There is no risk Sean "Diddy" Combs will act violently if he is released from jail, his defence lawyer said on Friday, in urging a judge to release the music mogul from the Brooklyn jail where he has been held for 10 weeks, ahead of his May 5, 2025 trial on sex-trafficking charges. Combs's lawyers this month proposed a $50-million US bail package backed by his $48-million US Florida mansion. It also called for Combs to be monitored around the clock by security personnel, subjected to home detention, and to have no contact with alleged victims or witnesses. Combs has been denied bail three times since his arrest, with multiple judges citing a risk he might tamper with witnesses. The rapper and producer pleaded not guilty on Sept. 17 to charges that he used his business empire, including his record label Bad Boy Entertainment, to sexually abuse people. New lawsuit accuses Sean (Diddy) Combs of drugging and raping 13-year-old girl New lawsuits accuse Sean (Diddy) Combs of sexual assault of 6 people, including a minor At a hearing before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan, defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo disputed prosecutors' contention that a 2016 hotel surveillance video of Combs assaulting his then-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, the singer known as Cassie, showed there was a risk he would act violently if released. "There's a zero per cent chance of that happening," Agnifilo said. Combs apologized this year after CNN broadcast the video, showing him kicking, shoving and dragging Cassie in a hotel hallway. Agnifilo said he had never denied the incident, but said the video was not evidence of sex trafficking. "It's our defence to these charges that this was a toxic, loving 11-year relationship," Agnifilo told the court. Combs is awaiting trail on sex-trafficking charges. (Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images) Prosecutor says Combs 'cannot be trusted' Earlier, prosecutor Christine Slavik said Combs tried to bribe hotel staff to delete the surveillance footage — demonstrating he was committed to concealing his crimes by illegal means. Even from behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Combs had communicated with his lawyers through unauthorized channels, and sought to run a social media campaign to sway potential jurors, Slavik said. "The defendant here has demonstrated that either he cannot or will not follow rules," Slavik said. "The defendant, simply put, cannot be trusted." Defence lawyer Alexandra Shapiro said Combs had a right to respond to news coverage of the case that could paint him unfavourably for potential jurors. Commotion What the Diddy allegations mean for the music industry FRONT BURNER The empire behind Diddy's sex trafficking and racketeering charges Upon being led into the hearing by members of the U.S. Marshals service, Combs, wearing a beige jail-issued outfit, blew kisses at his family seated in the second row of the courtroom's audience. Prosecutors said the abuse included having women take part in recorded sexual performances called "freak-offs" with male sex workers who were sometimes transported across state lines. Combs, 55, has denied wrongdoing, and his lawyers have argued the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual. Combs's lawyers questioned why jail was needed when federal prosecutors in Brooklyn last month allowed the pre-trial release on a $10-million US bond of former Abercrombie and Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries, who has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking. The U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan, which brought the charges against Combs, countered that Jeffries is 80 years old with no criminal history, whereas Combs has prior arrests. They also said federal agents recovered rifles with defaced serial numbers from Combs's residences. This week, Subramanian ordered prosecutors to destroy their copies of handwritten notes that Combs took in jail, pending a decision on whether they were subject to attorney-client privilege.

Chuck Norris has shared the deeply sad news that his mother passed away at the age of 103. The much-loved action star, now 84, expressed his grief in an emotion-filled statement on his social media alongside a series of personal photographs. Norris paid tribute to Wilma saying: "Wednesday morning, my brother Aaron and I's wonderful mother went home to be with Jesus. Our mom was a woman of unwavering faith, a beacon of light in our lives, and her love reflected God's grace." He added: "Growing up, her laughter filled our home with joy, and her hugs provided a sense of safety that we will forever cherish. She had a remarkable way of making everyone feel special, often putting the needs of others before her own." Read more Coronation Street star welcomes first child with famous wife and shares unusual name In his heartfelt message, the actor went on to recount cherished experiences with her: "From my earliest memories, she taught me the importance of kindness and compassion. I am so thankful for the countless lessons she shared, the prayers she lifted for us, and the way she embodied the love of Christ every day. We love you, Mom. Until we meet again." A nostalgic snapshot within the shared images showed Wilma holding Chuck’s arm while perching on a porch in a bygone era. Another image captured the two sharing a dance, adorned in floral leis against the backdrop of a Hawaiian themed party, reports the Mirror . Included too is a vintage photo of Wilma with all three sons, as fans filled the comments field with condolence wishes. Actor Emilio Rivera expressed his condolences, saying: "My condolences to the familia, may she rest in peace." Former martial artist Bas Rutten also shared his sympathies: "My condolences but you are correct, till we meet again! Blessing! ," and Terry Crews contributed to the outpouring of emotion with a simple red heart emoji followed by a flame symbol. Chuck Norris, known for his role in Walker, Texas Ranger, trained as a black belt in Tang Soo Do, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and judo early on. He served in the United States Air Force before competing in numerous martial arts championships. His skills led him to train Hollywood stars such as Jean Claude Van Damme, and his charisma opened doors to movie roles. His filmography includes The Wrecking Crew from 1968. In 1972, Bruce Lee invited Chuck to star in the iconic film The Way of the Dragon.

