President-elect Donald Trump has tapped television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator. Oz is the latest Trump leadership pick designed to shake up the federal government and reward loyal supporters with prime positions. Oz's nomination has garnered praise from those hoping to reform Medicaid to caution from critics noting his penchant for pushing medical misinformation. Trump said in a statement that Dr. Oz will “cut waste and fraud within our country’s most expensive government agency,” He also said Oz will “work closely” with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, “to take on the illness industrial complex, and all the horrible chronic diseases left in its wake.” During his first term, Trump appointed Oz to the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. Oz said on X that he was honored to be nominated by Trump to lead CMS. “I look forward to serving my country to Make America Healthy Again under the leadership of the HHS Secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr.,“ who called Oz, a friend in his own X post and said his nomination was “outstanding.” Subscribe to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Be a smarter, better informed investor. Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail. Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail. Oz’s claim to fame Dr. Oz became a household name on Oprah Winfrey’s daytime television show before spinning off his own series, "The Dr. Oz Show," in 2009. Although he no longer does surgeries, his physician license remains active in Pennsylvania. His other accomplishments include writing several New York Times bestsellers and hosting an Emmy-winning TV show. He founded the HealthCorps initiative, a national nonprofit that educates teens about healthy habits. In 2022, Oz ran for U.S. Senate as a Republican. Although he was a longtime resident of New Jersey and worked in New York City, Oz ran in Pennsylvania, noting a connection to the state through his wife’s parents. Oz narrowly won the primary but lost to Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in the general election. Qualifications and controversy As administrator of the CMS, Oz would influence the medical care and insurance of large swaths of Americans. About 66 million people rely on Medicare , and almost 80 million Americans are enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) . He would also oversee the Affordable Care Act marketplace , which insures over 21 million people. Oz would also take the helm of an enormous bureaucracy and budget. The CMS is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that sets Medicare payment rates for hospitals, doctors, labs, and other service providers. The agency's budget is nearly $1.5 trillion yearly, about 14% of the federal government’s annual spending. Oz has impeccable medical training. He is an alum of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Wharton Business School. Trump also noted that Oz was a professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Columbia University. As a television personality, however, Oz has a spotty record and a penchant for pushing unproven products. One study in the BMJ journal found that less than half of the products he promoted on his show were medically proven and 13% contradicted known medical advice. Sen. Patty Murray (D., Wash.) said it was “deeply disappointing” to see someone “with zero qualifications” picked to lead CMS. “We need serious leaders when it comes to protecting Americans’ healthcare and bringing down costs — not TV hosts whose main qualification is their loyalty to Donald Trump,” she said. The CMS administrator is not part of the Cabinet but requires Senate confirmation. How Oz might change Medicare, Medicaid and the ACA The incoming CMS administrator will face several challenges to ensure the quality and sustainability of programs. For example, should the administrator fight to extend government subsidies to enable people to buy coverage in the Affordable Care Act exchanges? The administrator will likely also address payments for the Medicaid program and negotiations with drugmakers over the prices of some medications under Medicare. On his 2022 Oz Senate campaign website , Oz suggested that, if elected, he would “work to dismantle policies that lead to more expensive prescription drugs for our seniors.” Oz strongly supported Medicare Advantage , promising he would “expand access to private sector plans expanded by President Trump and beloved by seniors for their low costs and high quality that could be available to all Americans who want them.” Just this month, Republicans in Congress discussed cuts to Medicaid, which could threaten health coverage for roughly a fifth of poor Americans. At a similar crossroads is Medicare, the federal government’s second-largest budget item (as part of the larger health spending category), accounting for $848 billion, or roughly 12% of the budget last year . If confirmed, Oz would likely reduce Medicaid spending, encourage privatization of Medicare through Advantage plans, build on the Biden administration's drug price negotiation efforts and reform the ACA marketplace. 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New DIY kit proves anyone can build gaming consoles and code gamesEvery facet of AI feels like it's advanced by a decade in the last year, and in the whirlwind of new releases and capabilities, you may have missed something important: interactive video chatbots that can see, hear and converse with you in real time. Look, don't mind me, I'm over here still blown away by how good ChatGPT's advanced voice mode is. Multimodal AIs are proving themselves every bit as capable at expressing themselves in audio and video form as they have in the written word. A couple of years ago, the idea of having a video chat with a fairly lifelike, photorealistic AI would have seemed ridiculously futuristic. Yet here we are in 2024, I've just spoken to five of them, and I'm now so conditioned to immediately accepting new breakthrough technologies that it already feels completely normal. The Good Indeed, I'm about to complain about their current shortcomings. But first, let's talk about what they do well. Speed, for me, has to be top of the list here. You speak, and the video avatar responds with no