Dior Conners hits game-winning 3 with a second left as Appalachian State tops William & Mary, 79-76Organisers of the Lagos Liga, a 7-aside non-professional football tournament, have announced that the Video Assistant Referee will be in use during the competition as 16 clubs begin to jostle for the N50m cash prize on Friday (today), The PUNCH reports. Lagos Liga was first announced via social media in May and has attracted non-professional teams including clubs created by celebrities like Nigeria music stars Davido, D’Banj and Don Jazzy. The opening match will be a tussle between Jarus FC and D’Banj’s Koko FC before Davido’s 30BG FC and Mavebrooks FC while Super Star FC and Golden Alchemy SC will also do battle on the opening day at the Campos Mini Stadium, Lagos Island. League commissioner of Lagos Liga, Sandra Omoniyi, during a press confer ence on Thursday, announced the introduction of the technology as part of the unique offerings of the recreational tournament. “About VAR, what we promised the DG of the Lagos State Sports Commission and everyone is delivering excellence. If it has to do with improvising, we would rather not do it, so you can count on the credibility of Lagos Liga, so we will go the extra length to deliver excellence at the centre of excellence. Head of the tournament’s technical committee, Tobi Adepoju also explained the rules guiding the tournament as well as the use of the technology. “In the technical department, we have had a screening of players done and we are still expecting others. Rest assured, players who have signed professional contracts will not play,” Adepoju said. Related News VIDEO: Davido reveals father's influence on his annual orphanage donations VIDEO: Why I wouldn't have married anyone except Chioma — Davido Davido’s outburst: Between ‘in shambles’ and ‘in a shambles’ “I’m excited about the innovative rules added to this tournament including the no-offside rule, the 40-minute mark and most interesting, the introduction of VAR. Also, coaches can call for the VAR twice during the game (once per half).” Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Lekan Fatodu said the tournament is special in the history of sports engagement in Lagos State. “We are very happy to be part of this historic moment because non-professionals will have the excitement of experiencing a professional touch,” Fatodu said. “We have been following the buzz on the soft laugh of Lagos Liga. So we believe that this will send a strong signal to the public that the Lagos State Government is open to strategic partnerships that will create more opportunities and bigger platforms for our budding talents.” The Campos Memorial Mini Stadium, Lagos Island will host the group stage matches between today and Monday, December 16 while the tournament will continue at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena from the quarter-finals stage. The final is scheduled for Friday December 27.

FRISCO, Texas — This article was originally published by our content partners at the Dallas Business Journal. You can read the original article here . There’s nothing worse than last-minute holiday shopping in a crowded mall, surrounded by others in a frenzy. Thankfully, holiday gift shopping just got a lot easier. Drone-delivery company Wing announced on Dec. 18 it was partnering with DoorDash Inc. and Brookfield Properties to deliver items from local malls to households across Dallas-Fort Worth. Starting today, when shoppers order items and meals from Stonebriar Centre in Frisco and Hulen Mall in Fort Worth through DoorDash, there will be an option to have it delivered by drone. More than 50 merchants will be eligible for drone delivery service. Purchases will be packaged and tethered to a drone that travels 150 feet in the air at speeds of 65 miles per hour. Once it arrives at the delivery location, the drone slowly lowers the tether to the ground, releasing the package on a doorstep. According to Wing, items can be delivered in as quick as 15 minutes. While drone delivery is still new, it represents an innovative approach for companies trying to figure out different ways to move things, and even people , in an increasingly congested region. It's a topic that leaders in fields such as retail, real estate, technology and government are following in North Texas. Wing's drones currently support orders up to three pounds. If all items of a delivery can’t fit onto one drone, the order may be split up into multiple boxes carried by different drones. As of now, there is no fee for drone delivery. The partnership aims to help businesses make use of underutilized spaces, such as rooftops or excess parking, and reach more consumers. Only certain addresses are currently eligible and can be checked here . Dallas is the third city that Wing and DoorDash (NYSE: DASH) are partnering in, following pilot programs in Melbourne, Australia and Christiansburg, Virginia . The partnership expansion with Brookfield Properties marks the first time a landlord has tapped into its drone delivery services, with plans to continue throughout 2025. Brookfield Properties Senior Vice President of Business Development Katie Kurtz said that the commercial real estate giant is committed to meeting the changing needs of the ways people shop. The New York City-based company has more than 9,000 employees and manages $141 billion in assets. In the past five years, Wing has completed more than 400,000 commercial deliveries globally. The company is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG), Google ’s parent company. Drone delivery services have slowly ramped up across Dallas-Fort Worth, making the Metroplex a hub for drone innovation. Earlier this year, Walmart (NYSE: WMT) dropped drone services in three states to focus on operations in the Dallas area. The retail giant partners with a handful of drone companies, including Wing , DroneUp and Zipline . With authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly beyond the pilot's line of sight, Walmart has outlined a goal of being able to deliver to 1.8 million households in DFW by the end of 2024.August 8, 1945 - November 20, 2024 Lois Dianne Wiskur,79, passed on November 20th in Brookings. Lois was born in Elkton August 8, 1945. Graduated from Elkton High School and attended Stewart's School of Hairstyling in Sioux Falls. She was an accomplished cosmetologist for over 40 years. Pierre was where Lois made her dream come true. With her devotion and skill to making every head of hair look fabulous, a little house became the Scissor Hut and later, moved to the St. Charles Hotel. Lois was a member and served as President of the SD State Board of Cosmetology. In 1984, Lois was named SD Cosmetologist of the Year. One of her biggest accomplishments was serving on the National-Interstate Council (NIC) as a delegate from SD. Her capabilities earned her several positions at NIC including National President. Lois traveled to many states for national meetings and made countless memories with friends from all over. Lois loved living in Pierre. She took many pictures of the Capitol in all seasons (including the Christmas trees), participated in the Pierre Players theater, had coffee with the best of friends, and kept up on state politics. Progression of Parkinson's had her closing the Scissor Hut in 2019 and moving to Brookings to be closer to family. Lois has five surviving siblings. Final resting place for Lois is in Elkton SD. Thanks for the feedback.UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Peyton Smith's 12 points helped Fairfield hold off Vermont 67-66 on Sunday. Smith shot 4 of 7 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Stags (3-4). Prophet Johnson scored 10 points, finishing 4 of 6 from the floor. Makuei Riek had 10 points and shot 4 for 9, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc. TJ Long led the Catamounts (3-4) in scoring, finishing with 18 points. TJ Hurley added 17 points for Vermont. Jace Roquemore finished with 13 points and two steals. NEXT UP Fairfield takes on Fairleigh Dickinson at home on Sunday, and Vermont hosts SUNY-Plattsburgh on Wednesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .The eighth annual South Wales Health and Care Awards will be taking place on Wednesday, December 4 at Rodney Parade. The awards ceremony, in association with the University of South Wales, will celebrate health and care providers across the region. The finalists for the Carer in the Home Award have been revealed. A team of personal assistants at Helping Hands Support have been nominated for the award for helping a former patient feel valued and supported after a hospital stay. The patient, initially hesitant about receiving care, commended the team for listening to their needs and wishes and has resumed social activities and hobbies, improving their quality of life. Andrew Debnam, a well-regarded professional in the home sector, has also been nominated for the award. Known for his calm demeanour and ability to create a peaceful environment, Mr Debnam has been working in the sector for several years. His expertise in community access and managing difficult situations has been acknowledged, along with his ability to maintain a settled atmosphere. Jason Inskip, a dedicated carer who has supported a now 32-year-old man since he was eight or nine, has been nominated for the award. The man, who has a unique bond with Mr Inskip, refuses to go with anyone else. He has been recognised for his exceptional commitment, having been a personal assistant for 24 to 25 years.