leadership after police arrested a swath of pro-Palestinian demonstrators protesting the war in Gaza. However, that letter came from the UT-Austin chapter of the American Association of University Professors, not the Faculty Council. Across the country, other states have sought to curtail the power and freedoms of faculty. The Arizona Legislature passed a law that would reduce the power of faculty senates. The bill eliminated language in the state that says the faculty “shall participate in” or “share responsibility” for academic and personnel decisions. Instead, professors could only “consult with” university leaders on decisions. Arizona’s Democratic governor vetoed the bill. When Florida passed a higher education bill that banned diversity, equity and inclusion programs at public institutions last year, it also included language that said public university presidents and administrators are not bound by faculty recommendations or opinions in hiring decisions. In Texas, at a November state Senate Higher Education Subcommittee meeting, Sylvestor, with the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation, suggested that the Legislature require all faculty senate votes to be public, all meetings be open to the public and live streamed, and all curriculum changes made public. Many faculty senates at Texas universities already livestream their meetings and post agendas and minutes online. Velasco with the Texas Council for Faculty Senates said many votes are taken publicly, too. But there are instances when private voting is better, he said, such as when faculty vote whether to award tenure. This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Trump taps immigration hard-liner Kari Lake as head of Voice of AmericaNiSource Inc. stock outperforms competitors despite losses on the day
By Stephanie Lai and Hadriana Lowenkron, Bloomberg News Donald Trump says he is selecting venture capitalist David Sacks of Craft Ventures LLC to serve as his artificial intelligence and crypto czar, a newly created position that underscores the president-elect’s intent to boost two rapidly developing industries. “David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness. David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas,” Trump said Thursday in a post on his Truth Social network. Trump said that Sacks would also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. In Sacks, Trump is tapping one of his most prominent Silicon Valley supporters and fundraisers for a prime position in his administration. Sacks played a key role in bolstering Trump’s fundraising among technology industry donors, including co-hosting an event at his San Francisco home in June, with tickets at $300,000 a head. He is also closely associated with Vice President-elect JD Vance, the investor-turned-Ohio senator. Sacks is a venture capitalist and part of Silicon Valley’s “PayPal Mafia.” He first made his name in the technology industry during a stint as the chief operating officer of PayPal, the payments company whose founders in the late 1990s included billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and investor Peter Thiel. After it was sold to eBay, Sacks turned to Hollywood, where he produced the 2005 satire Thank You for Smoking. Back in Silicon Valley, he founded workplace communications company Yammer, which was bought by Microsoft Corp. in 2012 for $1.2 billion. He founded his own venture capital firm, Craft Ventures, in 2017 and has invested in Musk-owned businesses, including SpaceX. Sacks said on a recent episode of his All-In podcast that a “key man” clause in the agreements of his venture firm’s legal documents would likely prevent him from taking a full-time position, but he might consider an advisory role in the new administration. A Craft spokeswoman said Sacks would not be leaving Craft. In his post, Trump said Sacks “will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship.” Protecting free speech is a keen interest of Sacks. He regularly speaks about “woke” interests that try to muzzle unpopular opinions and positions. The new post is expected to help spearhead the crypto industry deregulation Trump promised on the campaign trail. The role is expected to provide cryptocurrency advocates a direct line to the White House and serve as a liaison between Trump, Congress and the federal agencies that interface with digital assets, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Trump heavily campaigned on supporting crypto, after previously disparaging digital assets during his first White House term, saying their “value is highly volatile and based on thin air.” The president-elect on Thursday said Sacks would “work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.” During the campaign, Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference, accepted crypto campaign donations and met with executives from Bitcoin mining companies and crypto exchanges multiple times. Trump’s desire to give priority to the digital asset industry is also reflected in his close allies and cabinet selections, including his Commerce secretary pick, Howard Lutnick, and Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent. On the AI front, Sacks would help Trump put his imprint on an emerging technology whose popular use has exploded in recent years. Sacks is poised to be at the front lines in determining how the federal government both adopts AI and regulates its use as advances in the technology and adoption by consumers pose a wide array of benefits as well as risks touching on national security, privacy, jobs and other areas. The