more lag or latency than you'd get with a voice chat – around 600 milliseconds, according to Tavus. Indeed, I've had plenty of video chats with other actual humans where there's been more lag than this. Of course, the avatars look and sound fantastic – and naturally, their conversational abilities make last-gen models like Siri and Alexa feel like black and white TVs. It's truly stunning how much these models can do in real time – never mind the conversation, the voice, the body language – they can also look back at you through your laptop or device camera, taking stock of your surroundings and incorporating them into the conversation. "I see you've got some guitars and keyboards behind you, Loz," AI agent 'Carter' tells me. "And those sound absorbing panels on the roof ... Looks like you've got a serious music production space there, loving those creative vibes!" These agents can be given personalities, memories, scenarios, habits, tasks, boundaries, interaction goals, scripts, and access to whatever information they'll need to do their job – jobs like automated sales, customer service, information assistants, whatever human-facing tasks can be done over a video chat interface. They can converse comfortably in a range of languages, without losing the essential tone of their voices. They can appear in a range of different environments; walking down the street, driving a car, hanging out at a cafe, or sitting in whatever office you can dream up. And they can look and sound just like you. A single two-minute video upload is all Tavus needs to capture your look and your voice, which it'll then turn into a programmable "digital twin" conversation agent that's your own spitting image. The Bad These things are still very early versions of what's coming steaming down the line at us. The Carter bot doesn't always get its lips perfectly synchronized with its voice. The facial expressions aren't always in the right places. He glitches a little; the eyes seem to reposition themselves on his head now and then, and the video or audio occasionally stutters to reveal his digital nature. And, as with ChatGPT, the conversation is still a bit stunted. You need to take turns, and if you stop to think too long in the middle of a sentence, he'll start replying when a human would (ideally) give you a little more space. AIs are yet to master the art of gentle interruption, prompting, these sorts of things. It doesn't matter. The speed at which this tech advances is truly staggering. In a few months Carter will be old news, and all these gaps will close rapidly. Most of the world only learned about ChatGPT last year – now you're looking at the AI, and it's looking at you, in real-time video conversations. The Ugly Indeed, part of what this thing needs to do to improve is to become better at reading body language, which might help it work out, say, the difference between somebody trailing off, or pausing for thought, or having finished their sentence. And then, of course, it needs to learn how to adjust its own body language in response to yours, and to advance its goals in the communication. And here, for those of you that have followed my thoughts on AI over the last couple of years, you'll start to see some of the scary potential here. Forgive me as we take off into the realm of speculation – but the rapid convergence of technologies in this space makes some things pretty clear to me. Back in April, a study found that – and at the same time, we started seeing the first , capable of reading the tone of your voice and responding to the emotional content as well as the words. Oh, and here's some light reading if you're wondering how much an AI might be able to learn about you from your body language ... Back in 2021, a research review absolutely floored me by outlining So when I look at Carter looking back at me, I'm amazed by the progress and blown away by the technology, but I also see the embryonic form of the most powerful persuasive tool in history. This one might just beat religion, friends. Given just a short scrap of video, a scammer could have an agent video-call you as your own mother, and cold-read you like no human expert ever could, constantly monitoring your facial expressions, tone of voice and body language to keep tabs on whether it's fooling you or not. If you start to cotton on, it could notice almost before you do, and start deploying all sorts of distraction or refocusing techniques to bypass objections, create a sense of urgency, and move you toward its ultimate goal, whatever that is. That's just the criminal side of things ... Imagine trying to get a refund when the customer service agent you're talking to is a master conversational tactician, a superhuman body language expert and voice tone analyst all rolled into one. Imagine how powerful the sell's going to be when you're talking to a galaxy-brained super-salesman who can read you like a book. That's not to mention how effective these things will be as misinformation vectors, virtual girlfriends, divisive political tools ... Perhaps even police detectives or interrogators. They'll be incredibly believable one-on-one interactions, weaponizing our in-built physical tendencies to make our bodies betray us. The balance of power here will be incredibly one-sided, if they can just keep us on the line. In a positive sense, they'll become incredible therapists, doctors, assistants, coaches, mentors, trainers, teachers and probably friends. But it'll be more important than ever to bear in mind the base truth: if you don't own an AI, somebody else does, and it's working for them first, and you second. So be very careful what you choose to reveal, and only deal with companies that you trust ... ... or not. There might be no real way of protecting yourself from this stuff. We, as a species, might just have to adapt to a new reality. You can have a two-minute demo chat with Carter yourself at the . Tell him I said hi. Oh, and you can take a look at what HeyGen is doing in this space as well if you want to see some similar alternatives, although I was less impressed by . Source:GARDNERVILLE, Nev. — Mary McGee, a female racing pioneer and subject profiled in an Oscar-contending documentary “Motorcycle Mary,” has died, her family said. She was 87. “McGee’s unparalleled achievements in off-road racing and motorcycle racing have inspired generations of athletes that followed in her footsteps,” her family said in a statement. The family said McGee died of complications from a stroke at her home in Gardnerville, Nevada, on Wednesday, the day before the release of the short documentary “Motorcycle Mary” on ESPN’s YouTube channel. Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton was an executive producer on the film, which became available globally on Thursday. Its premiere was at the Tribeca Festival in June. “Mary embodied resilience, grace, and optimism,” McGee’s family wrote on social media. “She was a historic athlete and a motorsports pioneer who embraced life’s challenges, cared deeply for others, and made time to brighten the lives of those around her. While we are deeply saddened by this loss, we are comforted knowing that her light will continue to shine in everyone she touched.” McGee had an accomplished racing resume, first in auto racing and later in motorcycle racing. She became the first person — man or woman — to complete the grueling Baja 500 off-road race in Mexico solo, which she did in 1975. The film about her was directed by Haley Watson. Two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot also was an executive producer. “I’m deeply saddened by this news, but I am comforted to know that Mary was surrounded by friends and family at the time of her passing," Watson said. “In early 2022, I was researching stories when I came across Mary’s. That discovery marked the tipping point into uncovering a much larger and truly incredible career in motorsports and life journey.” Shortly after her family announced her death, Hamilton paid tribute on his Instagram account: “I’m deeply saddened to hear that Mary McGee, the first woman to road race motorcycles in the U.S and the first person to solo the Baja 500 has passed on," Hamilton wrote. “My condolences to her family and everyone who she’s inspired. Her legacy will live on as a trailblazer in the world of motorsports and beyond.” Born in Juneau, Alaska, during World War II, McGee and her older brother were sent to Iowa to live with their grandparents. Her brother became a race car driver and encouraged his sister to take up the sport, even though it was almost unprecedented for women at that time. Racing team owner Vasek Polak persuaded McGee to drive a Porsche Spyder, and she won races. Polak later persuaded her to try motorcycle racing and she also excelled. Steve McQueen, the late actor and racing enthusiast, was the one who persuaded McGee to take part in the Baja 500. McGee was the first woman to race motocross in the United States, the first to compete in an international motocross competition and the first to receive sponsorships from major brands. She was one of the most influential women in the history of motorsports and known for her mentorship of other women in racing. McGee was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2018. ___ AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Friday, Nov. 22 AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (WOMEN’S) 11 p.m. FS2 — AFL Playoffs: Port Adelaide at North Melbourne, Preliminary Final 3:30 a.m. (Saturday) FS2 — AFL Playoffs: Adelaide at Brisbane, Preliminary Final AUTO RACING 9:25 p.m. ESPNEWS — Formula 1: Practice, Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas 12:55 a.m. (Saturday) ESPN — Formula 1: Qualifying, Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) 11:30 a.m. ESPN2 — Charleston Classic: TBD, Semifinal, Charleston, S.C. ESPNU — Myrtle Beach Invitational: TBD, Consolation Semifinal, Conway, S.C. 2 p.m. ESPN2 — Myrtle Beach Invitational: TBD, Semifinal, Conway, S.C. ESPNU — Charleston Classic: TBD, Consolation Semifinal, Charleston, S.C. 2:30 p.m. CBSSN — Greenbrier Tip-Off: Pittsburgh vs. LSU, Semifinal, West White Sulphur Springs, W.V. 5 p.m. CBSSN — Greenbrier Tip-Off: Wisconsin vs. UCF, Semifinal, West White Sulphur Springs, W.V. ESPN2 — Charleston Classic: TBD, Semifinal, Charleston, S.C. ESPNU — Myrtle Beach Invitational: TBD, Semifinal, Conway, S.C. 6 p.m. BTN — Campbell at Ohio St. 7 p.m. CBSSN — Continental Tire Baha Mar Championship: TBD, Third-Place Game, Nassau, Bahamas ESPNU — Legends Classic: TBD, Third-Place Game, New York FS2 — Merrimack at Butler SECN — S. Illinois at Florida 8 p.m. BTN — Utah St. vs. Iowa, Kansas City, Mo. FS1 — Nebraska at Creighton 9 p.m. SECN — Little Rock at Arkansas 9:30 p.m. ESPNU — Legends Classic: TBD, Championship, New York CBSSN — Continental Tire Baha Mar Championship: TBD, Championship, Nassau, Bahamas 10 p.m. BTN — Cal St.-Fullerton at UCLA 10:30 p.m. ESPN2 — Duke at Arizona PEACOCK — Saint Louis vs. Wichita St., Kansas City, Mo. Story continues below video 12:30 a.m. (Saturday) ESPN2 — North Carolina at Hawaii COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) 7 p.m. ACCN — Florida at Florida St. COLLEGE FOOTBALL 7 p.m. ESPN2 — Temple at UTSA 8 p.m. FOX — Purdue at Michigan St. 10 p.m. FS1 — UNLV at San Jose St. GOLF Noon GOLF — PGA Tour: The The RSM Classic, Second Round, Sea Island Golf Club - Seaside Course, Sea Island, Ga. 3 p.m. GOLF — LPGA Tour: The CME Group Tour Championship, Second Round, Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Fla. 7:30 p.m. TNT — The Match Superstars: Semifinals, Breakers West Country Club, West Palm Beach, Fla. TRUTV — The Match Superstars: Semifinals, Breakers West Country Club, West Palm Beach, Fla. (DataCast) 9 p.m. TNT — The Match Superstars: Final, Breakers West Country Club, West Palm Beach, Fla. TRUTV — The Match Superstars: Final, Breakers West Country Club, West Palm Beach, Fla. (DataCast) 9:30 p.m. GOLF — DP World Tour: The BMW Australian PGA Championship, Third Round, Royal Queensland Golf Club, Brisbane, Australia 1 a.m. (Saturday) GOLF — Asian Tour: The LINK Hong Kong Open, Third Round, Hong Kong Golf Club, Hong Kong HORSE RACING Noon FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races NBA BASKETBALL 7:40 p.m. ESPN — Golden State at New Orleans 10:05 p.m. ESPN — Dallas at Denver NHL HOCKEY 7 p.m. NHLN — Winnipeg at Pittsburgh SAILING 5 a.m. (Saturday) CBSSN — Sail GP: The Emirates Dubai Sail Grand Prix - Day 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates TENNIS 11 a.m. TENNIS — Davis Cup Finals Semifinal The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .
The U.S. Election's Impact On REITsCam Thomas has been a crucial part of the Brooklyn Nets season. The 23-year-old guard has established himself as a prolific three-level scorer. Thomas has been central to the Nets’ surprising 8-10 start. Unfortunately, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Thomas will miss three to four weeks due to a left hamstring strain. ESPN story on the Nets losing ascending guard Cam Thomas for a month due to a hamstring strain: https://t.co/ucAbv6hdvc — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 27, 2024 Nets Rising Star Cam Thomas Expected to Miss 3-4 Weeks Thomas has been a standout player this season, currently ranking 14th in the NBA in scoring and averaging a career-high 24.7 points, 3.4 assists, and 3.2 rebounds. In addition to his on-court performance, he has been a key leader for the team. Thomas missed the November 19th game against the Charlotte Hornets due to back tightness. During Monday’s game against Golden State, he left the game and was ruled out for tonight. The three to four weeks news is a setback, especially with ongoing trade rumors involving Thomas. Breakout Season Before his injury, Thomas was having a breakout All-Star-level season. Thomas entered the league in 2021 when the Nets had an impressive roster, which included Kyrie Irving , Kevin Durant , and James Harden . Before Kyrie was traded in 2023, he mentored Thomas. Since the departure of the three, Thomas has led the Nets in scoring for the past two seasons, putting up numbers comparable to current All-Stars. The setback for Thomas will be hard since the team is currently in 8th place in the Eastern Conference standings. Future in Brooklyn Despite recent trade rumors, the Nets are in a good position for the future. Going into the 2025 offseason, the team has a projected $75.9 million in cap space . If they decide to trade players away before the deadline, their cap space could further increase. This would put the Nets in a great spot for their future and could turn them into contenders faster than anticipated. There have been growing reports that the Nets might not include Thomas in their future. Over the past summer, the Nets and Thomas failed to agree on an extension that would have allowed him to remain a Net. Once Thomas returns from his injury the Nets may be more active in finding a trade partner for him. How Thomas’ Injury Impacts the Nets The Nets have an 8-10 record heading into this Wednesday’s game against the Phoenix Suns, who hold a 10-7 record. Though not considered contenders at the beginning of the season, they are competing in each game and greatly out-performing expectations. However, injuries continue to plague the team. The news that Thomas will miss three to four weeks is a disappointment for the Nets. Additional roster adjustments will be needed; the team will look to Dennis Schroder to play a key role. Schroder has been playing for increased minutes and has been amazing on offense this season. All season, the Nets have shown their determination to be taken seriously, they are proving they will play hard and adjust. Hopefully, they can get a break from injuries. This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.
Jenkins throws for 3 TDs to carry FIU to 35-24 win over Middle Tennessee
DENVER (AP) — Amid renewed interest in the triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family’s home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note had been left behind. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet’s killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.” In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. “What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come into detectives,” he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the “media circus” surrounding the case. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet’s clothing that pointed to the involvement of an “unexplained third party” in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys “victims of this crime.” John Ramsey has continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado’s governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he has been for several items that have not been prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators have identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be “consumed” if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review had ended but that police continue to work through and evaluate a “lengthy list of recommendations” from the panel.( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) Reference is made to the stock exchange notices from IDEX Biometrics ASA on 13 November 2024 and 26 November 2024 regarding the subscription period (the“Subscription Period”), in the subsequent offering (the“Subsequent Offering”). Shareholders who participated in this offering will also receive warrants to subscribe for additional shares at the same price (NOK 0.15 per share). The Subscription Period expired 29 November 2024 at 16:30 CET. The company has been informed by Arctic Securities AS, that at the end of the Subscription Period, and based on preliminary count, valid subscription had been received for a total of approximately 27.6 million Offer Shares. The final result of the Subsequent Offering is expected to be announced by the Company on or about 02 December 2024. Investors that are allocated Offer Shares can access information on the number of Offer Shares allocated through VPS on or about 02 December 2024. Further announcement in respect of the Subsequent Offering and the Offer Shares will be made in due course. The due date for payment of the Offer Shares is on or about 04 December 2024. Subject to the payment of the Offer Shares by the subscribers, the share capital increase relating to the subsequent Offering is expected to be registered with the Norwegian Register of Business Enterprises (the“NRBE” on or about 06 December 2024 and the Offer Shares will thereafter be delivered to the VPS account of the allocated subscribers on or about 07 December 2024. First day of trading of the Offer Shares on Oslo Stock Exchange is expected on or about 08 December 2024, after the share capital increase relating to the Subsequent Offering is registered wit the NRBE. A separate announcement will be made when the share capital has been registered. Arctic Securities ASA is acting as manager in connection with the Subsequent Offering. About this notice: This notice was issued by Marianne Bøe, Head of Investor Relations, on 30 November 2024 at 18:50 CET on behalf of IDEX Biometrics ASA. The information is published in accordance with section 5-8 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act (STA) and released in accordance with section 5-12 of the STA. MENAFN30112024004107003653ID1108941599 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