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk and conservative activist Vivek Ramaswamy on Thursday began in-person discussions with congressional Republicans about ways they could slash federal spending and regulations once President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump has tasked Musk and Ramaswamy with issuing recommendations to overhaul the federal budget and bureaucracy — a goal that many Republicans say they agree with, but also one that presidents and Congresses under both parties, as well as divided governments, have repeatedly failed to deliver on. Musk and Ramaswamy traveled to Capitol Hill for a series of meetings with House and Senate members. It was their first such trip since their appointment by Trump as outside advisers , heading up a commission called the Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE is also the name of an internet meme and a cryptocurrency . “This is a brainstorming session,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters between meetings. He said the talks are “laying the groundwork” for what lawmakers will do next year. They have their work cut out for them. Trump oversaw an increase in deficits during his first term, even before the Covid-19 pandemic. In his 2024 campaign, he promised to preserve two of the most expensive parts of the budget — Social Security and Medicare — beyond “ cutting waste and fraud .” He also called for trillions of dollars in additional tax breaks on tips and overtime, in addition to extending his 2017 tax cuts, which would all add to the debt. And most congressional Republicans are determined to continue increasing military spending, another large slice of the pie.Musk, one of the world’s wealthiest people, has potential leverage over congressional Republicans because of his willingness to spend some of his vast fortune on politics, and his recent proximity to Trump. As recently as Sunday, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has repeatedly warned Republicans to get in line behind Trump’s priorities or else face a primary challenge in 2026. Great @DOGE meeting with @elonmusk , @VivekGRamaswamy , @SpeakerJohnson , and X-Æ-12 pic.twitter.com/WRXQoz7MGY Officially, though, the roles for Musk and Ramaswamy are only advisory. They won’t be in the government and instead will be sending recommendations to the Trump White House, with a deadline of July 4, 2026.Musk’s newfound political influence follows his campaigning for Trump over the summer and fall. His super PAC, America PAC, spent more than $152 million to boost Trump and other Republicans, with much of the money coming from Musk and his friends, according to disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Musk also held events for Trump in swing state Pennsylvania and turned X, which he owns, into a megaphone for pro-Trump views . Ramaswamy, a former biotech executive, ran in the Republican primary for president and lost to Trump before later endorsing him. Musk has repeatedly faced questions about potential conflicts of interest in advising on the federal budget. SpaceX is a major federal contractor, including with the Defense Department and NASA. And, according to Ramaswamy, one of their potential targets is a $6.6 billion loan to electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive, a competitor to Tesla. Musk has not said how or if he plans to resolve those conflicts. One lawmaker, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said Thursday it was too early to anticipate the priorities for cuts but that loosening regulation by administrative action and through Congress would be a good place to start. “There are tens of billions of dollars in regulatory relief that are on the table now,” Tillis said. The U.S. budget was $6.1 trillion in fiscal year 2023, according to the Peterson Foundation. Still, Tillis called the Thursday conversation an “organizational meeting” — akin to “an engagement meeting I’d have with a client.” Speaking to reporters in between meetings, Musk reiterated his support for ending tax credits to encourage electric vehicle sales, aligning with Republicans who are eying cuts to clean energy funding . “I think we should get rid of all credits,” he said in response to a reporter’s question about tax credits for electric vehicles. (Musk has previously said that EV credits help Tesla’s competitors .) Musk said little else as he walked through the Capitol’s corridors with one of his children. The billionaire was followed so closely by Capitol Hill reporters, he said, “It’s like there’s ambient press.” Once DOGE is established, Musk and Ramaswamy will have a small office of 10 to 12 staffers under the executive office of the president who will work closely with the Office of Management and Budget, a source involved in the effort told NBC News. They will also have individuals within each federal department and agency who operate as DOGE liaisons, the source said. Musk and Ramaswamy are seeking individuals with business backgrounds with an interest in “gutting bureaucracy” to fill those roles. “A lot of these folks will be lawyers or have previous experience at that agency,” the source said. Musk has shown a willingness to consider cuts to some of the federal government’s most popular programs including Social Security. On Monday, he shared a post on X from Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, advocating an overhaul of Social Security into something like individual retirement accounts. “Interesting thread,” Musk wrote. Thursday morning, Musk met with incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., while Ramaswamy met separately behind closed doors with a group of 15 Senate Republicans for a little over an hour. In the afternoon, they met with a larger group of House and Senate members. Leaving the meeting with Ramaswamy, senators told NBC News that it was a positive conversation and consisted of an “exchanging of ideas,” as Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., put it. But they would not divulge specific policies discussed inside. A source familiar with the private meeting in the afternoon told NBC News that the gathering turned into an “open mic session” featuring “an airing of grievances from House members who want Elon and Vivek to solve all their problems.” Some Democrats have expressed interest in working with Musk and Ramaswamy to reduce spending and regulations. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., posted on X on Thursday that Congress should model its efforts on a World War II-era committee led by then-Sen. Harry Truman . “Let’s look to the Truman Committee and ensure Americans get their money’s worth with DOD spending,” he wrote. While GOP efforts to reduce the size of the federal government and end wasteful spending are not new, senators did not offer much in terms of how this effort would be different or possibly more successful. “You’re way too ahead,” Tillis said when asked about budget deficits. Leaving the meeting, Ramaswamy also declined to answer reporters’ questions. In the 2024 election, Republicans won a 53-vote Senate majority and a paper-thin House majority of 220-215 . Those slim margins could give Democrats some influence over the outcome, and some of them mock the new Musk-led effort as a punchline. “DOGE is not real. Just because someone says there is now a department of so and so does not mean the actual department now exists,” said Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., the ranking member of the Budget Committee. “Republicans are total hypocrites when it comes to deficit and debt. ... Trump added more to the national debt than any president in American history,” Boyle continued. “So I have seen this movie before. I have absolutely no doubt that if Trump is able to ram through a second round of his tax cuts, then it will explode the national debt.” Veterans of past failed debt-reform efforts, including the Obama-era bipartisan “super committee” of 2011, doubt the DOGE will be more successful unless it’s willing to take on sacred cows. “If past is prologue, the DOGE faces an uphill climb. It’s not yet clear what authority or reach the DOGE has, but managing the federal budget cannot be done through talking points,” said Zach Mallove, a lobbyist who worked as a policy aide to Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., when she co-chaired the super committee. Mallove said lawmakers will have to accept some “political pain” for it to be meaningful. “In the end, the math just doesn’t add up: with a $1.7 trillion annual discretionary budget, you cannot cut $2 trillion without tapping into the country’s social safety net.” This article first appeared on NBCNews.com . Read more from NBC News here:Starlink rollout on Qatar Airways exceeds initial targets

