Asparaginase Market Global Share, Key Country Analysis and ForecastsBy MARY CLARE JALONICK and MATT BROWN WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Defense Department, said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Maine Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday as he pushed to win enough votes for confirmation. He said he will not back down after allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. Related Articles National Politics | Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell. It’ll be a first for him National Politics | The Trump and Biden teams insist they’re working hand in glove on foreign crises National Politics | ‘You don’t know what’s next.’ International students scramble ahead of Trump inauguration National Politics | Trump is threatening to raise tariffs again. Here’s how China plans to fight back National Politics | Trump won’t be able to save the struggling US beef industry Collins said after the hourlong meeting that she questioned Hegseth about the allegations amid reports of drinking and the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. She said she had a “good, substantive” discussion with Hegseth and “covered a wide range of topics,” including sexual assault in the military, Ukraine and NATO. But she said she would wait until a hearing, and notably a background check, to make a decision. “I asked virtually every question under the sun,” Collins told reporters as she left her office after the meeting. “I pressed him both on his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him, so I don’t think there was anything that we did not cover.” The meeting with Collins was closely watched as she is seen as more likely than most of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks. She and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow moderate Republican, did not shy from opposing Trump in his first term when they wanted to do so and sometimes supported President Joe Biden’s nominees for the judicial and executive branches. And Hegseth, an infantry combat veteran and former “Fox & Friends” weekend host, is working to gain as many votes as he can as some senators have expressed concerns about his personal history and lack of management experience. “I’m certainly not going to assume anything about where the senator stands,” Hegseth said as he left Collins’ office. “This is a process that we respect and appreciate. And we hope, in time, overall, when we get through that committee and to the floor that we can earn her support.” Hegseth met with Murkowski on Tuesday. He has also been meeting repeatedly with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a military veteran who has said she is a survivor of sexual assault and has spent time in the Senate working on improving how attacks are reported and prosecuted within the ranks. On Monday, Ernst said after a meeting with him that he had committed to selecting a senior official to prioritize those goals. Republicans will have a 53-49 majority next year, meaning Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any of his nominees. It is so far unclear whether Hegseth will have enough support, but Trump has stepped up his pressure on senators in the last week. “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump posted on his social media platform last week.Narin An leads with a 64 in the wind as Nelly Korda struggles in LPGA finale
A marathon vote-counting exercise was underway Saturday in Ireland’s national election after an exit poll suggested that the contest is a close-fought race among the country’s three largest political parties. Election officials opened ballot boxes at count centers across the country, kicking off what could be several days of tallying the results. If the exit poll is borne out, that could be followed by days or weeks of negotiations to form a coalition government. The exit poll suggested voters’ support is split widely among the three big parties — Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein — as well as several smaller parties and an assortment of independents ranging from the left to the far right. The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App The poll said that center-right party Fine Gael was the first choice of 21 per cent of voters, and another center-right party, Fianna Fail, of 19.5 per cent. The two parties governed in coalition before the election . Left-of-center opposition party Sinn Fein was at 21.1 per cent in the poll. Pollster Ipsos B&A asked 5,018 voters across the country how they had cast their ballots. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.4 percentage points. The figures only give an indication and don’t reveal which parties will form the next government. Ireland uses a complex system of proportional representation in which each of the country’s 43 constituencies elects several lawmakers and voters rank candidates in order of preference. As a result, it can take some time for full results to be known. Fianna Fail politician Michael McGrath, a former finance minister and now a European Union official, said that “a number of different parties and groups will have to be involved” in forming a government. “I hope it is a stable government that has the prospect of lasting the five years because of the challenges we are facing in Ireland and throughout the European Union," he told the PA news agency at a count in Cork, southwest Ireland. “Let’s allow the picture to emerge over the days ahead.” The result will show whether Ireland bucks the global trend of incumbents being ousted by disgruntled voters after years of pandemic, international instability and cost-of-living pressures. The cost of living — especially Ireland’s acute housing crisis — was a dominant topic in the three-week campaign, alongside immigration, which has become an emotive and challenging issue in a country of 5.4 million people long defined by emigration. The outgoing government was led by the two parties that have dominated Irish politics for the past century: Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. They have similar