WASHINGTON — Former Rep. Matt Gaetz said Friday that he will not be returning to Congress after withdrawing his name from consideration to be attorney general under President-elect Donald Trump amid growing allegations of sexual misconduct. “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” Gaetz told conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, adding that he has “some other goals in life that I’m eager to pursue with my wife and my family.” The announcement comes a day after Gaetz, a Florida Republican, stepped aside from the Cabinet nomination process amid growing fallout from federal and House Ethics investigations that cast doubt on his ability to be confirmed as the nation’s chief federal law enforcement officer. The 42-year-old has vehemently denied the allegations against him. Gaetz's nomination as attorney general had stunned many career lawyers inside the Justice Department, but reflected Trump's desire to place a loyalist in a department he has marked for retribution following the criminal cases against him. Hours after Gaetz withdrew, Trump nominated Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general, who would come to the job with years of legal work under her belt and that other trait Trump prizes above all: loyalty. It's unclear what's next for Gaetz, who is no longer a member of the House. He surprised colleagues by resigning from Congress the same day that Trump nominated him for attorney general. Some speculated he could still be sworn into office for another two-year term on Jan. 3, given that he had just won reelection earlier this month. But Gaetz, who has been in state and national politics for 14 years, said he's done with Congress. “I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress," he said.US News Live Today December 7, 2024: Kate Middleton reflects on 'difficult times' at Christmas service; shares handwritten notes with guests

TORONTO — Connor McMichael scored in the third period, and the Washington Capitals beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 on Friday night for their franchise-record eighth consecutive road win. Nic Dowd had a goal and an assist for Washington, which has won five of six overall. Aliaksei Protas had an empty-net goal, and Charlie Lindgren made 20 saves. The Capitals have outscored their opponents 42-18 during their road win streak. John Tavares scored for Toronto, and Anthony Stolarz stopped 23 shots. The Leafs, who had won 10 of 12, lost at Scotiabank Arena for the first time since Nov. 13. They have the NHL’s best home record at 12-4-0. Washington captain Alex Ovechkin skated in full gear before Thursday’s practice — just 2 1/2 weeks after breaking his left fibula. Takeaways Maple Leafs: Chris Tanev picked up his seventh point of the season when the defenseman sent a stretch pass to Tavares for a second-period breakaway that tied it at 1. Washington Capitals center Connor McMichael (24) celebrates his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 in Toronto. Credit: AP/Cole Burston Capitals: Entered Friday as the NHL’s top offensive club with an average of 4.08 goals per game, but they won with defense against Toronto. Key moment McMichael snapped a 1-1 tie at 9:51 on a scramble in front after a clearing attempt by Leafs captain Auston Matthews hit the referee behind Toronto’s net. It was McMichael's 15th goal this season. Key stat Washington defensemen have 72 points this season, which trails only the Colorado Avalanche (75) for the most in the NHL. Up next The Capitals visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. The Maple Leafs visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.TORONTO — Canadian Western Bank says it has delayed the release of its fourth quarter financial results without saying why. The bank, which was scheduled to release results Friday, says it will instead put them out in mid-December. CWB's shares fell almost 12 per cent in morning trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange and was still down almost five per cent by mid-afternoon. National Bank is currently working to buy CWB in a deal that's expected to close by the end of 2025. The takeover has shareholder and Competition Bureau approval, but still requires the go-ahead from Canada's banking regulator and the finance minister. The bank on Friday declared it had raised its quarterly dividend by three per cent from the previous quarter to 36 cents. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:CWB) The Canadian PressIwobi Brace Gives Fulham Victory over Brighton

In the wake of Donald Trump’s victory last month, Democrats are still searching for answers to key questions, including whether Kamala Harris was a strong or weak nominee. With help from an Inside Elections metric, there’s a way to quantify how well the vice president performed in each state. The answer isn’t a complete surprise: Harris underperformed across the country, according to the Vote Above Replacement, or VAR, standard. And the dynamic wasn’t limited to critical battleground states but spread over Democratic and Republican territory alike. Harris finished ahead of a typical Democratic candidate in just 13 states, ran even in Connecticut and underperformed the average Democrat in 36 states. In contrast, Trump did much better. He underperformed a typical statewide Republican in 11 states, put in an average performance in New Hampshire and Colorado, but overperformed a typical GOP candidate in a whopping 37 states. The VAR metric measures the strength of political candidates relative to a typical candidate from their party within the same state. It’s the political version of baseball’s Wins Above Replacement, which assesses a player’s value to a team compared with a replacement-level player. The initial benchmark is derived using Inside Elections’ Baseline, which captures a state’s political performance by combining all federal and state election results over the past four cycles into a single average. (Technically, it’s a trimmed mean, which is the average after throwing out the highest and lowest totals.) VAR is then simply the candidate’s share of the vote minus the party’s Baseline. In the battlegrounds Harris’ performance mattered most in the key states that effectively decided the presidential election, and she didn’t do well. The vice president underperformed a typical statewide Democrat in six of the seven preelection battlegrounds, including Michigan (-2.7 VAR), Arizona (-2.4), Nevada (-1.2), Pennsylvania (-1.2), North Carolina (-0.9) and Wisconsin (-0.9). The only battleground state where she overperformed was Georgia, where the new Democratic Baseline is 47.6 percent and Harris received 48.5 percent of the vote. Georgia was the only state where Trump had a negative VAR (-1.0) even though he still won it as part of his battleground state sweep and his 312-226 Electoral College victory. Trump’s strong performances in Nevada (+3.4), Michigan (+3.3), and Arizona (+1.9), and his +0.9 VAR in Wisconsin nearly pulled those states’ Republican Senate nominees across the line with him, which would have given his party a stunning eight-seat gain. ( Senate Republicans ended up flipping four seats, still enough to win the majority.) Despite more than 90 felony indictments (and 34 convictions) since he was last president, and four additional years of baggage from being in the political arena, 2024 marked Trump’s strongest showing in a presidential race, according to VAR. In 2020, he posted a positive VAR in just four of the 12 closest presidential states. He did better than an average GOP statewide candidate in Iowa (+1.7), Michigan (+0.3), Minnesota (+1.6) and Pennsylvania (+2), but worse than the average Republican in Arizona (-2.0), Florida (-0.7), Georgia (-3.8), Nevada (-0.8), North Carolina (-0.7), Ohio (-1.4), Texas (-3.2) and Wisconsin (-0.1). And in 2016, Trump underperformed in seven of the 10 closest states but still won the election through the Electoral College because Hillary Clinton did even worse. She had a negative VAR in the four closest states ( Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) and that was enough to lock her out of the presidency. Beyond the battlegrounds There were a few bright spots for Harris this year, although they were mostly in states that didn’t really matter. Her biggest overperformances came in Utah (+5.6 VAR), Vermont (+5.5) and Louisiana (+5.2). The Pacific Northwest was a strength as well – Harris’ positive VARs in Oregon (+1.8) and Washington state (+1.0) probably helped save Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in Washington’s 3rd District and contributed to unseating GOP Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer in Oregon’s 5th. It’s not particularly surprising that a liberal Democrat from California underperformed in several Republican states, including Kentucky (-6.3), West Virginia (-4.8) and Mississippi (-3.8). But Harris also underperformed in Democratic states such as Hawaii (-6.2), Rhode Island (-4.1), New Jersey (-2.9), New Mexico (-2.8), New York (-2.7) and Illinois (-2.5), which helped Trump become the first GOP presidential nominee to finish ahead in the national popular vote in 20 years. Not only did Trump defeat Harris, he also overperformed by a greater margin. The president-elect had a +6.2 VAR in Hawaii and Louisiana and a +5.8 in Kentucky, overperforming a typical Democrat by an average of 2.5 points across the states where he had a positive VAR. Harris had a VAR of more than 2 points in just three states in total. Looking ahead It’s possible