National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times SECURITY:Taiwan is in talks with Amazon about collaborating on Kuiper broadband communication satellites to harden its telecommunications infrastructure in a potential conflict with China By Jonathan Chin / Staff writer, with CNA 請繼續往下閱讀... Taiwan is launching the “Chip Team Taiwan” initiative to forge robotics, drones and space industry supply chains to decrease dependence on China, National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks at a news conference marking the conclusion of the 12th quadrennial National Science and Technology Conference in Taipei. The integration of semiconductor manufacturing would boost the indigenous tech and defense sector’s growth, he said. 請繼續往下閱讀... Taiwan has achieved a lot in terms of manufacturing of chips, but lacks the innovation necessary for sustaining industrial capabilities, which are key to resilience, including sovereign artificial intelligence drones and space tech, he said. Under the Chip Team Taiwan initiative, chipmakers would join forces to accomplish the nation’s smart tech, innovative economy, social balance and net zero carbon emission goals, he said. The initiative is to focus on improving the capability to develop drones, the space industry, communications satellites and multi-functional robots, he said. The government’s priority is to supply chips to meet national defense and security needs, especially in drones, while plans for robotics would be disclosed in a few months, he said. The nation’s semiconductor sector should dedicate more of its production to meet domestic needs instead of catering to foreign clients, he said. Trade partners should rest assured that Taiwan is committed to secure and resilient supply chains not dependent on parts supplied by China, Wu said, adding that the team’s corporate members would be disclosed later. Separately, Reuters yesterday reported that Taiwan is engaged in talks with Amazon.com about collaborating on the tech giant’s Kuiper constellation of broadband communications satellites. The negotiations are part of Taipei’s effort to harden its telecommunications infrastructure in a potential conflict with China, akin to Ukraine’s defensive use of SpaceX’s Starlink network against Russia’s invasion, it said, citing Wu. A Ministry of Digital Affairs spokesperson said Taiwan is considering a partnership with Amazon, but the talks are still in the early stages. Amazon is one of the service providers that could potentially meet Taiwan’s national security and performance requirements, they said, adding that redundancies are necessary for a resilient communications infrastructure. The ministry is carrying out a program to establish a non-geostationary satellite communications network consisting of 773 stations for national defense and emergency response, they said. Eutelsat OneWeb and SES-operated satellites form the network’s backbone, they said, adding that the ministry aims to achieve 24-hour coverage by the end of the year. The program’s success is crucial for maintaining the nation’s military and political command during contingencies, they added. The news of Taiwan holding talks with Amazon came after reports dating back months suggesting a rift between the nation’s officials and SpaceX chief executive officer Elon Musk, a close ally of US president-elect Donald Trump. In February, the US House of Representatives Committee on China demanded that Musk ensure US troops in Taiwan can use Starshield, the military version of Starlink, after multiple sources told a congressional committee that SpaceX had denied service to the nation. Last month, Musk allegedly asked Taiwan-based suppliers to move manufacturing abroad, citing “geopolitical concerns,” the Guardian said in a report. Additional reporting by Reuters 新聞來源: TAIPEI TIMES 不用抽 不用搶 現在用APP看新聞 保證天天中獎 點我下載APP 按我看活動辦法"The Premier League is as open as it has ever been." After helping West Ham to a stunning 2-0 win at Newcastle on Monday, Jarrod Bowen's words summed up England's top flight perfectly. Before the match, the Hammers were being talked about as in a relegation fight. Now they are just eight points off second place and eyeing Europe. Apart from runaway leaders Liverpool, the race for Europe in the Premier League has never been tighter. There is just one point separating second to fifth - the smallest the gap has ever been at this stage of the season. The previous low after 12 matches was two points, which had only happened three other times. Looking further down the table and the gap between second to 10th is just five points, which is the joint lowest after 12 matches. It has happened only twice previously. The gap between second to West Ham in 14th is just eight points - which has been matched only once previously - although the Hammers are now four points clear of the bottom six. Former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott told Sky Sports: "Everyone is beating everyone. You just can't predict any results now. The league is more unpredictable than ever." Ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher added: "That win has created a group of six at the bottom and maybe three of those six will now go. "That was a bad one for Newcastle. A win and they would have been right in the mix. There are so many teams so close together, who will be looking at those European places." English clubs are guaranteed four places in the Champions League next season but will be hopeful of gaining an extra spot, given to two countries with the strongest performances in this season's European competitions. There will be then two English teams in the Europa League next campaign. One place given to the fifth or sixth-placed teams - depending on how many teams qualify for the Champions League - and one for the winner of the FA Cup. That place will revert to the league though if the FA Cup winner has already qualified for Europe. The winners of the Carabao Cup would then qualify for the Europa Conference League but, again if they have already secured a place in Europe, that spot would be for the next highest-ranked team in the Premier League. As you can see there is plenty to play for. How long is a piece of string? It is one of those questions that feels impossible to answer definitively but one thing you can say is a lot of teams have been inconsistent. Between second to 12th, Manchester City, Arsenal, Brighton, Fulham and Newcastle are the only sides who have won back-to-back games more than once all season, while nine of them have at some point gone three games without a win. Many of the teams we would be expecting to be challenging for a Champions League place have underperformed this season. Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Manchester United all have fewer points at this stage than they did last campaign. Aston Villa, in the Champions League this season, have one win in seven but are still only four points off second. Chelsea, in third, have two wins in six, and fourth-placed Arsenal have one in five. Manchester City have lost their past three and remain second. Meanwhile, it would be fair to argue that Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Fulham are overachieving compared with many people's expectations, with their points tally significantly better than at this stage last season. Just five teams have won three matches in a row - Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. As we enter the busiest period of the season, there will be a lot of teams still fancying their chances of making a push for Europe.