First Half_1, Orlando City, Enrique, 9, 39th minute. Second Half_None. Goalies_Atlanta, Brad Guzan, Josh Cohen; Orlando City, Pedro Gallese, Javier Otero. Yellow Cards_Williams, Atlanta, 59th. Referee_Armando Villarreal. Assistant Referees_Kathryn Nesbitt, Chris Elliott, Greg Dopka. 4th Official_Pierre-Luc Lauziere. Atlanta_Brad Guzan; Luis Abram, Pedro Amador, Stian Gregersen (Tristan Muyumba, 73rd), Derrick Williams; Ajani Fortune, Saba Lobzhanidze, Dax McCarty (Xande Silva, 69th), Bartosz Slisz; Aleksey Miranchuk, Jamal Thiare (Daniel Rios, 43rd, Ronald Hernandez, 49th). Orlando City_Pedro Gallese; Robin Jansson, Rafael Santos (David Brekalo, 90th+1), Rodrigo Schlegel; Cesar Araujo, Wilder Cartagena, Martin Ojeda, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (Kyle Smith, 79th), Facundo Torres; Ivan Angulo (Nicolas Lodeiro, 79th), Ramiro Enrique (Luis Muriel, 69th).Inspire Exhibition, Science Fair From Dec. 5
Dyson Goes All in For Black Friday: The V11 Is Down to a Record Low Price At -40%SINGAPORE , Nov. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amber DWM Holding Limited ("Amber DWM"), the holding entity of Amber Group's digital wealth management business, known as Amber Premium ("Amber Premium"), today announced that it has entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited ("iClick" or the "Listco") (NASDAQ: ICLK ) and Overlord Merger Sub Ltd. ("Merger Sub"), a Cayman Islands exempted company and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Listco. Under the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will merge with and into Amber DWM, with Amber DWM continuing as the surviving entity and becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Listco (the "Merger"). Amber DWM's shareholders will exchange all of their issued and outstanding share capital for a mix of newly issued Class A and Class B ordinary shares of the Listco on the terms and conditions set forth therein in a transaction exempt from the registration requirements under the Securities Act of 1933. Wayne Huo , Chief Executive Officer and Director of Amber DWM , said: " We are thrilled to embark on this transformative journey with iClick. This merger represents a significant milestone, bringing together Amber Premium's expertise in digital wealth management and iClick's innovative marketing technology. Together, we aim to redefine the digital financial ecosystem, delivering unparalleled value to our clients and stakeholders. By bridging the worlds of blockchain, fintech and digital marketing, we are unlocking new opportunities to revolutionize how value is created and exchanged in the digital economy ." The transaction values Amber DWM at US$360 million and the Listco at US$40 million by equity value on a fully diluted basis (assuming completion of certain restructuring as set forth in the Merger Agreement). Upon closing of the Merger (the "Closing"), the Amber DWM shareholders and the Listco shareholders (including holders of ADSs) will own approximately 90% and 10%, respectively, of the outstanding shares of the combined company, or 97% and 3% voting power, respectively. The Merger Agreement also contemplates that, upon the Closing, the Listco will change its name to "Amber International Holding Limited" and adopt the tenth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Listco, in each case immediately before the effective time of the Merger (the "Effective Time"), following which the authorized share capital of the Listco shall only consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares (with different voting powers but equal economic rights), a par value of US$0.001 each. Please refer to the Merger Agreement filed as Exhibit 99.2 to the Form 6-K furnished by the Listco to the SEC on November 29, 2024 for more details. The Listco's board of directors (the "Board") approved the Merger Agreement and other transaction documents, including but not limited to the voting agreement entered into by and among certain shareholders of the Listco (who holds approximately 36% of the outstanding shares representing 71% voting power of the Listco as of the date of this press release), the Listco and Amber DWM (the "Voting Agreement") (collectively, the "Transaction Documents"), and the transactions contemplated thereunder (the "Transactions"), with the assistance of its financial and legal advisors. The Board also resolved to recommend that the Listco's shareholders vote to authorize and approve the Transaction Documents and the Transactions when they are submitted for shareholder approval. In connection with the Transaction, each of the shareholders of Amber DWM immediately prior to the consummation of the Merger is entering into a lock-up agreement with the Listco pursuant to which they have agreed not to transfer the shares received in consideration of the Merger for a period of 12 months following the Merger closing. The completion of the Transactions is subject to the satisfaction of closing conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement, including, among other things, receipt of the Listco's shareholder approval and regulatory/stock exchange approvals (if applicable). The Merger Agreement provides for a long-stop date for any party to terminate the agreement if the Merger is not completed by June 30, 2025 . " This merger represents a transformative opportunity to broaden our business portfolio by integrating Amber Premium's state-of-the-art digital wealth management solutions. By uniting iClick's robust data analytic and enterprise software expertise with Amber Premium's advanced digital wealth management services, we aim to unblock synergies between traditional finance and the rapidly evolving digital asset ecosystem, particularly benefitting corporate and high net worth individual clients ", said Mr. Jian Tang , Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of iClick . The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement and the Voting Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety to the full text of the Merger Agreement and the Voting Agreement, which are filed as Exhibits 99.2 and 99.3 to the Form 6-K furnished by the Listco to the SEC on 29, 2024, respectively. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is serving as U.S. legal counsel to Amber DWM. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is serving as U.S. legal counsel to iClick. About Amber Premium Amber Premium, the business brand behind Amber DWM Holding Limited, is a leading digital wealth management platform offering private banking-level solutions tailored for the dynamic crypto economy. Serving a premium clientele of esteemed institutions and qualified individuals, Amber Premium develops and supports innovative digital wealth management products. Its institutional-grade access and operations makes it the top choice for one-stop digital wealth management services, providing tailored, secure solutions that drive growth in the Web3 economy. About iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited Founded in 2009, iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited (NASDAQ: ICLK ) is a renowned online marketing and enterprise solutions provider in Asia . With its leading proprietary technologies, iClick's full suite of data-driven solutions helps brands drive significant business growth and profitability throughout the full consumer lifecycle. For more information, please visit https://ir.i-click.com . Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements." These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the pending transactions described herein, and the parties' perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. The words "will," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan" and similar expressions indicate forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and shareholders and other potential investors must recognize that actual results may differ materially from the expectations as a result of a variety of factors. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are hard to predict or control, that may cause the actual results, performance, or plans to differ materially from any future results, performance or plans expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: (i) risks related to the expected timing and likelihood of completion of the proposed transaction, including the risk that the transaction may not close due to one or more closing conditions to the transaction not being satisfied or waived; (ii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the applicable transaction agreements; (iii) the risk that there may be a material adverse change with respect to the financial position, performance, operations or prospects of the Listco, Amber DWM or the combined entity; (iv) risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; (v) the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of the Listco's securities; (vi) the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of Amber DWM or the combined entity to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with their suppliers and customers and on their operating results and businesses generally; (vii) any changes in the business or operating prospects of Amber DWM and the combined entity or their businesses; (viii) changes in applicable laws and regulations; and (ix) risks relating to Amber DWM's and the combined company's ability to enhance their services and products, execute their business strategy, expand their customer base and maintain stable relationship with their business partners. A further list and description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the proxy statement that will be filed with the SEC by the Listco in connection with the proposed transactions, and other documents that the parties may file or furnish with the SEC, which you are encouraged to read. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made, and the Listco, Amber DWM and their respective subsidiaries and affiliates undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made except as required by law or applicable regulation. No Offer or Solicitation This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the transactions described above and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of Amber DWM, the Listco or the combined company, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom. Participants in the Solicitation The Listco, Amber DWM and their respective directors and executive officers may also be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of the Listco in connection with the proposed transaction. A list of the names of such directors and executive officers and information regarding their interests in the proposed transaction will be included in the proxy statement pertaining to the proposed transaction when it becomes available for the proposed transaction. Additional Information and Where to Find It The Listco will file with the SEC and mail to its shareholders a proxy statement in connection with the proposed transaction. Investors and securityholders are urged to read the proxy statement when it becomes available because it will contain important information regarding the proposed arrangement. You may access the proxy statement (when available) and other related documents filed by the Listco with the SEC at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . You also may obtain the proxy statement (when it is available) and other documents filed by the Listco with the SEC relating to the proposed arrangement for free by accessing the Listco's website at ir.i-click.com. SOURCE Amber Group
Trump’s Plans Risk Inflating Bullish Stock Market Into a Bubble - Bloomberg