that Democrats will end up blaming Harris as a weak candidate, even though that doesn’t seem to be a focus of their angst in the immediate aftermath of the election. But Trump’s victory was so broad that it’s harder for Democrats to focus on a single problem as opposed to the many issues that need to be addressed. If any one person should receive significant blame for Democrats’ debacle, it’s probably someone who wasn’t even on the ballot. While Harris was not the perfect candidate, Joe Biden’s performance as president soured the electorate on the direction of the country and strength of the economy under Democratic leadership. Going by the VAR numbers, it might be easy to pin the Democratic losses on Harris. But there’s no guarantee a different nominee would have done better. And Biden certainly would have been worse had he stayed in. The combination of frustration with the economy and direction of the country coupled with questions about his age would likely have fueled a GOP wave reminiscent of 1980 – when Ronald Reagan won the presidency in an Electoral College landslide, Senate Republicans flipped 12 seats on their way to winning the majority and the House GOP gained 34 seats. © 2024 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.SWEDESBORO, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 5, 2024-- Wedgewood Equine, a dedicated division of Wedgewood , the nation’s largest provider of compounded veterinary medications, is excited to unveil Blue Rabbit for equine veterinarians at this year’s American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 70 th Annual Convention. As the premier event for equine veterinary professionals, AAEP sets the stage for the launch of this innovative platform, which builds on the success of Blue Rabbit’s companion animal debut earlier this year at VMX. Blue Rabbit revolutionizes equine care by empowering veterinarians with tools and services to optimize their on-the-go practices. The platform features dynamic, mobile online prescribing and prescription management that provides comprehensive online pharmacy capabilities and direct-to-barn deliveries , making it easier than ever to serve clients and care for equine patients. Visit us at Booth #681 to learn more and take advantage of an exclusive, limited-time special offer on compounded medications, only available at AAEP. Jackie Bernard, Wedgewood’s VP of Sales, Equine & Special Markets, stated, "We are excited to introduce Blue Rabbit to the equine veterinary community at AAEP. This platform is more than just a tool—it's a transformative solution designed to simplify operations, enhance patient care, and strengthen the bond between veterinarians and their clients. We can't wait to see how Blue Rabbit empowers equine practitioners to elevate their practices and deliver exceptional care to their patients." Blue Rabbit: Empowering Equine Veterinarians With its innovative tools and services, Blue Rabbit simplifies the complexities of equine veterinary practice while enhancing patient outcomes: Giving Back to the Equine Community Wedgewood Equine is proud to support the equine veterinary community through two impactful charitable initiatives: Introducing New Innovations for Equine Care At AAEP, Wedgewood will debut several new compounded medications tailored to equine practitioners, including: A Coast-to-Coast Network for Equine Compounding Wedgewood Equine is strengthened by the integration of Bakersfield, CA-based Precision Equine , which fully integrated with Wedgewood earlier this year, and Wickliffe Veterinary Pharmacy in Lexington, KY, part of Wedgewood since 2023. Together, these three pharmacies form the largest coast-to-coast compounding network for equine veterinarians , ensuring unparalleled service and access to critical medications nationwide. Join Us at AAEP Experience the innovation of Blue Rabbit and the expertise of Wedgewood Equine firsthand. Stop by booth #681 to explore new products, meet our team, and discover how Wedgewood Equine is redefining veterinary compounding for equine professionals. About Wedgewood: Wedgewood is the nation’s largest and most trusted provider of compounded veterinary medications. Its merger with Blue Rabbit enables the company to provide veterinarians with a next-generation delivery platform to streamline patient care and marks a significant evolution in services. Together, Blue Rabbit and Wedgewood serve more than 70,000 veterinary professionals and more than one million animals annually. For more information or to schedule a press interview with the Wedgewood team at AAEP, contact: Meg Thomann, Communications Director, mthomann@wedgewood.com View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241205946476/en/ Meg Thomann, Communications Director, mthomann@wedgewood.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA NEW JERSEY INDUSTRY KEYWORD: RETAIL DATA MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY PHARMACEUTICAL OTHER CONSUMER GENERAL HEALTH ONLINE RETAIL PETS OTHER TECHNOLOGY VETERINARY SOFTWARE NETWORKS CONSUMER INTERNET HEALTH SOURCE: Wedgewood Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/05/2024 03:44 PM/DISC: 12/05/2024 03:45 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241205946476/en

Atalanta can celebrate Christmas as the sole Serie A leaders, although Inter are keeping up the pace only three points behind with a game in hand, but there are big changes at the bottom. We go into the brief Christmas break in Italy, because the teams with the Week 18 fixtures on Saturday December 28, Sunday December 29 and Monday December 30. and therefore eat their Panettone , two points clear of Antonio Conte’s Napoli. However, Inter have a game in hand and are just three behind La Dea. Things are starting to stretch out a bit behind them, with Lazio falling behind, Juventus catching Fiorentina – who again have a game in hand – plus Bologna ahead of Milan. In the drop zone, Monza are left rock bottom and sacked coach Alessandro Nesta, as Venezia shocked Cagliari to lift themselves up. It’s otherwise very tight, with seven teams in a three-point radius.Maryam leaves for home after hectic China visit CM called on Minister of Communist Party of China and attended luncheon hosted in her honour Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz leaving for Pakistan after completing her China visit on December 15, 2024. — Facebook@TheMaryamNSharif LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz left for Pakistan after completing her hectic China visit here on Sunday. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); She was seen off at the airport by Director Foreign Affairs Miss Helen and other senior officials. The chief minister had paid an eight-day visit to China at the invitation of Communist Party of China. Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Information & Culture Minister Azma Zahid Bukhari, Minister for Transport Bilal Akbar Khan and Minister for Agriculture Ashiq Kirmani accompanied her on the visit. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz visited AI Force Tech, a robotic agricultural equipment manufacturer in Beijing. She also visited Blue Tech Air Alliance, Hygea Medical, Shijitan Hospital and Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport. The chief minister called on the Minister of Communist Party of China and attended a luncheon hosted in her honour. She also called on the Minister of Environment and visited the Museum of Communist Party of China, Jinko Solar Company and Xinzhuang District Industrial Zone in Shanghai. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz delivered a keynote speech at a conference on environmental pollution. She visited Shanghai Experimental School, Huawei Technologies and BGI Genomeics. She also addressed the Punjab-China Investment Conference and met with a high-level delegation of the ruling party of China. The chief minister witnessed signing of MoUs with Chinese companies in sectors including eco-friendly transport, agriculture and healthcare. Maryam Nawaz’s hectic efforts bore fruit as important agreements were signed, at Punjab Investment Conference, with Chinese companies working in the fields of IT, environment and green energy. She said, “It is an important step towards global partnership for economic development in Punjab.” The chief minister noted, “Under an agreement with the Bank of Punjab, Gobi Partners has announced to establish a $50 million investment fund to support technology startups in Punjab.” She said, “The aim of the agreement is to promote financial system for startups and SMEs in Punjab.” She added, “Gobi Fund will support businesses through loan provision, equity investment, financial solutions, and mentorship programs. The Gobi Fund will strengthen businesses in Punjab and will ensure sustainable development in the region through digital economy. The Fund will help Punjab develop technology and create regional leaders in entrepreneurship.” She said, “Chinese company Solar N Plus and the Punjab government have signed an MoU for the promotion of solar technology in the province. The Chinese company will work to establish a center in Punjab and will introduce innovative solar technology projects to promote green energy in Punjab.” The chief minister said, “The conference has provided prospective investors with all the needed information on Punjab’s unique economic incentives.” Participants of the Punjab investment conference acknowledged that Punjab has surpassed regional and global standards in promoting investment. They added, “Punjab is ideal for investment due to tax exemptions, special industrial zones, and other facilities.” The conference discussed promoting sustainable and long-term partnership between the government of Punjab and Chinese businesses. Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz expressed her deep sense of grief over the sad demise of PMLN leader Siddiqul Farooq, and paid rich tribute to his valuable political services for the party. The chief minister offered sincere condolences and expressed her heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family. Meanwhile, the Punjab investment conference was held in Shanghai in which significant milestones were achieved to propel Punjab towards greater economic prosperity. This landmark event was hosted by Gobi Partners, a leading venture capital firm. The conference showcased Punjab’s commitment to fostering innovation, sustainable development, and global collaboration. A major announcement was made with the unveiling of a dedicated $50 million investment fund by Gobi Partners. This fund, the first of its kind for Punjab, is aimed at supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem, with a particular focus on tech-enabled startups in Punjab. By driving a transition towards a sustainable and digital economy, this initiative sets the stage for innovation-led growth and positions Punjab as a regional leader in technology and entrepreneurship. Punjab’s competitive edge was also prominently highlighted during the conference, with a focus on its tailored incentives that surpass regional and global benchmarks. Strategic advantages such as tax benefits, dedicated industrial zones, and seamless government facilitation were emphasized as key factors making Punjab a premier investment destination. MOU signing between Gobi Partners and The Bank of Punjab: Further emphasizing their commitment to innovation and economic growth, Gobi Partners and The Bank of Punjab signed an agreement aimed at fostering a vibrant ecosystem for startups and SMEs. The MoU establishes a strategic collaboration to support startups and SMEs through debt financing, equity investments, tailored financial solutions, and mentorship programs. This collaboration underscores the shared vision of empowering emerging businesses and driving sustainable development in the region. The conference further facilitated discussions aimed at fostering sustainable, long-term partnerships between Chinese enterprises and the Punjab government. Key collaborations formalized during the event included: MOU signing between the Chinese Solar N Plus and the Government of Punjab: A pivotal partnership to advance Punjab’s green energy transition through innovative solar energy projects. Where Solar N Plus will explore setting up a facility in Punjab, conduct feasibility studies, support local capacity-building, and introduce advanced solar technologies for sustainability and modernisation. MOU signing between Tianjin Capital Environmental Protection Group (TJCEP) and the Government of Punjab: A transformative collaboration focusing on urban development and environmental management projects, reflecting Punjab’s dedication to sustainable growth and infrastructure. The MOU outlines collaboration on waste management, water treatment, localization of environmental machinery, and pollution reduction in urban areas like Lahore. The conference set the stage for a new era of global economic collaboration, reaffirming Punjab’s role as a key international investment hub. Leadership invited global enterprises to explore the province’s opportunities and pledged to strengthen partnerships and foster future growth.BOSTON , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors (the "Board") of The China Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") has declared a distribution in the amount of $0.1497 per share. The distribution is comprised entirely of ordinary income. The dividend will be payable on January 10, 2025 , to stockholders of record on December 30, 2024 , with an ex-dividend date of December 30, 2024 . The Fund has a Dividend Reinvestment and Cash Purchase Plan (the "Plan") in which each stockholder automatically participates, unless the stockholder instructs Computershare Trust Company, N.A. (the "Plan Agent"), in writing, to have all distributions, net of any applicable U.S. withholding tax, paid in cash. If the Fund's shares are trading at a premium to the net asset value ("NAV") per share of the Fund on the distribution payment date, the Plan provides that stockholders will be issued Fund shares valued at NAV. If the Fund's shares are trading at a discount to the NAV per share, stockholders will be issued shares of the Fund valued at market price. Stockholders will not be charged a fee in connection with the reinvestment of dividends or capital gains distributions. A stockholder may terminate his or her participation in the Plan by notifying the Plan Agent in writing at the address below. Stockholders who have questions regarding the distribution may contact EQ Fund Solutions, LLC at 1-888-CHN-CALL (246-2255). The Fund is a closed-end management investment company with the objective of seeking long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities (i) of companies for which the principal securities trading market is in the People's Republic of China (" China "), or (ii) of companies for which the principal securities trading market is outside of China , or constituting direct equity investments in companies organized outside of China , that in both cases derive at least 50% of their revenues from goods and services sold or produced, or have at least 50% of their assets, in China . While the Fund is permitted to invest in direct equity investments of companies organized in China , it presently holds no such investments. The Fund's shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CHN." The Fund's investment manager is Matthews International Capital Management, LLC. For more information regarding the Fund and the Fund's holdings, please call 1-888-CHN-CALL (246-2255) or visit the Fund's website at www.chinafundinc.com . For more information about the Plan or to terminate your participation in the Plan, please contact Computershare Trust Company, N.A. at c/o The China Fund, Inc. at P.O. Box 43078, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-3078, by telephone at 1-800-426-5523 or via the Internet at www.computershare.com/investor . View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-china-fund-inc-declares-distributions-302331625.html SOURCE The China Fund, Inc.

It took Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah, just a few weeks to make his mark on the Senate — even before he'd actually take the oath of office to replace retiring Sen. Mitt Romney next year. As Senate colleagues and those close to President-elect Donald Trump saw it, Curtis, a senator-elect, was among the group of at least five Republicans who were planning to vote against former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s nomination to lead the Justice Department. The opposition was enough to sink Gaetz, who withdrew from contention Thursday afternoon — an episode demonstrating to Trump and his allies that red lines still remain in a Republican Party that’s largely bent to his will. It also highlighted Curtis’ role to play in coloring in those lines, as an early indicator of how the Utahn is approaching his new office and a glimpse at the kind of influence he could wield once there. Those who know Curtis caution not to look at his role in Gaetz’s withdrawal too simplistically, through the “pro-Trump” or “anti-Trump” litmus test that’s defined much of Republican politics over the last eight years. Instead, they point to the test Curtis laid out himself during a June primary debate : “When President Trump is doing anything that I consider aligned with Utah values ... I’m wind at his back. But I’m not going to give him an unconditional yes to anything that he wants.” “He is not Mitt Romney and he is not Donald Trump. He’s got his own brand and he was very clear about that in his primary and his general election,” said former GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida, an NBC News contributor who overlapped with Curtis in the House. Romney, notably, was the lone Republican who voted to convict Trump at his first Senate impeachment trial in 2020, and he was a vocal critic of Trump on numerous other occasions during the last eight years, six of which Romney spent in the Senate. “With this Gaetz episode, you will see him stand up for what he thinks is right,” Curbelo said. “And other times he’s going to be another reliable Republican vote in the Senate.” Born in Salt Lake City, the 64-year-old Curtis met his wife in high school , graduated from Brigham Young University and served his Mormon mission in Taiwan. He and his wife have six children and 17 grandchildren, with number 18 on the way. After more than a decade of corporate work, Curtis became the chief operating officer of Action Target , a company that manufactures shooting ranges and targets. He briefly served in local Democratic Party leadership and was elected to two terms as mayor of Provo, where he began his now-famous collection of hundreds of pairs of “fun” socks that serve as conversation starters and icebreakers with his constituents. Curtis joined Congress in 2017 in a special election to replace former Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who had earned a reputation as a partisan warrior as the head of the