While it is too soon to tell what political plans the 37-year-old has, Mr Gibran Rakabuming Raka has hit the ground running. JAKARTA - In the one month since assuming office as Indonesia’s vice-president, Mr Gibran Rakabuming Raka has actively embraced his new role by distributing free lunches to schoolchildren, visiting disaster-stricken communities and establishing a dedicated public channel for direct engagement. This proactive approach contrasts sharply with the traditional perception of the vice-presidency as a “spare tyre” – a contingency role with limited independent influence or responsibilities. Already a subscriber? Log in Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month $9.90 $9.90/month No contract ST app access on 1 mobile device Subscribe now All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowPercentages: FG 48.889, FT .429. 3-Point Goals: 9-22, .409 (Antenucci 4-8, Cairns 3-6, Jefferson 1-3, Santoro 1-3, Rolle 0-1, Gill 0-1) Blocked Shots: 1 (Taylor 1) Turnovers: 16 (Team 4, Antenucci 3, Gill 2, Jefferson 2, Rolle 2, Taylor 2, Mitchell-Steen 1) Steals: 5 (Antenucci 1, Gill 1, Jefferson 1, Santoro 1, Taylor 1) Technical Fouls: 1 (Jefferson 1) Percentages: FG 40.000, FT .900. 3-Point Goals: 3-13, .231 (Hylton 2-4, R.Jackson 1-4, A.Jackson 0-3, Holtman 0-1, Mann 0-1) Blocked Shots: 2 (Ndiba 2) Turnovers: 18 (A.Jackson 5, R.Jackson 4, Byars 2, Hayes 2, Hylton 2, Mann 1, Ndiba 1, Team 1) Steals: 4 (Byars 1, Hylton 1, R.Jackson 1, Mann 1) Technical Fouls: None A_804 Officials_Ian Carey, Tunita Dumas, Darwin Thompson

SUGAR LAND, Texas, Dec. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAOI) (" AOI ,” " we ,” " us ” or " our ”) expects to enter into transactions with holders of its 5.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the " 2026 Notes ”) to exchange approximately $80 million principal amount of the 2026 Notes for aggregate consideration consisting of a combination of (i) Convertible Senior Notes due 2030 (the " 2030 Notes ”), (ii) shares of our common stock (the " Exchange Shares ”) and (iii) cash representing accrued interest on the 2026 Notes and the value of fractional shares, if any (such transactions, collectively, the " Exchanges ”). Final terms for the Exchanges will be determined at the time of pricing. The 2030 Notes will be our senior, unsecured obligations and will be equal in right of payment with our existing and future senior, unsecured indebtedness, senior in right of payment to our existing and future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated to the 2030 Notes and effectively subordinated to our existing and future secured indebtedness, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing that indebtedness. The 2030 Notes will be convertible at the option of holders of the 2030 Notes under certain specified circumstances, as set forth in the indenture governing the 2030 Notes. We will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of our common stock or a combination of cash and shares of our common stock, at our election, based on the applicable conversion rate. Following the completion of the Exchanges, we may engage in additional exchanges or repurchase, induce conversions of, or exercise our right to redeem the 2026 Notes. Holders of the 2026 Notes that participate in any of these exchanges, repurchases or induced conversions may purchase or sell shares of our common stock in the open market to unwind any hedge positions they may have with respect to the 2026 Notes or our common stock or to hedge their exposure in connection with these transactions. These activities may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock and the 2030 Notes we are offering. There can be no assurance that the Exchanges will be completed. The issuance and sale of the 2030 Notes and the Exchange Shares pursuant to the Exchanges are being made in transactions exempt from registration pursuant to Sections 3(a)(9) and 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. is acting as AOI's exclusive financial advisor in connection with the Exchanges. Concurrently with the Exchanges, AOI announced today that it intends to commence an offering of shares of its common stock in a registered direct offering (the " Registered Direct Offering ”). We intend to use the net proceeds, if any, from the Registered Direct Offering for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, capital expenditures and working capital. We may also use such proceeds to fund acquisitions of businesses, technologies or product lines that complement our current business; however, we have no present plans, agreements or commitments with respect to any potential acquisition. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. is acting as the sole placement agent in connection with the Registered Direct Offering. The Registered Direct Offering is being made pursuant to an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3ASR (Registration File No. 333-283905), which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC ”) on December 18, 2024, and became effective immediately upon filing, including the prospectus contained therein. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus relating to and describing the terms of the Registered Direct Offering was filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the " Securities Act ”) on December 18, 2024, copies of which may be obtained from Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Attention: Equity Syndicate, 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida 33716, or by telephone at (800) 248-8863, or by e-mail to [email protected] . Electronic copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus are also available on the website of the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. The Exchanges and Registered Direct Offering are expected to close concurrently on or about December 23, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. Haynes Boone LLP is acting as legal advisor to AOI and Mayer Brown LLP is acting as legal advisor to Raymond James & Associates, Inc., in connection with the Exchanges and the Registered Direct Offering. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "believe,” "may,” "estimate,” "continue,” "anticipate,” "intend,” "should,” "could,” "would,” "target,” "seek,” "aim,” "predicts,” "think,” "objectives,” "optimistic,” "new,” "goal,” "strategy,” "potential,” "is likely,” "will,” "expect,” "plan” "project,” "permit” or by other similar expressions that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Such forward-looking statements reflect the views of management at the time such statements are made. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions and current expectations, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: reduction in the size or quantity of customer orders; change in demand for our products due to industry conditions; changes in manufacturing operations; volatility in manufacturing costs; delays in shipments of products; disruptions in the supply chain; change in the rate of design wins or the rate of customer acceptance of new products; our reliance on a small number of customers for a substantial portion of its revenues; potential pricing pressure; a decline in demand for our customers' products or their rate of deployment of their products; general conditions in the internet datacenter, cable television (CATV) broadband, telecom, or fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) markets; changes in the world economy (particularly in the United States and China); changes in the regulation and taxation of international trade, including the imposition of tariffs; changes in currency exchange rates; the negative effects of seasonality; the impact of any pandemics or similar events on our business and financial results; and other risks and uncertainties described more fully in our documents filed with or furnished to the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024, June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024. More information about these and other risks that may impact our business are set forth in the "Risk Factors” section of our quarterly and annual reports on file with the SEC. You should not rely on forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to us as of the date hereof, and qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this press release to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations. About Applied Optoelectronics Applied Optoelectronics Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical products, including components, modules and equipment. AOI's products are the building blocks for broadband fiber access networks around the world, where they are used in the CATV broadband, internet datacenter, telecom and FTTH markets. AOI supplies optical networking lasers, components and equipment to tier-1 customers in all four of these markets. In addition to its corporate headquarters, wafer fab and advanced engineering and production facilities in Sugar Land, TX, AOI has engineering and manufacturing facilities in Taipei, Taiwan and Ningbo, China. Investor Relations Contacts: The Blueshirt Group, Investor Relations Lindsay Savarese +1-212-331-8417 [email protected] Cassidy Fuller +1-415-217-4968 [email protected]

Snowflake EVP Christian Kleinerman sells $2.7 million in stock

Udupi: Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari K has directed officials to implement necessary preventive measures to control Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), commonly known as Monkey Fever , which tends to occur between Nov and June. She stressed the importance of inter-departmental coordination to manage the situation effectively. Presiding over the coordination committee meeting held at the Rajathadri recently, the DC discussed the precautionary steps required to prevent KFD and other zoonotic diseases. IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025: Who got whom IPL 2025 Auction: Updated Full Team Squads She noted that although KFD was observed in the Western Ghats and Malnad regions for years, there are currently no reported cases in the district. She explained that KFD cases are seen when people venture into forests and encounter ticks carried by monkeys or livestock. To prevent this, she stressed the need to raise awareness among the public. Areas where dead monkeys are found will be marked as hotspots, and fever surveys will be conducted within a 2km radius. She also directed local health committees to hold awareness meetings and disseminate health information to both residents and tourists. Door-to-door awareness campaigns need to be conducted, particularly for communities living near forest areas, where the risk is higher. Symptoms of Monkey Fever include high fever lasting 3-5 days, severe body pain, red eyes, cough, and cold. Forest department staff were advised to report any sightings of dead monkeys to health authorities promptly and to take precautionary measures. Awareness campaigns should also be carried out using highway billboards. Further, Vidya Kumari noted an increase in dog bite cases in the district and instructed that all necessary measures be taken to control them. An adequate stock of vaccines for dog and snake bites should be maintained to ensure timely treatment, she said. District health and family welfare pfficer Dr IP Gadad, district surgeon Dr H Ashok, district surveillance officer Dr Nagaratna, malaria control officer Dr Prashanth Bhat, and others were present.Minneapolis (CNN) — When President Donald Trump first considered Pete Hegseth for a Cabinet position in 2017 and 2018, he marveled at a soldier who seemed straight out of central casting. The telegenic Fox News host, a decorated combat veteran with a chiseled jaw who spoke forcefully about standing up for his fellow servicemembers, appealed to Trump as he searched for his next secretary of veterans affairs. But behind his public facade, Hegseth’s life at the time was in turmoil. He had recently left leadership of a nonprofit advocating for veterans amid allegations that he mismanaged funds and was regularly intoxicated at work events. He was going through an acrimonious divorce with his second wife after having an affair and a child with a Fox News co-worker. And a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her at a Republican conference where he spoke, an allegation he denied and authorities declined to bring charges on. Hegseth’s personal troubles barely made the news at the time. Even after Trump went with other candidates for VA secretary, Hegseth stayed close to the president, dining at the White House and discussing military issues with him. Since Trump announced Hegseth as a surprise pick for secretary of defense in his second term last month, however, those troubles have broken out into public view. Now, concerns about Hegseth’s treatment of women and use of alcohol are threatening to derail his spot in the Cabinet. While Hegseth has attacked the criticism he’s faced as unfounded, Trump is already mulling other candidates to replace him as defense secretary. A CNN review of court records, Hegseth’s writings and public statements, and interviews with people close to him show how the tumultuous period of late 2015 through 2017, when Hegseth’s public profile was reaching new heights, set the stage for his struggles over the last few weeks. Hegseth’s attorney, Timothy Parlatore, told CNN that the allegations his client has faced about his personal life are “not accurate” and “all fairly ancient history.” In comments to reporters Thursday between meetings with the senators who will vote on his confirmation, Hegseth said he was “a different man than I was years ago, and that’s a redemption story that I think a lot of Americans appreciate.” But several key Republican senators have still declined to endorse Hegseth’s nomination, including Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a veteran who’s spoken publicly about being a survivor of sexual assault. “I think for a number of our senators, they want to make sure that any allegations have been cleared,” Ernst told Fox News on Thursday. “And that’s why we have to have a very thorough vetting.” Hegseth grew up in a Minneapolis suburb, where he was a star athlete and high school valedictorian. Growing up in a conservative Christian household, Hegseth wrote in his first book, “I made sure to zealously avoid all forms of sin—especially sex, alcohol, and cursing.” But that wouldn’t stick. He went to college at Princeton University and, after working briefly on Wall Street, served in the Minnesota Army National Guard. He was deployed to the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and then