Formula 1 has confirmed that it has reached an agreement in principle with General Motors to add an 11th team to the grid for 2026, with the new outfit likely to be branded as Cadillac. The chance of the GM bid joining the grid appeared to be dead in the water just months ago after initially being led by Andretti Global but has now accelerated to being a fully-fledged team for the season after next. Editor's Picks Why F1 rejected Andretti bid to join the grid for 2025, 2026 299d Laurence Edmondson Andretti could join F1 grid as GM team 3d Associated Press F1 had initially rejected an Andretti-GM bid and closed the door on that specific proposal until 2028. The sport has had 10 teams on the grid since 2017, and that looked likely to remain the case for the foreseeable future. But in an announcement on Monday, F1 said it had "maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024." F1 said GM has "achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the eleventh team GM/Cadillac." GM has also made a commitment to enter as a single engine supplier at a later time, according to the F1 news release, although it will need a customer deal with an existing manufacturer for its debut season in 2026 and likely for 2027 too. F1 teams had been lukewarm about the original bid led by Michael Andretti, son of 1978 world champion Mario. Michael Andretti had angered F1 teams and the sport's owner, Liberty Media, by calling the sport "greedy" for blocking his attempts to join the grid. He stepped away from his leadership role at Andretti Global last month. While opposed to the Andretti side of the bid, F1 was very open to the idea of bringing a manufacturer of General Motors' size and stature to the grid, especially if it would commit to building its own engines in future. The entry of a team branded Cadillac would be another huge boost for the sport as its popularity continues to boom in the U.S. It remains to be seen whether the team will bring an American driver, but it now means there are two additional spots on the grid for emerging and existing talent. The American team will be based in a UK factory near Silverstone racetrack that Andretti Global started work on earlier this year. Greg Maffei, the outgoing CEO and president of Liberty Media, said: "With Formula 1's continued growth plans in the U.S., we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1. We are excited to move forward with the application process for the GM/Cadillac team to enter the Championship in 2026." Mark Reuss, president of General Motors, added: "As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It's an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world's premier racing series, and we're committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM's engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level."Super Falcons set for France friendly as Plumptre returns
LUCERNE, Switzerland—Would you trust an “AI Jesus” with your innermost thoughts and troubles? Researchers and religious leaders on Wednesday released findings from a two-month experiment through art in a Catholic chapel in Switzerland, where an avatar of “Jesus” on a computer screen—tucked into a confessional—took questions by visitors on faith, morality and modern-day woes, and offered responses based on Scripture. The idea, said the chapel’s theological assistant, was to recognize the growing importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in human lives, even when it comes to religion, and explore the limits of human trust in a machine. After the two-month run of the “Deus in Machina” exhibit at St. Peter’s Chapel starting in late August, some 900 conversations from visitors—some came more than once—were transcribed anonymously. Those behind the project said it was largely a success: Visitors often came out moved or deep in thought, and found it easy to use. A small sign invited visitors to enter a confessional—chosen for its intimacy—and below a lattice screen across which penitent believers would usually speak with a priest, a green light signaled the visitor’s turn to speak, and a red one came on when “AI Jesus” on a computer screen on the other side was responding. Often, a lag time was needed to wait for the response—a testament to the technical complexities. After exiting, nearly 300 visitors filled out questionnaires that informed the report released Wednesday. Of love, war, suffering and solitude Philipp Haslbauer, an IT specialist at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts who pulled together the technical side of the project, said the AI responsible for taking the role of “AI Jesus” and generating responses was GPT-4o by OpenAI, and an open-source version of the company’s Whisper was used for speech comprehension. An AI video generator from Heygen was used to produce voice and video from a real person, he said. Haslbauer said no specific safeguards were used “because we observed GPT-4o to respond fairly well to controversial topics.” Visitors broached many topics, including true love, the afterlife, feelings of solitude, war and suffering in the world, the existence of God, plus issues like sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church or its position on homosexuality. Most visitors described themselves as Christians, though agnostics, atheists, Muslims, Buddhists and Taoists took part too, according to a recap of the project released by the Catholic parish of Lucerne. About one-third were German speakers, but “AI Jesus”—which is conversant in about 100 languages—also had conversations in languages like Chinese, English, French, Hungarian, Italian, Russian and Spanish. ‘Work of the Devil’? “What was really interesting [was] to see that the people really talked with him in a serious way. They didn’t come to make jokes,” said chapel theologian Marco Schmid, who spearheaded the project. Most visitors were aged 40 to 70, and more Catholics respondents found the experience stimulating than did Protestants, the report showed. Schmid was quick to point out that the “AI Jesus”—billed as a “Jesus-like” persona—was an artistic experiment to get people thinking about the intersection between the digital and the divine, not substitute for human interaction or sacramental confessions with a priest, nor was it intended to save pastoral resources. “For the people it was clear that it was a computer...It was clear it was not a confession,” Schmid said. “He wasn’t programmed to give absolutions or prayers. At the end, it was more summary of the conversation.” The Catholic Church from the Vatican on down has been wrestling with the challenges—and possible opportunities—presented by the explosion in public interest in AI since generative artificial intelligence captured the world’s attention two years ago when OpenAI’s ChatGPT made its debut. The Vatican has appointed a friar from a medieval Franciscan order as its top expert on AI, and a Lutheran church in Bavaria served up sermons delivered by a chatbot last year. Pope Francis, in his annual peace message for this year, pushed for an international treaty to ensure the ethical use of AI technology. Chatbots like ChatGPT are powered by algorithmic models trained on vast pools of text and other data to mimic speech and generate seemingly unique and human-like responses. Haslbauer is sensitive to