House Oversight Committee that investigated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ahead of and during her 2016 presidential bid. As the popular mayor of the largest city in the congressional district, Curtis emerged victorious in a crowded Republican primary field after repelling attacks from his right flank, in part criticizing his decision not to vote for Trump in the 2016 election . In his victory speech that year, Curtis argued that Congress needed “ bridge builders, not bomb throwers ,” adding that “if you’re not white, Mormon or male, I am still here for you.” His allies say that’s the kind of message he took to Washington with him as a congressman. Former Utah Republican Gov. Gary Herbert told NBC News that his relationship with the senator-elect goes back to Herbert’s days on the Utah County Commission, when Curtis chaired the local Democratic Party. Herbert called Curtis a “good, decent person” who is easy to like. And he said he decided to endorse Curtis’ congressional bid because he believed him to be the “right kind of person” to come to Washington. Curtis was “a person who was really wanting to get things done, not just to be on cable news and get headlines that way, throwing out red meat to the faithful, but actually trying to work with all people, including the other side of the aisle, to get things done,” Herbert said. “And as a congressman, he proved that to be his modus operandi, and he was very capable,” Herbert added, pointing to Curtis’ legislative record. Curtis himself has leaned on that legislative record, touting success on bills he got enacted on issues like energy, conservation and protecting Taiwan. As he ran for Senate, he’s touted outside analysis referring to him as one of the more effective members of Congress. Curbelo pointed to Curtis’ decision to launch a Republican-only climate caucus as an example of how the Utahn was able to get dozens of conservative lawmakers to the table on an issue not always associated with the GOP. “When John decided how he was going to get involved on the issue, he said, ‘No, let’s have a caucus that’s only for Republicans, because Republicans need to learn more about this issue and grow on the issue before they can even think about engaging Democrats,’” Curbelo said. “That was a very realistic and mature way of thinking about the issue, and it’s been a success.” His allies note conservative positions on issues like immigration and debt. But like most Republicans in the Trump era, the former and future president has been one of the issues looming largest during his career in Washington. Curtis has praised Trump on issues like tax reform, “deregulation” and his Supreme Court nominations, and he voted against both of the House’s impeachment attempts. But he didn’t join the majority of his GOP House colleagues in their support for a Texas lawsuit to overturn the 2020 election , he voted to establish a bipartisan committee to investigate the 2021 attack on the Capitol and he supported censuring Trump after the Capitol riot. It’s opened Curtis up to scrutiny, again, from the more conservative wing of his party. After deciding to run for Senate after Romney’s retirement announcement, Trump weighed in and endorsed Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs. Framing himself as a “ proven conservative ” with help from well-funded outside groups, Curtis won the Republican Senate primary decisively, earning just shy of 50% support in a crowded primary that also included the former state House speaker and a wealthy businessman. His Senate campaign victory speech harkened back to the one he delivered after winning his first House election, including an emphasis on representing “every Utahn,” and a promise not to be “throwing gas on the social media fire or giving click bait to the cable news.” Instead, Curtis said, he’d be “riding my Ford up and down, back and forth across this state, doing the hard work of legislating and getting things done.” “If you’re not sure where to find me, don’t look by the cameras or the microphones. I’ll be on the Senate floor with my colleagues from both parties,” he added, trying to “solve our difficult problems.” That’s where Curtis found himself as Gaetz began meeting with Republican senators. Curtis didn’t take to social media or run to the microphones to make clear where he stood. But his colleagues and Trump allies felt that they understood his perspective, with Curtis’ likely disapproval of Gaetz leading to his quick withdrawal . Herbert, the former governor, said he exchanged text messages with Curtis in which the senator-elect acknowledged the “challenge” ahead of him with some of Trump’s nominees, and the “important role that the Senate plays under the Constitution of advise and consent.” “Of course, Rep. Gaetz came up in the conversation too as somebody who appears to be — we need to have close scrutiny whether he fits the mold of what we want to have as a leader in the [attorney general’s] office,” Herbert said. “I think I knew at the time of our discussion how he’d come down.” Herbert said the situation is emblematic of the kind of lawmaker Curtis is: supporting Trump when he believes the president-elect is right but willing to disagree, when needed, with “mutual respect and dignity and grace.” “He’s not going to call people names, and he recognizes that his own constituency here in Utah, that’s what they want and expect out of their elected officials,” Herbert said. “Not only has he been popular, he’s going to continue to be popular as a senator, because the people of Utah want somebody with moral values, moral fiber, integrity and respect for opposition, [who tries] to find ways to get things done as opposed to a way to blow things up.” “He recognizes the legacy of what’s gone before him, but he will create the John Curtis legacy for those who come after him,” Herbert continued. “And that’s yet to be written, but I expect it will be a very positive story.”

Akira Hiyoshi, his wife and 6-year-old son were returning from the customary first shrine visit of the new year and about to enter their house when the earth began to convulse. Roof tiles on their century-old sake brewery — adjacent to their home in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture — came raining down, and the structure began collapsing before their eyes. “My wife said she heard me muttering ‘It’s over,’ while we stared at what was unfolding,” says the fifth-generation owner and tōji , or master brewer, of Hiyoshi Sake Brewery, which is known for its Kinpyo Shirakoma brand of sake.Brazilian police formally accuse former President Bolsonaro and aides of alleged 2022 coup attempt

‘China achieved its economic goals in 2024’ Global expert community recognises that despite all odds, China is still centre of global economic growth The Chinese national flag is seen in Beijing, China. — Reuters/File The Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC) 2024 was held at a critical time. World economy is grappling with skyrocketing debt, growth rate, protectionism, anti-globalisation and decoupling. Climate change’s impact on economy and global leadership’s unwillingness to tackle it further complicate the economic and development landscape. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); The situation asked for cooperation, but Western world is moving in another direction. They are targeting China and unleashing a new wave of sanctions. However, global expert community recognises that despite all odds, China is still the centre of global economic growth. Statistics show China accounts for 30pc of global economic growth. In addition, China is entering 2025, which is the last year of 14th Development Plan. It is expected China will steer all horses to achieve targets/goals of 14th Plan and create ground for 15th Development Plan. Against this backdrop, the CEWC became very important and was closely watched by the domestic and international community. The CEWC started by analysing performance of 2024, including how economy behaved, what was good, what needed correction and how it contributed to 14th Plan. The leadership expressed satisfaction with the economic performance. It was noted Chinese economy exhibited positive trends and made good progress in implementation of high-quality development. The GDP grew at 4.8pc during first three quarters and is expected to be 5pc by the end of year. Nevertheless, most important part of the meeting was deliberations on economic plan for 2025. However, the leadership is cognizant the economy will have to face challenges on external and internal fronts in 2025. On the external front, China will have to deal with harsh attitude of West, sanctions, protectionism, decoupling, deglobalisation, etc., especially technology sector will have to prepare for more difficult times. On the internal front, country will have to sort out demand issues, ease pressure of supply shocks, manage real estate, rationalise savings (Chinese household savings are the highest among countries; in 2022, household savings increased by $2.6 trillion), ease out local governments from the debt and accelerate high-quality development. Thus, after in-depth discussions and scenario building, CEWC developed a list of policy options and actions to boost the economy in 2025. Efforts will be made to boost consumption and demand at domestic level. It is required to lower impact of external and internal pressure, sustain economic growth, and ensure sustainability of economy in the long run. China is already working on it; in March, China 