volunteered for a deployment to Baghdad and Samarra, Iraq, where he saw combat while serving as an infantry platoon leader. One of Hegseth’s military superiors in Iraq, who asked not to be named to speak candidly about him, said that “before Pete arrived, we all thought, just what we need, a Princeton smart mouth who’s never served in combat.” But Hegseth was impressive, showing strong leadership and staying deliberate even as he faced dozens of memorial services for his fellow troops over the course of a few months. “Pete was quick on his feet, and he always put his soldiers first,” the former colleague said. After he returned from his time in Iraq, Hegseth wrote in his 2016 book, he dropped that “pious caricature I had carefully crafted” in his earlier years. Now, “I barely trust someone who doesn’t enjoy a few drinks and won’t drop a well-placed F-bomb,” Hegseth wrote. “Not because I think drinking and swearing are good things—but because I think moral lines are better served elsewhere.” Those moral lines around drinking – as well as his treatment of women – seemed to trip Hegseth up over the years. His first wife, his high school sweetheart, filed for divorce in 2008, and court records show that a judge wrote he had been unfaithful to her. He has also acknowledged that he struggled with the transition from military to civilian life, and that he was drinking heavily in the years after he returned from his deployments. “It was a couple weeks between being in combat to sitting in a Manhattan apartment with my cat,” Hegseth said in a 2021 appearance on “The Will Cain Show.” “I’d look around at 10 o’clock and be like, ‘what am I going to do today, how about I drink some beers. How about I go have lunch and have some beers. How about I meet my one or two buddies and have some beers.’ And one beer leads to many.” Looking for a renewed sense of purpose, Hegseth joined a nonprofit group, Vets for Freedom, where he has said he got “an absolute baptism in advocacy.” During the 2008 election, the group spent millions on ads attacking then-presidential candidate Barack Obama over his policy on the Iraq War. But the campaign fell flat, and the organization ended that year in debt, according to tax records. Margaret Hoover, a Republican political consultant and CNN commentator who was an adviser to Vets for Freedom between 2008 and 2010, said Hegseth’s leadership of the small nonprofit makes her doubt his ability to manage the far larger budget and staff of the Pentagon. “He mismanaged funds and was not fully transparent about it,” Hoover said. Others have defended Hegseth’s role with Vets for Freedom. David Bellavia, co-founder of the nonprofit, called the notion that Hegseth mismanaged funds “absurd” and told CNN the group spent money heavily and strategically to try to sway public thinking. The organization eventually merged with another group, and Hegseth moved on. He briefly ran for Minnesota’s US Senate seat in 2012, before dropping out after a rival candidate won the Republican Party’s nomination. He also volunteered for another deployment to Afghanistan, where he worked to train Afghan security forces. He was awarded a second Bronze Star Medal in 2012, after earning his first for his service in Iraq. Hegseth’s experiences serving abroad shaped him more than anything, he said in his Will Cain interview. “Nothing has left a bigger imprint on my heart or on my life or on my perspective of humanity than strapping on boots and walking out the gates with guys you love who you know are just as human as you,” Hegseth said. “It teaches you a lot about yourself.” Hegseth’s public profile grew in 2014, when he was hired as a Fox News contributor. He was also leading another nonprofit, Concerned Veterans for America, that advocated for changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs amid criticism over its mismanagement of health care for servicemembers returning from the Middle East. Some employees of the group questioned Hegseth’s financial management. Tax records show that while Hegseth oversaw a rise in the nonprofit’s annual revenue from just over $1 million to nearly $16 million, the group spent more than it received in three of the five years in which he served as CEO. In the fiscal year ending September 2016, Hegseth’s last in leadership, the group took in about $437,000 less than it spent and ended up about $37,500 in debt. Under Hegseth, CVA also hired his younger brother, Philip, straight out of college, and paid him a total of more than $125,000 between 2014 and 2017, according to tax records. An executive for the organization told American Public Media in 2018 that the younger Hegseth did not report directly to his brother, and that he was “an outstanding employee who made significant contributions” to the group. During his leadership, some employees of the group voiced concern about what they described as Hegseth’s excessive drinking and misbehavior as CEO, The New Yorker reported this week . Several employees wrote a memo to another CVA executive laying out multiple examples of Hegseth becoming so intoxicated that he had to be carried away from events and accusing him of overlooking at least one allegation of sexual misconduct by another staff member, according to the magazine. CNN has not reviewed the memo. In another letter, the magazine reported, an employee said that Hegseth had drunkenly chanted “Kill all Muslims!” multiple times at an Ohio bar while on a bus tour for the group in 2015. Hegseth has denied the allegations, with his lawyer saying they are “outlandish claims” pushed by “a petty and jealous disgruntled former associate of Mr. Hegseth’s.” Other coworkers at the group remembered Hegseth as a strong leader. Brandon Davis, who worked as an operations analyst at CVA, said Hegseth was always willing to “go to bat” for his employees and would listen to everyone. Davis said that he hadn’t seen Hegseth drink excessively or act inappropriately toward anyone. “He would attend after-parties with us, but he wasn’t out as late as some of us,” Davis told CNN. “He maintained his professionalism.” Hegseth left the group in January 2016. The New Yorker reported that he resigned under pressure, although a letter from the group’s trustee said Hegseth voluntarily resigned his position and “provided strong leadership” to the group. Hegseth received a $156,000 severance payment between October 2016 and September 2017 and total compensation of more than $172,000 over that period, according to the tax documents, even though he had left the organization months before. In December 2016, as Trump prepared to enter the White House, he first considered Hegseth for secretary of veterans affairs. While Hegseth was one of the finalists for the position, some veterans’ groups opposed his candidacy due to his advocacy for allowing vets to seek health care in the private sector, and Trump eventually went with David Shulkin, an under-secretary under Obama. But even being considered helped boost Hegseth’s profile. And Trump, an avid Fox News viewer, continued to call Hegseth personally to discuss military issues and goings-on at the network. At Fox, Hegseth was receiving more airtime, and was months away from being promoted to co-host of the weekend “Fox & Friends” show. But his behavior was also raising some red flags. Hegseth caused a disturbance at Fox’s Christmas party in 2016, which led