policies, but are longtime rivals with origins on opposing sides of Ireland’s 1920s civil war. After the 2020 election ended in a virtual dead heat , they formed a coalition. Before polling day, analysts said the most likely outcome was another Fine Gael-Fianna Fail coalition. That remains a likely option. The front-runners to be the next taoiseach, or prime minister, are current Taoiseach Simon Harris of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin — despite their parties’ relatively lackluster showing. The two parties would need the support of smaller groups or independents to achieve a majority in the 174-seat Dail, the lower house of Parliament. The Green Party, which held 12 seats in the last parliament and propped up the governing coalition, acknowledged that it was headed for a disappointing result. Among a large crop of independent candidates was reputed organized crime boss Gerry “the Monk” Hutch, who has seen a groundswell of support since he was bailed on money-laundering charges in Spain this month in order to run for election. Early results suggested he stood a good chance of winning a seat in Dublin. Sinn Fein achieved a stunning breakthrough in the 2020 election, topping the popular vote, but was shut out of government because Fianna Fail and Fine Gael refused to work with it, citing its leftist policies and historic ties with the Irish Republican Army during three decades of violence in Northern Ireland. 5 Things to Know newsletter: Get the biggest headlines in your inbox each morning Though Sinn Fein, which aims to reunite Ireland with the independent Republic of Ireland, could become the largest party in the Dail, it may struggle to get enough coalition partners to form a government. During the election campaign, both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail maintained they wouldn't go into government with it. A Sinn Fein-led government would shake up Irish politics — and the future of the United Kingdom. The party is already the largest in Northern Ireland, and a Sinn Fein government in the republic would push for a referendum on Irish reunification in the next few years. Party leader McDonald said that Sinn Fein had “broken the political mold” in Ireland. “Two-party politics is now gone. It’s consigned to the dustbin of history, and that in itself is very significant," she said as she awaited results at a count center in Dublin. “The question now arises for us, what do we do with that?” __ Jill Lawless reported from London.Govt has decided to allocate space for Manmohan Singh's memorial Cong playing cheap politics Nadda
An emerging Indian talent has revealed he was advised to brace for Australian bouncers as though he was preparing to take a bullet for his country after an astonishing opening day of the Border Gavaskar Trophy series. Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. While star Australian bowler Mitchell Starc scorched suggestions the Perth Stadium pitch was unplayable on Friday, a staggering 17 wickets fell as India claimed the upper-hand on the first day of the five Test series. Starc, who snared the opening wicket of the series when removing talented Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, will resume on six not out alongside wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who is unbeaten on 19, on Saturday, with Australia 7-83 after India made 150 in its first innings. A record crowd for a Test match at Perth Stadium of 31,302 witnessed a historic moment in the Western Australian capital, with the 17 dismissals surpassing the previous most wickets to fall on an opening day in the city. The previous record was 14 wickets when Australia defeated Pakistan at the WACA in a Test in 1999, but 25 years later a new mark was set when local gun Mitch Marsh was caught by KL Rahul in the slips off a Mohammed Siraj delivery in the 17th over. It itself, the dismissal was bizarre, for Siraj lost his shoe on the delivery crease and the umpires then needed to wait for a review to determine whether the ball had bounced before reaching Rahul. But it was that type of day as the fast bowlers wrought havoc. In the previous opening days of the four Tests played at Perth Stadium prior to this series, 17 wickets fell in total for a tally of 1146 runs. On Friday, 17 wickets fell for 217 runs as initially the Australian attack and then Indian skipper Jasprit Bumrah wreaked havoc. ANOTHER wicket for Bumrah! ðo Watch #AUSvIND on Ch. 501 or stream via Kayo https://t.co/sOOmnqnKOT ð BLOG https://t.co/yo6y9R8YIB ð2 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/qvhPusIMRE pic.twitter.com/wvdbtjogw0 — Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) November 22, 2024 But Starc, who finished with 2-14 from 11 overs but was somehow outperformed by Josh Hazlewood (4-29 from 13 overs) and Bumrah (4-17 from 10 overs), challenged suggestions that batting conditions across Australia were becoming harder. “How many ways can you skin a cat? Bowlers are allowed to bowl good balls,” he said. “When there’s a lot of runs, it’s like, ‘Oh, the bowlers bowled badly. When there’s wickets, the wickets are tough.’ (But) you are allowed to bowl good balls and maybe credit should go to both teams and bowlers. “Sure, there’s plenty in the wicket when you put it in the right area and it was hard work for batting, but as I said, you’re allowed to bowl good balls and there were plenty of those today.” PERTH, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 22: Mitchell Starc of Australia appeals for a wicket. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was one of two Indian debutants alongside Harshit Rana, defied the avalanche of wickets when top-scoring for the day with 41 before falling to Australian skipper Pat Cummins. Reddy was selected for the Test on the basis of his deeds for India A in the recent series against Australia A in Mackay and at the MCG and believes those outings prepared him for the challenging conditions in Perth. He said Indian coach Gautam Gambhir had advised him to brace for a barrage from the Australian bowlers in Perth and Reddy approached his debut innings with a determined demeanour. “Even I heard a lot about Perth and I still remember the last practice we were having and after the practice, I had a chat with Gautam Sir and he was mentioning (that) when you get any bouncers, or something like that, sharp spells, you just take it on your shoulders,” he said. “(He said) ‘Just feel like you are taking a bullet for your country’. That really helped me a lot. Like that just boosted me up. The Perth wicket, everyone was talking like there is a good bounce in this wicket (and) when he said that thing, and I felt like (I) needed to take bullets for (my) country. That’s the best thing I have heard from Gautam Sir.” Bumrah gets his third wicket, and Steve Smith is gone for a duck! ðo Watch #AUSvIND on Ch. 501 or stream via Kayo https://t.co/sOOmnqnKOT ð BLOG https://t.co/yo6y9R8YIB ð2 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/qvhPusIMRE pic.twitter.com/Twgf5uydQ3 — Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) November 22, 2024 PERTH, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 22: Nitish Kumar Reddy of India bats during day one. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Reddy believes India has the upper-hand given their lead and the fact the Australian tail is exposed. Starc feels the game is wide open and that if batters can survive the new ball, it is likely to become easier to score as the Kookaburra softens. “I think there was a fair bit of good bowling today. Obviously there was enough in the wicket and it probably felt like it was a hardball wicket,” Starc said. “When the ball started to get a little bit softer towards the the back end of that Indian innings, it probably didn’t do as much. (There was) still enough there, but it didn’t do as much as the brand new hardball. So I guess that’s something for teams to take in the second innings. “If you can get through the testing period, it does get slightly easier. That being said, the outfield is quite slow, so that probably made runs a bit hard to come by. That’s probably the slowest outfield we’ve seen over in the west for a long time.” Originally published as ‘You’re allowed to bowl good balls’: Starc shoots down Perth claim as Indian rookie reveals coach’s advice Cricket Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News. Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories Cricket Indian View: ‘Booty’ call as cheeky India revel in Bumrah’s dominance The final session of a crazy first day of the Perth test belonged to the genius of Jasprit Bumrah, but it was his wife’s cheeky reaction on Instagram that created headlines in India. Read more Cricket ‘All down to Alex Carey’: How Aussie’s last hope can salvage Test It was a calamitous ending to day one for Australia, but their most in-form batsman is still at the crease. One expert names the total Alex Carey and his country needs to create a contest. Read moreElon Musk backs AfD party in German newspaper opinion piece
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau returned home Saturday after his meeting with Donald Trump without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. After the leaders’ hastily arranged dinner Friday night at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, Trudeau spoke of “an excellent conversation." Trump said in a Truth Social post later Saturday that they discussed “many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address.” For issues in need of such cooperation, Trump cited fentanyl and the “Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration," fair trade deals "that do not jeopardize American Workers” and the U.S. trade deficit with its ally to the north. Trump asserted that the prime minister had made “a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation” of American families from fentanyl from China reaching the United States through its neighbors. The U.S., he said, “will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic.” The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests at the Mexican border in October alone and 23,721 arrests at the Canadian border between October 2023 and September 2024 — and Canadian officials say they are ready to make new investments in border security. Trudeau called Trump after the Republican's social media posts about the tariffs last Monday and they agreed to meet, according to a official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to publicly discuss detail of the private talks. The official said other countries are calling Canadian officials to hear how about how the meeting was arranged and to ask for advice. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, after speaking with Trump on the telephone, said Thursday she was confident a tariff war with Washington would be averted. At the dinner that was said to last three hours, Trump said he and Trudeau also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic. A second official cited defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast, pipelines and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year as other issues that arose. Trudeau's office said in a statement that the leaders “shared a productive wide-ranging discussion” centering on “collaboration and strengthening our relationship,” adding, "As Canada’s closest friend and ally, the United States is our key partner, and we are committed to working together in the interests of Canadians and Americans.” Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Trudeau had said before leaving from Friday that Trump was elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now was talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products, including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. The threatened tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. When Trump imposed higher tariffs as president, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports are from Canada. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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Alpha Modus Plans to Close Business Combination With Insight Acquisition Corp. Today and ...
Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (NASDAQ: ROIC) recently disclosed in an 8-K SEC filing that on November 6, 2024, the company, along with other entities, entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger. The agreement involved Retail Opportunity Investments Corp., Retail Opportunity Investments Partnership, LP, and various other entities. The board of directors of the company also approved changes to certain awards, specifically accelerating the vesting of restricted stock awards. As per the 8-K filing, the performance-based restricted stock awards and time-based restricted stock awards, originally granted on February 15, 2022, for Messrs. Stuart A. Tanz, Michael B. Haines, and Richard K. Schoebel, were accelerated from January 2025 to December 26, 2024. Furthermore, the performance-based restricted stock awards were modified to be deemed achieved at maximum-level performance regardless of the terms of the award agreements. Additionally, time-based restricted stock awards issued on December 13, 2024, for the mentioned individuals were accelerated and became fully vested and taxable on December 26, 2024. The company emphasized that the completion of the mergers is not guaranteed, and actual results may vary from the forward-looking statements. Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. has committed to providing updates on any material changes. Investors are urged to carefully review all the relevant information before making any voting or investment decisions regarding the mergers. The detailed information about the mergers will be included in a proxy statement to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. will provide copies of these documents free of charge upon request. Furthermore, the company’s directors, executive officers, and employees may be involved in the solicitation of proxies and will disclose their interests in the mergers through SEC filings. The filing was signed on behalf of Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. by Michael B. Haines, Chief Financial Officer, on December 27, 2024. Participants in the Solicitation: Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. may make solicitations to its stockholders regarding the mergers. More information about the participants and their interests will be included in SEC filings. Source: SEC Filing on Retail Opportunity Investments Corp., December 27, 2024 This article was generated by an automated content engine and was reviewed by a human editor prior to publication. For additional information, read Retail Opportunity Investments’s 8K filing here . Retail Opportunity Investments Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (Nasdaq: ROIC), is a fully integrated, self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) that specializes in the acquisition, ownership and management of grocery-anchored shopping centers located in densely populated, metropolitan markets across the West Coast. As of December 31, 2023, ROIC owned 94 shopping centers encompassing approximately 10.6 million square feet. Read More
Homeland Security shares new details of mysterious drone flights over New Jersey, lawmaker says A New Jersey lawmaker from part of the state where several mysterious drones have been spotted in recent week says the devices appear to avoid detection by traditional methods. Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia was among state officials who met Wednesday with representatives from the Department of Homeland Security. She says lawmakers were told the drones have dodged detection by helicopters and radio. Fantasia says DHS described the devices as up to 6 feet in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights off. The Morris County Republican made the comments in a post on X shortly after she and several other state and local lawmakers met with state police and Homeland Security officials. Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for the first time and be named Time magazine's Person of the Year. Thursday's events will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who has long seen praise from the business world and media as a sign of success. Four people with knowledge of his plans told The Associated Press that Trump was expected to be on Wall Street on Thursday to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, while a person familiar with the selection confirmed that Trump had been selected as Time's Person of the Year. Rape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact NFL's relationship with music mogul, Goodell says IRVING, Texas (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says a rape allegation against rapper Jay-Z won’t impact the NFL's relationship with the music mogul. Jay-Z's company Roc Nation has produced some of the NFL’s entertainment presentations including the Super Bowl halftime show. A woman who previously sued Sean “Diddy” Combs alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000 amended the lawsuit Sunday to include an allegation that Jay-Z was also at the party and participated in the sexual assault. Jay-Z says the rape allegation made against him is part of an extortion attempt. The NFL teamed up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2019 for events and social activism. The league and the entertainment company extended their partnership a few months ago. Ohio politician proposes make flag planting a felony after fight in Michigan rivalry game An Ohio politician has seen enough flag planting. Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. A fight ensued and police had to use pepper spray to disperse the players. Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield famously planted a flag in the middle of the field at Ohio State after the Sooners beat the Buckeyes in 2017. Gastineau confronts Favre in documentary for his 'dive' on Strahan's record-breaking sack Former New York Jets star Mark Gastineau confronted Brett Favre last year at a memorabilia show and angrily accused the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback of deliberately going down on a record-breaking sack. The tense exchange is shown in the new ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “The New York Sack Exchange." It chronicles the Jets’ fearsome foursome defensive line of the 1980s that included Gastineau. Gastineau set an NFL record with 22 sacks in 1984, but Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan broke the mark when he sacked Favre in 2002 in a game between the Giants and Packers. Many have accused Favre of purposely taking the sack so Strahan could set the single-season record with 22 1/2. What happens next with Alex Jones' Infowars? No certainty yet after sale to The Onion is rejected Lawyers in the Alex Jones bankruptcy case are now in discussions on what could happen next after a federal judge in Texas rejected the auction sale of Jones’ Infowars to The Onion satirical news outlet. The next steps remained unclear Wednesday as the judge ordered the trustee who oversaw the auction to come up with a new plan. Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston rejected the bid late Tuesday, saying there was too much confusion about The Onion’s bid. The bankruptcy case was in the wake of the nearly $1.5 billion that courts have ordered Jones to pay for calling the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut a hoax. Sandy Hook families had backed The Onion’s bid. NFL and Nike extend their partnership with a 10-year deal, will focus on growing the sport globally IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL’s desire to become a global powerhouse is no secret. Nike is committed to helping the league continue expanding its worldwide reach. The league and the apparel giant announced Wednesday a 10-year partnership extension. The NFL and Nike will focus on working together to grow the game’s global reach, increase participation, develop new talent, and expand the football fan base. Nike, the world’s largest supplier of athletic shoes and apparel, has been the NFL’s exclusive provider of uniforms and sideline, practice and base layer apparel for all 32 NFL teams for 12 years. George Kresge Jr., who wowed talk show audiences as the The Amazing Kreskin, dies at age 89 NEW YORK (AP) — George Joseph Kresge Jr., otherwise known to TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, has died at age 89. Kreskin’s friend and former road manager, Ryan Galway, says he died Tuesday at his home in Caldwell, New Jersey. Kreskin launched his television career in the 1960s and remained popular for decades, appearing with everyone from Merv Griffin to Johnny Carson to Jimmy Fallon. Fans would welcome, if not entirely figure out, his favorite mind tricks — whether correctly guessing a playing card chosen at random, or, most famously, divining where his paycheck had been planted among the audience. He also hosted a show in the 1970s, gave live performances and wrote numerous books. Albertsons sues Kroger for failing to win approval of their proposed supermarket merger Kroger and Albertsons’ plan for the largest U.S. supermarket merger in history has crumbled. The two companies have accused each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through, and Albertsons pulled out of the $24.6 billion deal on Wednesday. The bitter breakup came the day after a federal judge in Oregon and a state judge in Washington issued injunctions to block the merger, saying that combining the two grocery chains could reduce competition and harm consumers. Albertsons is now suing Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee, as well as billions of dollars in legal fees and lost shareholder value. Kroger says the legal claims are “baseless.” Keynote Selena Gomez spotlights prioritizing mental health during Academy Women's Luncheon LOS ANGELES (AP) — While surveying a room packed with Hollywood’s most influential figures, “Emilia Pérez” star Selena Gomez took center stage at the Academy Women’s Luncheon to spotlight a critical issue: Prioritizing mental health and supporting underserved communities often left behind in the conversation. The singer-actor has been public about her mental health struggles, revealing she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Gomez was the keynote speaker Tuesday at the event held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures with attendees including Ariana Grande, Olivia Wilde, Amy Adams, Pamela Anderson, Rita Wilson, Ava DuVernay and Awkwafina.