president-elect has expressed both awe at the power of AI technology as well as concern over the potential harms from its use. During his first term, he signed executive orders that sought to maintain US leadership in the field and directed the federal government to prioritize AI in research and development spending. As AI has become more mainstream in recent years and with Congress slow to act, President Joe Biden has sought to fill that void. Biden signed an executive order in 2023 that establishes security and privacy protections and requires developers to safety-test new models, casting the sweeping regulatory order as necessary to safeguard consumers. A number of technology giants have also agreed to adopt a set of voluntary safeguards which call for them to test AI systems for discriminatory tendencies or security flaws and to share those results. Trump has vowed to repeal Biden’s order. The Republican Party’s 2024 platform dismissed Biden’s executive order as one that “hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology.” Sacks can be expected to work closely with Musk, the world’s richest person and one of the president-elect’s most prominent supporters. Musk is also a player in the AI space with his company xAI and a chatbot named Grok — efforts which pit him against Silicon Valley’s giants — and he stands to wield significant influence within the incoming administration. The appointment won’t require Sacks to divest or publicly disclose his assets. Like Musk, Sacks will be a special government employee. He can serve a maximum of 130 days per year, with or without compensation. However, conflict of interest rules apply to special government employees, meaning Sacks will have to recuse himself from matters that could impact his holdings. Sacks’s Craft Ventures is known more for enterprise software investing than for crypto, but it has made a few crypto investments, including BitGo and Bitwise. Still, Sacks has firm opinions on the sector. Speaking last month on All-In, Sacks praised a bill on crypto regulation that had passed in the U.S. House but not the Senate earlier this year. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act would regulate certain types of digital assets as a commodity, regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “The crypto industry basically wants a really clear line for knowing when they’re a commodity and they want commodities to be governed, like all other commodities, by the CFTC,” he said on the November podcast. He also disparaged some of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s positions on crypto under its chair, Gary Gensler. “The days of Gensler terrifying crypto companies,” he said. “Those days are about to be over.” Earlier this week, Trump nominated crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the SEC. With assistance from Zoe Ma, Bill Allison, Sarah McBride, Anne VanderMey and stacy-marie ishmael. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
BOSTON — Jaylen Brown found himself in a unique situation last Saturday night against the Grizzlies. The No. 2 option for Boston’s offense just attempted 14 shots, his third lowest total on the season as Memphis dared Jrue Holiday into taking a barrage of open 3-point attempts. The move paid off for Memphis in the one night sample size but Brown showed no regrets about how the team’s process amid the strategic shift. “It’s just basketball,” Brown said Wednesday. “Every game may look different and I’m ok with that. At the end of the day, the regular season is about building team chemistry and getting as many wins as you can and improving every single day. With Memphis, we saw a different strategy that somebody took and it’s something for us to learn and build off of. Whether I took 100 shots or took zero shots, don’t really matter. For me, I just come out and try to be aggressive and however many that shot chart is at the end of the night, it is what it is.” Brown has received plenty of accolades and honors in recent years from a supermax contract to a Finals MVP in the last 18 months alone. At age 28 now, he sees his job changing on a nightly basis and wants to empower his teammates as much as he can, even at the expense of his own numbers. “My job is to lead my team so we can get the best out of ourselves each and every night. A lot of times for me that’s on defense. Like I feel like I can score the ball but I don’t think that’s exactly what this team needs every single night. So sometimes I play through Payton like I go take my butt to the corner, let those guys (run the offense) because they are more than capable of taking over the offense. “Sam is more than capable of taking the offense, Payton is more than capable, Jrue can get hot any night, Derrick White can be doing his pocket three signs, JT does what he does. It’s not like I’m not capable as well. I think I could do that night to night. I’ve done it night to night in different capacities but on this team, we just need leadership, we need a defensive presence and we just need to keep the ball rolling. That’s what I focus on more than anything.” Brown’s mentality has been on display throughout the year whether he’s guarding stars like Damian Lillard or serving as a decoy for his teammates. With Jayson Tatum questionable for Thursday’s game against the Pistons, he could be line for a heavier workload for at least one night. However, as Boston’s core rotation gets back to full strength, Brown’s willingness to adapt looms as one of Boston’s biggest offensive weapons. More Celtics content
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