2024 launched a national programme to promote consumer trade-in. The government issued long-term bonds of 300 billion yuan to support the programme. It has been observed over 300 million consumers benefited from the programme, and 400 billion yuan of business was made through it. Moreover, September stimulus package further boosted consumption. The Chinese government will also issue long-term bonds to expedite consumption. The leadership has also decided to improve further and strengthen social security system so that people can feel free to consume more. The leadership emphasised role of technology in sustainable growth, development and achieving goal of high-quality development. Thus, China will be striving to modernise its production system, supply chain and service sectors. China will work to facilitate and strengthen industries of the future to consolidate its position in emerging technologies. It will introduce a new programme for artificial intelligence promotion and development. Innovation has been identified as a key area for achieving the objective and leading world in Fourth Industrial Revolution. The innovation will also help China protect its economy from negative implications of sanctions imposed by the US. The leadership indicated China would pursue a proactive fiscal policy and rationally lose monetary policy. This is a big step because, after financial crisis of 2008, China has been pursuing a prudent monetary policy. Experts believe China can afford to lose its monetary policy, as it has a huge cushion to increase spending and borrowing, and central government’s debt is only 24pc of GDP. The fiscal and monetary policies will assist China in pursuing excellence in innovation and technological development. They will also promote and strengthen consumption, high-quality development and economic modernisation. The leadership has identified government should formulate new pro-childbirth policies. This is a huge announcement, meaning it is an official departure from previous policy of controlled childbirth. China will develop mechanisms to defuse risk in real estate and local government debt and protect them from such risks in future. The banks will lend 4 trillion yuan in 2024 to help real estate companies. Data shows 2.3 trillion has already been lent to companies. People’s Bank of China will cut the interest rate by 0.5 percentage points, on average, on the outstanding mortgages. The downpayment limit will be lowered from 25pc to 15pc for purchase of a second home. The leadership decided to continue to ease pressure on the real estate sector in 2025. China has decided to promote green development and lower its carbon footprint, fostering high-quality development. The government will focus on rural revitalisation. It will work to modernise agriculture, enhance its competitiveness and modernise food supply chains. This will help ensure food security and strengthen rural economy. China will foster a comprehensive economic opening. Building on the pilot programme to open up in the fields of telecom, healthcare and education, it will further expand the sectors for opening up. The investment efficiency will be ensured, enhanced and made more investment-friendly. To make the opening vibrant and fruitful, coordination among fiscal, monetary, employment, industrial, regional, trade, environmental and regulatory policies, the country’s reform and opening-up measures will be improved. Moreover, China will make efforts to stabilise its global trade. Simultaneously, special efforts will be made to create trade opportunities for other countries and erect mechanisms for sharing dividend of technological development. Lastly, the leadership and China will remain firmly committed to welfare of people. The meeting urged implementation of employment support plans for key sectors and industries as soon as possible. Efforts will be intensified to improve welfare of rural and urban communities, develop community-supported at-home elderly care and expand universally beneficial elderly care services. The above discussion leads to three conclusions. First, China achieved its economic goals in 2024. Building on this success, Beijing will strive to foster economic growth and better prepare itself to achieve goals of 14th Development Plan in 2025. Second, policies and actions outlined for 2025 have long-term implications. Thus, it is assumed outcome of CEWC provides a blueprint for 15th Development Plan. Third, the focus of all policies would be welfare of people and building a community with a shared future.World News | Edinburgh Airport Shut Down by IT Issue Just as Holiday Travel Season Gets Under WayVANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 5, 2024-- lululemon athletica inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) today announced financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2024, which ended on October 27, 2024. Calvin McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, stated: "Our performance in the third quarter shows the enduring strength of lululemon globally, as we saw continued momentum across our international markets and in Canada. Looking to the future, we are pleased with the start to our holiday season, and we remain focused on accelerating our U.S. business and growing our brand awareness around the world. Thank you to our dedicated teams for continuing to deliver for our guests and stakeholders." The adjusted non-GAAP financial measures below exclude asset impairment and other charges recognized in relation to lululemon Studio during the third quarter of 2023, and the related income tax effects of these items. For the third quarter of 2024, compared to the third quarter of 2023: Meghan Frank, Chief Financial Officer, stated: "Our third quarter results, which exceeded our expectations, demonstrate the ability of our teams to be agile in a dynamic operating environment. With the majority of the fourth quarter still in front of us, we are focused on deepening engagement with our guests and bringing new consumers into the brand. We are committed to delivering on our Power of Three ×2 revenue target of $12.5 billion in 2026 and look forward to all that lies ahead." During the third quarter of 2024, the Company repurchased 1.6 million shares of its common stock for a cost of $408.5 million. On December 3, 2024, the board of directors approved a $1.0 billion increase to the Company's stock repurchase program. Including this increase, as of December 5, 2024, the Company had approximately $1.8 billion remaining authorized on its stock repurchase program. The Company ended the third quarter of 2024 with $1.2 billion in cash and cash equivalents and the capacity under its committed revolving credit facility was $393.5 million. Inventories at the end of the third quarter of 2024 increased 8% to $1.8 billion compared to $1.7 billion at the end of the third quarter of 2023. For the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company expects net revenue to be in the range of $3.475 billion to $3.510 billion, representing growth of 8% to 10%, or 3% to 4% excluding the 53rd week of 2024. Diluted earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $5.56 to $5.64 for the quarter. This assumes a tax rate of approximately 29.5%. For 2024, the Company now expects net revenue to be in the range of $10.452 billion to $10.487 billion, representing growth of 9%, or 7% excluding the 53rd week of 2024. Diluted earnings per share are now expected to be in the range of $14.08 to $14.16 for the year. This assumes a tax rate of approximately 30%. The guidance does not reflect potential future repurchases of the Company's shares. The guidance and outlook forward-looking statements made in this press release are based on management's expectations as of the date of this press release and do not incorporate future unknown impacts, including macroeconomic trends. The Company undertakes no duty to update or to continue to provide information with respect to any forward-looking statements or risk factors, whether as a result of new information or future events or circumstances or otherwise. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties, including those stated below. The Company's Power of Three ×2 growth plan calls for a doubling of the business from 2021 net revenue of $6.25 billion to $12.5 billion by 2026. The key pillars of the plan are product innovation, guest experience, and market expansion. A conference call to discuss third quarter results is scheduled for today, December 5, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. Those interested in participating in the call are invited to dial 1-844-763-8274 or 1-647-484-8814, if calling internationally, approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the call. A live webcast of the conference call will be available online at: . A replay will be made available online approximately two hours following the live call for a period of 30 days. lululemon athletica inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) is a technical athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories company for yoga, running, training, and most other activities, creating transformational products and experiences that build meaningful connections, unlocking greater possibility and wellbeing for all. Setting the bar in innovation of fabrics and functional designs, lululemon works with yogis and athletes in local communities around the world for continuous research and product feedback. For more information, visit . Constant dollar changes and adjusted financial results are non-GAAP financial measures. A constant dollar basis assumes the average foreign currency exchange rates for the period remained constant with the average foreign currency exchange rates for the same period of the prior year. The Company provides constant dollar changes in its results to help investors understand the underlying growth rate of net revenue excluding the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Adjusted gross profit, gross margin, income from operations, operating margin, income tax expense, effective tax rates, net income, and diluted earnings per share exclude certain inventory provisions, asset impairments, and restructuring costs recognized in relation to lululemon Studio, and the related income tax effects of these items. The Company believes these adjusted financial measures are useful to investors as they provide supplemental information that enable evaluation of the underlying trend in its operating performance, and enable a comparison to its historical financial information. Further, due to the finite and discrete nature of these items, it does not consider them to be normal operating expenses that are necessary to run the business, or impairments or disposal gains that are expected to arise in the normal course of its operations. Management uses these adjusted financial measures and constant currency metrics internally when reviewing and assessing financial performance. The Company's fiscal year ends on the Sunday closest to January 31st of the following year, typically resulting in a 52-week year, but occasionally giving rise to an additional week, resulting in a 53-week year. Fiscal 2023 was a 52-week year while 2024 will be a 53-week year. The expected net revenue increase excluding the 53rd week excludes the expected net revenue for the 53rd week of 2024. This enables an evaluation of the expected year-over-year increase in net revenue based on 52 weeks in each year. The presentation of this financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or with greater prominence to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the section captioned "Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" included in the accompanying financial tables, which includes more detail on the GAAP financial measure that is most directly comparable to each non-GAAP financial measure, and the related reconciliations between these financial measures. The Company's non-GAAP financial measures may be calculated differently from, and therefore may not be directly comparable to, similarly titled measures reported by other companies. This press release includes estimates, projections, statements relating to the Company's business plans, objectives, and expected operating results that are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In many cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "outlook," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements also include the Company's guidance and outlook statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations but they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation: the Company's ability to maintain the value and reputation of its brand; changes in consumer shopping preferences and shifts in distribution channels; the acceptability of its products to guests; its highly competitive market and increasing competition; increasing costs and decreasing selling prices; its ability to anticipate consumer preferences and successfully develop and introduce new, innovative and updated products; its ability to accurately forecast guest demand for its products; its ability to expand in light of its limited operating experience and limited brand recognition in new international markets and new product categories; its ability to manage its growth and the increased complexity of its business effectively; its ability to successfully open new store locations in a timely manner; seasonality; disruptions of its supply chain; its reliance on a relatively small number of vendors to supply and manufacture a significant portion of its products; suppliers or manufacturers not complying with its Vendor Code of Ethics or applicable laws; its ability to deliver its products to the market and to meet guest expectations if it has problems with its distribution system; increasing labor costs and other factors associated with the production of its products in South Asia and South East Asia; its ability to safeguard against security breaches with respect to its technology systems; its compliance with privacy and data protection laws; any material disruption of its information systems; its ability to have technology-based systems function effectively and grow its e-commerce business globally; climate change, and related legislative and regulatory responses; increased scrutiny regarding its environmental, social, and governance, or sustainability responsibilities; an economic recession, depression, or downturn or economic uncertainty in its key markets; global or regional health events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and related government, private sector, and individual consumer responsive actions; global economic and political conditions; its ability to source and sell its merchandise profitably or at all if new trade restrictions are imposed or existing trade restrictions become more burdensome; changes in tax laws or unanticipated tax liabilities; its ability to comply with trade and other regulations; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; imitation by its competitors; its ability to protect its intellectual property rights; conflicting trademarks and patents and the prevention of sale of certain products; its exposure to various types of litigation; and other risks and uncertainties set out in filings made from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and available at , including, without limitation, its most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. You are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements contained herein and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements made herein speak only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. The fiscal year ending February 2, 2025 is referred to as "2024" and the fiscal year ended January 28, 2024 is referred to as "2023". Net revenue $ 2,396,660 $ 2,204,218 $ 6,976,629 $ 6,414,175 Costs of goods sold 995,054 947,554 2,887,770 2,708,195 Gross profit 1,401,606 1,256,664 4,088,859 3,705,980 Selling, general and administrative expenses 909,827 842,795 2,624,212 2,407,683 Impairment of assets and restructuring costs — 74,501 — 74,501 Amortization of intangible assets 1,118 1,253 1,118 5,010 Income from operations 490,661 338,115 1,463,529 1,218,786 Other income (expense), net 13,743 9,842 55,020 25,229 Income before income tax expense 504,404 347,957 1,518,549 1,244,015 Income tax expense 152,534 99,243 452,336 363,293 Net income $ 351,870 $ 248,714 $ 1,066,213 $ 880,722 Basic earnings per share $ 2.87 $ 1.97 $ 8.57 $ 6.94 Diluted earnings per share $ 2.87 $ 1.96 $ 8.55 $ 6.92 Basic weighted-average shares outstanding 122,697 126,460 124,471 126,892 Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding 122,803 126,770 124,668 127,218 Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,188,419 $ 2,243,971 $ 1,091,138 Inventories 1,800,893 1,323,602 1,663,617 Prepaid and receivable income taxes 257,388 183,733 300,258 Other current assets 358,589 309,271 309,886 Total current assets 3,605,289 4,060,577 3,364,899 Property and equipment, net 1,697,759 1,545,811 1,413,918 Right-of-use lease assets 1,360,589 1,265,610 1,048,607 Goodwill and intangible assets, net 178,185 24,083 23,912 Deferred income taxes and other non-current assets 241,847 195,860 170,928 Total assets $ 7,083,669 $ 7,091,941 $ 6,022,264 Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 385,960 $ 348,441 $ 309,324 Accrued liabilities and other 561,615 348,555 392,949 Accrued compensation and related expenses 190,169 326,110 250,479 Current lease liabilities 290,368 249,270 217,138 Current income taxes payable 96,808 12,098 27,231 Unredeemed gift card liability 238,327 306,479 213,256 Other current liabilities 40,286 40,308 37,737 Total current liabilities 1,803,533 1,631,261 1,448,114 Non-current lease liabilities 1,223,733 1,154,012 950,954 Non-current income taxes payable — 15,864 15,864 Deferred income tax liability 33,231 29,522 53,833 Other non-current liabilities 37,440 29,201 27,650 Stockholders' equity 3,985,732 4,232,081 3,525,849 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 7,083,669 $ 7,091,941 $ 6,022,264 Cash flows from operating activities Net income $ 1,066,213 $ 880,722 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities (194,890 ) 31,344 Net cash provided by operating activities 871,323 912,066 Net cash used in investing activities (575,214 ) (445,325 ) Net cash used in financing activities (1,328,510 ) (510,583 ) Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (23,151 ) (19,887 ) Decrease in cash and cash equivalents (1,055,552 ) (63,729 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 2,243,971 1,154,867 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 1,188,419 $ 1,091,138 The below changes show the change for the third quarter of 2024 compared to the third quarter of 2023. United States — % — % — % Canada 9 — 9 Mexico (1) n/a n/a n/a Americas 2 — 2 China Mainland 39 (3 ) 36 Rest of World 27 (4 ) 23 Total international 33 (3 ) 30 Total 9 % (1 )% 8 % Americas (2 )% — % (2 )% China Mainland 27 (3 ) 24 Rest of World 23 (3 ) 20 Total international 25 (3 ) 22 Total 4 % (1 )% 3 % (1) On September 10, 2024, the Company acquired the lululemon branded retail locations and operations run by a third party in Mexico. Wholesale sales to the third party by lululemon athletica canada inc. prior to the acquisition are disclosed as net revenue recognized within Canada. (2) Comparable sales includes comparable company-operated store and e-commerce net revenue. Comparable company-operated stores have been open for at least 12 full fiscal months, or open for at least 12 full fiscal months after being significantly expanded. Comparable company-operated stores exclude stores which have been temporarily relocated for renovations or have been temporarily closed. The following tables reconcile adjusted 2023 financial measures with the most directly comparable measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. The adjustments relate to certain inventory provisions, asset impairments, and restructuring costs recognized in relation to lululemon Studio and their related tax effects. Please refer to Note 4. Impairment of Assets and Restructuring Costs included in Item 1 of Part I of the Company's Report on Form 10-Q to be filed with the SEC on or about December 5, 2024 for further information on the nature of these amounts. GAAP results $ 1,256,664 57.0 % $ 338,115 15.3 % $ 99,243 28.5 % $ 248,714 $ 1.96 lululemon Studio charges: lululemon Studio obsolescence provision 23,709 1.1 23,709 1.1 23,709 0.19 Impairment of assets 44,186 2.0 44,186 0.35 Restructuring costs 30,315 1.4 30,315 0.24 Tax effect of the above 26,085 (0.4 ) (26,085 ) (0.21 ) 23,709 1.1 98,210 4.5 26,085 (0.4 ) 72,125 0.57 Adjusted results (non-GAAP) $ 1,280,373 58.1 % $ 436,325 19.8 % $ 125,328 28.1 % $ 320,839 $ 2.53 GAAP results $ 3,705,980 57.8 % $ 1,218,786 19.0 % $ 363,293 29.2 % $ 880,722 $ 6.92 lululemon Studio charges: lululemon Studio obsolescence provision 23,709 0.3 23,709 0.3 23,709 0.19 Impairment of assets 44,186 0.7 44,186 0.35 Restructuring costs 30,315 0.5 30,315 0.24 Tax effect of the above 26,085 (0.2 ) (26,085 ) (0.21 ) 23,709 0.3 98,210 1.5 26,085 (0.2 ) 72,125 0.57 Adjusted results (non-GAAP) $ 3,729,689 58.1 % $ 1,316,996 20.5 % $ 389,378 29.0 % $ 952,847 $ 7.49 The Company's fiscal year ends on the Sunday closest to January 31st of the following year, typically resulting in a 52-week year, but occasionally giving rise to an additional week, resulting in a 53-week year. Fiscal 2023 was a 52-week year while 2024 will be a 53-week year. Expected net revenue increase 8% to 10% 9% Impact of 53rd week (5)% to (6)% (2)% Expected net revenue increase excluding the 53rd week (non-GAAP) 3% to 4% 7% 4 th Quarter 2023 686 26 1 711 1 st Quarter 2024 711 5 5 711 2 nd Quarter 2024 711 11 1 721 3 rd Quarter 2024 721 28 — 749 4 th Quarter 2023 2,797 173 3 2,967 1 st Quarter 2024 2,967 35 14 2,988 2 nd Quarter 2024 2,988 90 3 3,075 3 rd Quarter 2024 3,075 156 — 3,231 (1) (2) View source version on : CONTACT: Investor Contacts: lululemon athletica inc. Howard Tubin 1-604-732-6124 or ICR, Inc. Joseph Teklits/Caitlin Churchill 1-203-682-8200 Media Contact: lululemon athletica inc. Madi Wallace 1-604-732-6124 KEYWORD: NORTH AMERICA CANADA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FASHION ONLINE RETAIL RETAIL HEALTH OTHER RETAIL FITNESS & NUTRITION SPECIALTY SOURCE: lululemon athletica inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/05/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 12/05/2024 04:06 PM

Nailed it: Warkworth tradie apprentices graduatePierce added nine rebounds for the Blue Hose (4-3). Kory Mincy scored 12 points, shooting 5 for 11, including 2 for 5 from beyond the arc. Kobe Stewart had 11 points and finished 4 of 9 from the field. The Penguins (2-3) were led by Ty Harper, who posted 12 points. EJ Farmer added 10 points and three steals for Youngstown State. Nico Galette also had five points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

The Good Brigade/DigitalVision via Getty Images Thesis Hello Group Inc. (NASDAQ: NASDAQ: MOMO ) , a Chinese social and entertainment tech company, disclosed its Q3 2024 earnings earlier this month, displaying variances with its growth and profitability metrics are barely passing , and while the stock is up Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Maybe it was down to Raging Bull - could even have been Rocky - but filmmakers became obsessed with boxing during the 1980s. From John Huston to Martin Scorsese, from Brian De Palma to Robert Wise, so many directors had been drawn to the fight game over the years. There was one who was obsessed with joining that company, so he became a regular on big fight nights. READ MORE: Dubliners: 15 stories about a football team and a city over 50 dramatic years READ MORE: Alisson who? England legend’s stunning verdict on Liverpool and Ireland star Caoimhin Kelleher Wangling a backstage pass so he could get an inside view of a strange old business. There was one night where he got lost, wandering corridors in the bowels of a vast arena. He opened one door and found a boxer on his knees, praying with a priest. He opened another door and came upon two sharp dressed young men, hoovering cocaine off a table piled with wads of bank notes. He left with the germ of an idea. That was how to start his boxing film, that summed up boxing. The praying fighter was Barry McGuigan, the priest was Fr Brian D'Arcy. The film never got made but it's hard not to shake those images out of the head. Boxers literally putting their life on the line, others making merry on the back of them. McGuigan turns 64 in February and, as a huge music fan, it's a fair bet 'When I'm 64' by The Beatles will get a few spins that day. He has finished up his stint in the 'I'm A Celebrity' jungle, and it's the latest chapter in an extraordinary life. Any list of Ireland's greatest sportspeople would have both McGuigan and Ronnie Delany on it. Delany is 89 now and has mused about how odd it is to still be constantly asked about something that happened way back in 1956 nd lasted less than four minutes. McGuigan had more than four minutes at Loftus Road on June 8, 1985, but he too has one night that defines him. No wonder. One of the biggest TV audiences for boxing of all time - and only Live Aid was watched on more television sets in the UK that year. A packed stadium in west London. A supposedly unbeaten champion in Eusebio Pedroza. Everyone from Irvine Welsh to Lucien Freud to Willie John McBride to George Best to Alex Higgins in the frenzied crowd. "People stil want to talk about it and I'll always talk to them because I feel lucky to have had that night, to have had those 15 rounds,'' said McGuigan. "I like to think I had a very good career. It ended apruptly but that happens, particularly with the lighter weight divisons. You make the weight, you go through the struggles and, suddenly, your body can't take it anymore. "Loftus Road....19 million watched on TV, how could you not be proud of that? It was a horrible time in Ireland, with all the conflict, people dying every day and all the bitterness and animosity. "So I'm proud that it gave people a lift. I'm proud that I wore the white dove for peace on my shorts. "Really, memories are one of the most important things you have in life. It's lovely that I have that memory, it's lovely that other people remember it." McGuigan was one of eight children born to Pat and Katie in Clones, a town where they had a grocery shop. It was in the Monaghan town that he first met Sandra, his wife, when they were just three years old. Their story is the real thing. At eight, he found a wedding ring and gave it to Sandra. They improvised their own wedding ceremony in her back garden, using a swing as an altar. Barry and Sandra had four kids together - Shane, Blaine, Jake and Danika. But they lost Danika - an actress of real talent - to cancer five years ago, and nothing will ever be the same again. "My Dad died at 52, we lost my brother, Dermot, to suicide. They were terrible losses but losing Nika is the most awful thing that I've ever experienced in my life,'' said McGuigan. "I'll never recover from it, we'll never recover from it. It has a terrible effect on Sandara. People who have lost a child in tragic circumstances will know what I mean. You go on but you never recover." On the night that McGuigan lost his world title to Steve Cruz in Las Vegas, his father was booked to play a celebratory gig in Caesar's Palace. He went through with the booking. "It was hard for him, really hard but he was a professional. He never even thought of cancelling." McGuigan's passion for boxing is infectious. He knows the history of the sport inside out, revels in its mythology. He knows his family have been through the mill but there is still fun and laughter and joy. "Our grandchildren mean the world to us,'' he said. ''They are great to be around. Shane is a brilliant boxing coach and, equally as importantly, he's a good person who does things the right way. "That's the same with our three boys. They're good people, we're very proud of them. "Everybody would like to leave a legacy, anyone that says they wouldn't is telling lies. "What's the point of life if you don't care what people think of you after you're gone?'' Sign up for Kieran Cunningham's weekly exclusive newsletter here - https://themixedzone.substack.com/embed Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts .

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