public reaction and has noted chatter on social media saying the project is “blasphemous” or the “work of the devil.” “If you read comments on the internet about it, some are very negative—which is scary,” Haslbauer, whose long-haired look featured as a basis for the image of the virtual Jesus. In a demonstration of the technology in the chapel, Haslbauer queried “AI Jesus” about its message for a troubled world, and about whether AI could be helpful as a way for people to find God. “All knowledge and wisdom ultimately come from God,” the chatbot said in a soothing voice, after a pause to respond, and the image briefly crackled. “If used wisely, AI can indeed be a tool to explore the wonders of creation, deepen our understanding of Scripture, and foster connections among people.” “Yet it remains essential to seek God with all your heart and soul beyond any technology,” it added. Good side, and downsides Kenneth Cukier, a journalist, author and expert with the US-based nonprofit group called “AI and Faith,” said if “AI Jesus” helps people connect deeper to themselves and the world, it “has to be a good thing.” “It will lead to better individuals and a better world,” he said. “However—and there’s a big however—this does feel a little bit infantile, and pardon my pun, machine-like.” “The risk is that it pulls people, ultimately, farther away from that which is more meaningful, deeper and authentic in spirituality,” said Cukier, co-author of “Big Data: A Revolution that Will Transform How We Work, Live and Think.” For Schmid, the exhibit was a pilot project—and he doesn’t foresee a second coming of “AI Jesus” anytime soon. “For us, it was also clear it was just a limited time that we will expose this Jesus,” he said, adding that any return would need to be done after deeper thought. “We are discussing ... how we could revive him again,” he said, noting interest from parishes, schoolteachers, researchers and others as the project got media attention in Switzerland and beyond. “They all are interested and would like to have this ‘AI Jesus’. So we have now a little bit to reflect on how we want to continue.”
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner , father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Recommended Videos Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former senior Trump adviser who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, had sought. Christie has blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trump’s transition team in 2016, and has called Charles Kushner’s offenses “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney.” Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009. ___ Tucker reported from Newtown, Pennsylvania.It is said to be designed for side, back and stomach sleepers by following the shape of the spine Often side and black sleepers can feel that the average pillow does not offer them the support they want. But there is an Amazon pillow that has gained thousands of positive reviews with some saying it has "changed their lives". The Elviros Cervical Contour Memory Foam Orthopaedic Pillow is said to be designed to elevate neck and shoulder pain with its ergonomic shape. The for pillow is £35.99, down from £43.19 and is said to be for side, back and stomach sleepers and has a removable cover for easy cleaning. The product description said: " Elviros contour pillows are well designed to support by following the natural curve of your body keeps air passages optimal for less snoring and more restful sleep. The cut outs on the side give your top arm a place to rest and keep it at an angle so your shoulder is not hunching over in front of you. READ MORE: Get Baileys 'cheaper than the supermarkets' in £10 Amazon limited time deal READ MORE: Five minute 'game changer' hack boosts radiator heat but not your energy bill "The slope keeps your head from rolling out of a stable position. Bringing a reduction of stress in the cervical vertebra and spine. Improving sleep and relieving neck and shoulder pain [and] discomfort rejuvenating your body." People who have already bought the pillow said it has given them the best night's sleep. Alexis said it has changed their life , they said: "Ever since I’ve got this pillow , I’ve slept like a baby each night. Thankful for this purchase every time I lay my head on the pillow. Too blessed to be stressed, thanks to this pillow. Recommend to anyone with a neck." Sahara1666 said: "A life changing pillow? Very possibly! I've only had this pillow two nights so far, so will update if anything changes, but do far I am DELIGHTED. "I suffer from chronic neck and back pain and honestly couldn't remember the last time I got a "good night's sleep". My consultant recommended sleeping on my back which I could never do as I'd wake up stiff and in even more pain than usual...Until I bought this! "For the past two nights I've slept on my back with no difficulty and woken up in the morning feeling refreshed and rested. I'm not pain free, and I don't think that's possible, but it's definitely reduced. Utterly delighted. "I debated buying this for a while because it's not cheap and I've used memory foam pillow before and hated them. All I can say is give it a go. I'm finding it hard to believe that something as simple as a pillow can have made such a huge difference to me, and maybe it'll not last, but for now, I'm an extremely happy customer." However, one person did think that the pillow did not provide them enough support. Lee said: "I am mostly a front sleeper so from that point of view it’s comfortable and therefore I can still use it so it’s not a waste of money but for me it’s not value for money. Unfortunately the lack of robust support for my neck and shoulders has influenced my lower rating." But KatDem said: "Enables me to sleep better. Wonderful for my neck. I am a side sleeper and it holds my head in a position that prevents my drooling on to the pillow. It would have 5* but the cover is rough." And another advised that they use another standard pillow underneath if you find the Elviros Cervical Contour Memory Foam Orthopaedic Pillow too low on its own. Alternatively, there is the highly praised Simba Hybrid® Pillow with temperature regulating Stratos technology and customisable height for £87.20 or the Derila Memory Foam Ergonomic Pillow also said to help woth snoring and neck pain for £41.99.Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball will miss at least 2 weeks with a left calf strain