to a discussion with the network’s human resources department, a person with knowledge of the incident said on condition of anonymity. The disturbance was rooted in the fact that Hegseth, who was married to his second wife, was having an affair with Fox executive producer Jennifer Rauchet, who was also married. The New York Times was first to report on Hegseth’s discussion with HR. “We all knew about it, and we all knew we just couldn’t say anything about it,” one of Hegseth’s former fellow Fox hosts told CNN about the affair. Parlatore, Hegseth’s attorney, told CNN that an attendee reported Hegseth being “handsy” with Rauchet at the party, and that their interaction was consensual. At the time, Fox sources said, Rauchet showed favoritism toward Hegseth, much to the chagrin of other personalities at the network. “She kept putting Pete on TV,” an executive said. After Rauchet got pregnant with Hegseth’s child, the couple disclosed their relationship to Fox management, and Rauchet was moved to a different show. She later left Fox altogether. In an interview during Trump’s first term in office, years before Hegseth became Trump’s pick to run the Pentagon, one longtime Fox News producer told CNN that Hegseth also had a drinking habit that was an “open secret” on the set of “Fox & Friends.” The producer said he sometimes noticed beer cans in the trash can inside Hegseth’s office, and once asked his boss, “Does Pete drink before he goes on the air every day?” In another interview several years ago, Hegseth’s former fellow host described him as “the life of the party at Fox,” noting that people swarmed around him at company gatherings and female staffers sometimes flirted with him. Parlatore denied that Hegseth had any drinking problem at Fox, pointing to public statements from his colleagues supporting him. Rauchet gave birth to Hegseth’s baby in August 2017, which appeared to be the last straw for his second wife, Samantha. She filed for divorce a month later. Records from the divorce case in Minnesota show the couple accused each other of saying hurtful things to their children about the other parent. A court-appointed parenting consultant chastised Hegseth in one letter for his conduct around his sons, writing that he had shown “hostile and degrading communication” toward Samantha. In another filing, Samantha claimed that Hegseth had called her a “f***ing b****” in front of their sons. She said they told her Hegseth had them miss their “first day of online school” for something related to Fox News, which led one of the boys to have an anxiety attack. Hegseth stated in a court filing that he thought the court-appointed consultant’s letter was “heavy handed,” though he committed to learning from his mistakes. Parlatore said that the proceedings were typical for divorce cases, noting that Hegseth has a great relationship with his kids and adding that “this is why people get divorced – because they fight.” As the acrimonious divorce proceedings went on, Hegseth traveled to Monterey, California, in October 2017 to speak at the convention of a decades-old Republican women’s group. After his speech, he was seen drinking in a hotel bar with a woman associated with the group. That woman later told police that Hegseth sexually assaulted her in his hotel room, recounting that she remembered “saying ‘no’ a lot” and seeing his dog tags “hovering over her face,” according to a police report . She said she had only hazy memories of the alleged attack, and told a hospital nurse that she thought someone might have put something in her drink. Hegseth strongly denied assaulting her, saying the encounter was fully consensual. The local district attorney declined to file charges. Still, Hegseth later came to a financial settlement with his accuser that included a confidentiality clause, which his lawyer has said was due to fears he would be fired from Fox News amid the #MeToo movement. Just two weeks after the alleged assault, Hegseth attended a small private dinner with Trump in the White House’s East Wing along with Rauchet, the mother of his baby, according to a social media photo . It’s unclear whether the president had any idea what was going on in Hegseth’s personal life at the time. In March 2018, as Trump planned to remove Shulkin as VA secretary, he again considered Hegseth for the job. He eventually went with Robert Wilkie, a Defense Department official in his administration. Around the same time, Hegseth’s mother wrote him an email accusing him of mistreating Samantha and other women, The New York Times reported . She said that she regretted sending the letter, arguing this week that her son is a changed man. By 2019, Hegseth appeared to be putting the turmoil in his life behind him: The Monterey case was closed, he had finalized his divorce with Samantha, and he married Rauchet in August 2019 in a ceremony at a Trump golf club in New Jersey. Hegseth has described his latest marriage as transformative. He said in an interview with journalist Megyn Kelly this week that he could have previously been characterized as a serial cheater but that he “truly was changed by Jen and my lord and savior Jesus Christ, and I mean that.” He added, “Do I regret those things? Yes. But is it who I am today? No.” While Hegseth had avoided the skeletons in his closet spilling into public view during his first two rounds being considered for Trump’s Cabinet, that didn’t hold true after Trump announced him as his pick for secretary of defense last month. Within days, CNN and other news outlets reported on the Monterey sexual assault allegation. Reports from The New Yorker , The New York Times , Vanity Fair and other outlets detailed the claims about his abuse of alcohol, financial mismanagement, and bitter divorces. As he’s crisscrossed the Senate over the last two weeks holding meetings with the senators who will decide the fate of his nomination, Hegseth has faced a barrage of questions over the controversies. In recent days, he’s broken his public silence to mount a more forceful defense of his record, telling Kelly that “we’re not backing down one bit.” But while Hegseth said Wednesday that Trump had voiced support for him in their conversations, the president-elect has already been considering other candidates to replace Hegseth, potentially including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or Ernst, the Iowa senator – either of whom would likely have a far easier time in the Senate. If Hegseth holds on, he will face a bruising confirmation hearing that could include testimony from women in his past, disapproving colleagues from his nonprofits, or other critics. In a gambit to save his nomination, Hegseth has told senators that he would avoid alcohol if he became defense secretary. While he maintained that he had never had a drinking problem, Hegseth said in his interview with Kelly that “this is the biggest deployment of my life, and there won’t be a drop of alcohol on my lips while I’m doing it.” That commitment echoed the promise made by John Tower, President George H. W. Bush’s nominee for the job, in 1989, who also faced criticism over his drinking and treatment of women. Tower was rejected by the Senate – a major surprise, considering he himself had served as a senator from Texas for more than two decades. James Riddlesperger, a political science professor at Texas Christian University who has written about the Tower nomination, said that Tower’s personal struggles undermined his chances to join the Cabinet even though he had a decadeslong record overseeing military policy. That’s in contrast to Hegseth, someone who has “no experience in the Pentagon, no experience in major-level policy-making for the Defense Department,” he said. Hegseth’s nomination, Riddlesperger said, is “only conceivable in a presidency of Donald Trump.” CNN’s Natasha Bertrand, Andrew Kaczynski, Sara Murray, Jim Sciutto, and Em Steck contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire TM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

PALO ALTO, Calif. , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- AKOOL, Inc., the global leader in generative AI video, is excited to announce its strategic partnership with Immerso AI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eros Digital, the largest producer and distributor of Bollywood content worldwide. This partnership aims to transform the digital immersion and video markets through cutting-edge AI technologies, merging Immerso AI's extensive digital IP content libraries with AKOOL's generative AI expertise. With a vast library of over 12,000 digital titles, Eros Digital brings invaluable content assets to the collaboration. Together, the alliance will leverage this repository to deliver groundbreaking AI-driven experiences for the video and digital business and consumer markets. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, AKOOL specializes in generative AI for visual applications, renowned for its Faceswap and Avatar technologies that lead innovation in the field. The partnership will focus on developing unique AI applications, including personalized movie recommendations, AI-generated visual effects tailored for Bollywood films, and automated editing tools for content creators. Additionally, AKOOL will fine-tune AI models to meet the specific needs of the Bollywood market, enhancing content delivery and audience engagement. Jiajun Lu , CEO of AKOOL, shared, "Partnering with Immerso AI and Eros Digital is a significant milestone. Their vast media assets and market presence perfectly complement our advanced AI technology. Together, we'll create innovative solutions to revolutionize content creation and consumption. By leveraging Eros Digital's extensive video library, we can develop AI-tuned models that redefine Bollywood's digital landscape." Under the agreement, Immerso AI will lead regional business development and handle operations, while AKOOL will focus on technical development and proprietary AI innovations. Both companies will share rights to jointly developed intellectual property, fostering a collaborative approach to commercialization. For more information about AKOOL and its innovative AI solutions, visit www.akool.com . About AKOOL, Inc.: AKOOL is a leading AI technology company based in Palo Alto, CA , specializing in generative AI for visual applications. The company develops state-of-the-art AI solutions to drive innovation in video and digital immersion markets. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/akool-announces-strategic-bollywood-partnership-to-revolutionize-ai-in-digital-immersion-and-video-markets-302315726.html SOURCE AKOOLWhich ND legislators will lead in the 2025 lawmaking season?Pembina Pipeline Corp. stock falls Friday, underperforms market

A secret millionaire in the I'm a Celebrity camp has been unveiled, earning nearly as much as Coleen Rooney . The WAG is said to have received a whopping £1.5million for her appearance on the popular ITV programme. It's even been suggested that she could easily surpass her footballer husband Wayne's estimated lifetime earnings of £80million. Coleen, 38, has made significant investments in a company now listed on the Stock Exchange for £350million. However, she isn't the only celebrity in camp with impressive earnings outside the show. The camp was recently shaken up with the arrival of Love Island beauty Maura Higgins and author Reverend Richard Coles. But Richard has already reaped the rewards of being the nation's favourite TV vicar. Rev Coles was part of the 80s band The Communards as well as Bronski Beat. He ranks among the highest paid stars due to his successful TV career on shows like Strictly Come Dancing , Celebrity MasterChef, Songs Of Praise and Newsnight Review. Richard has also appeared on Have I Got News For You? and QI. He has worked in radio and has written a series of successful crime novels as well as his autobiography. According to the Sun, Richard's company Mistramark Ltd paid £179,047 in corporation tax over 2022 and 2023. At the time, the rate was 19%, indicating the company made around £940k profit. In the run-up to his adventure Down Under, Richard revealed to the Mirror his unconventional jungle prep, involving a 5000-calorie daily intake on a cruise and shunning 'triggering' nature documentaries about Australia's deadly creatures. The celebrity quipped: "I would like to say that I've been lowering my calorie intake to prepare for that, but that's not worked out so far. I've been trying not to look at nature programs about the horrors of Australia." He confessed his concerns about becoming public enemy number one in camp due to his snoring habits, saying, "everybody wanting to kill me because I keep them awake at night." Highlighting another apprehension, he added: "I am also worried about finding a fear I didn't know I had yet and going to pieces on television in front of a koala or wombat or something." Yet despite his fears, Richard is eager to make history as the first vicar to brave the jungle, noting the historical context with a touch of humour: "I don't think there are many precedents for this, although, vicars have been going into jungles for years and years and years as missionaries." When it comes to potential irritants, he shared with us: "Sniffing. I'm also not naturally a patient person. Also I lived in the monastery for two years." Drawing on past experiences of communal living, he continued: "So I know what it's like to be locked in with people you didn't choose to be with. So I've got some resilience. Except there wasn't food deprivation, instead there was a lot of cake in the monastery. So I don't know what it will be like."

NoneA new petition on Change.org is pushing to improve transit services in the Central Okanagan. Started by Fraser Young, the petition states that there are no services for Vernon residents to use BC Transit to get to Kelowna's downtown area before 8:30 a.m. Young's request is that Bus 97 which traditionally starts at 6 a.m. at UBC Okanagan in Kelowna's north end connect with Route 90 allowing for Vernon residents to catch a bus to Kelowna or West Kelowna starting at 5 a.m. "We believe that everyone should have equal access to public transportation, and no one should be left stranded due to systemic shortfalls," the petition reads. "Additionally, facilitating easier travel between these areas could stimulate economic and social growth in both communities while lowering environmental footprint by attracting drivers to switch to transit. Tourists and travellers could also make use of this regular occurring bus to go to and from West Kelowna, Kelowna, Lake Country and Greater Vernon to Kelowna International Airport." has gained over 200 signatures since it opened on Nov. 21.