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Linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) returned to the practice field Wednesday as a limited participant. The Ravens could use Smith against the NFL’s leading rusher, Saquon Barkley, on Sunday. Smith missed Monday night’s win over the Chargers. Tackles are not an official statistic, but unofficially, Smith’s 110 tackles rank third in the NFL. Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce (calf) also was limited after being designated for return from injured reserve. He has missed the past four games after being injured Oct. 27. “We have our fingers crossed that he could be ready this week,” coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday, via the team website. Tight end Charlie Kolar (broken arm), cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf) and outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (hamstring/neck) did not practice. Defensive tackle Travis Jones (ankle) and rookie safety Sanoussi Kane (ankle) were limited participants.NoneCommentary: From White House to Disney, successions are a killer problem
Paris stocks wobble, euro falls on France budget standoffPachpadra refinery nears completionHow major US stock indexes fared Monday, 12/2/2024
The businessman was described as a “close confidante” of The Duke The Duke of York has said he “ceased all contact” with the businessman accused of being a Chinese spy when concerns were first raised about him. Andrew met the individual through “official channels” with “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”, a statement from his office said. The businessman – known only as H6 – lost an appeal over a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds. He brought a case to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) after then-home secretary Suella Braverman said he should be excluded from the UK in March 2023. H6 was described as a “close confidante” of The Duke. Judges were told that in a briefing for the home secretary in July 2023, officials claimed H6 had been in a position to generate relationships between prominent UK figures and senior Chinese officials “that could be leveraged for political interference purposes”. They also said that H6 had downplayed his relationship with the Chinese state, which combined with his relationship with Andrew, 64, represented a threat to national security. A statement from Andrew’s office said: “The Duke of York followed advice from His Majesty’s Government and ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised. The Duke met the individual through official channels with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed. He is unable to comment further on matters relating to national security.” At a hearing in July, the specialist tribunal heard that the businessman was told by an adviser to Andrew that he could act on the duke’s behalf when dealing with potential investors in China, and that H6 had been invited to Andrew’s birthday party in 2020. A letter referencing the birthday party from the adviser, Dominic Hampshire, was discovered on H6’s devices when he was stopped at a port in November 2021. In a ruling on Thursday, Mr Justice Bourne, Judge Stephen Smith and Sir Stewart Eldon, dismissed the challenge.Excitement, frustration dominate polls
New York, NY, Nov. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Launch Two Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: LPBBU) (the “ Company ”) announced today that, commencing November 29, 2024, holders of the units sold in the Company’s initial public offering may elect to separately trade the Company’s Class A ordinary shares and warrants included in the units. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. The Class A ordinary shares and warrants that are separated will trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbols “LPBB” and “LPBBW,” respectively. Those units not separated will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “LPBBU.” This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of the Company, nor shall there be any sale of these 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 any such state or jurisdiction. About Launch Two Acquisition Corp. Launch Two Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, amalgamation, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The Company may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business or industry or at any stage of its corporate evolution. The Company’s primary focus, however, will be on technology and software infrastructure companies whose products and services target financial services, real estate and asset management companies. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may include, and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may include, “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements regarding possible business combinations and the financing thereof, and related matters, as well as all other statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management team, identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company’s management. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“ SEC ”). All subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are qualified in their entirety by this paragraph. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and prospectus for the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. Company Contact: Launch Two Acquisition Corp. Jurgen van de Vyver jurgen@launchpad.vc (510) 692-9600AP Business SummaryBrief at 4:39 p.m. EST
By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Sports Writer NEW YORK — Same iconic statue, very different race. With two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty leading the field, these certainly aren’t your typical Heisman Trophy contenders. Sure, veteran quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel from top-ranked Oregon and Cam Ward of No. 15 Miami are finalists for college football’s most prestigious award as well, but the 90th annual ceremony coming up Saturday night at Lincoln Center in New York City (5 p.m. PT, ESPN) offers a fresh flavor this year. To start with, none of the four are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has produced four of the past five Heisman winners – two each from Alabama and LSU. Jeanty, who played his home games for a Group of Five team on that peculiar blue turf in Idaho more than 2,100 miles from Manhattan, is the first running back even invited to the Heisman party since 2017. After leading the country with 2,497 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, he joined quarterback Kellen Moore (2010) as the only Boise State players to be named a finalist. “The running back position has been overlooked for a while now,” said Jeanty, who plans to enter the 2025 NFL Draft. “There’s been a lot of great running backs before me that should have been here in New York, so to kind of carry on the legacy of the running back position I think is great. ... I feel as if I’m representing the whole position.” With the votes already in, all four finalists spent Friday conducting interviews and sightseeing in the Big Apple. They were given custom, commemorative watches to mark their achievement. “I’m not a watch guy, but I like it,” said Hunter, flashing a smile. The players also took photos beneath the massive billboards in Times Square and later posed with the famous Heisman Trophy, handed out since 1935 to the nation’s most outstanding performer. Hunter, the heavy favorite, made sure not to touch it yet. A dominant player on both offense and defense who rarely comes off the field, the wide receiver/cornerback is a throwback to generations gone by and the first full-time, true two-way star in decades. On offense, he had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season to help the 20th-ranked Buffaloes (9-3) earn their first bowl bid in four years. On defense, he made four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced a critical fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor. Hunter played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense – the only Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Call him college football’s answer to baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani. “I think I laid the ground for more people to come in and go two ways,” Hunter said. “It starts with your mindset. If you believe you can do it, then you’ll be able to do it. And also, I do a lot of treatment. I keep up with my body. I get a lot of recovery.” Hunter is Colorado’s first Heisman finalist in 30 years. The junior from Suwanee, Georgia, followed Coach Deion Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that plays in the lower level FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering combination of accolades this week, including The Associated Press Player of the Year. Hunter also won the Walter Camp Award as national player of the year, along with the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver. “It just goes to show that I did what I had to do,” Hunter said. Next, he’d like to polish off his impressive hardware collection by becoming the second Heisman Trophy recipient in Buffaloes history, after late running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. “I worked so hard for this moment, so securing the Heisman definitely would set my legacy in college football,” Hunter said. “Being here now is like a dream come true.” Jeanty carried No. 8 Boise State (12-1) to a Mountain West Conference championship that landed the Broncos the third seed in this year’s College Football Playoff. They have a first-round bye before facing the SMU-Penn State winner in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Eve. The 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior from Jacksonville, Florida, won the Maxwell Award as college football’s top player and the Doak Walker Award for best running back. Jeanty has five touchdown runs of at least 70 yards and has rushed for the fourth-most yards in a season in FBS history – topping the total of 115 teams this year. He needs 132 yards to break the FBS record set by Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988. In a pass-happy era, however, Jeanty is trying to become the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy since Derrick Henry for Alabama nine years ago. In fact, quarterbacks have snagged the prize all but four times this century. Gabriel, an Oklahoma transfer, led Oregon (13-0) to a Big Ten title in its first season in the league and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The steady senior from Hawaii passed for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate ranks second in the nation, and he’s attempting to join quarterback Marcus Mariota (2014) as Ducks players to win the Heisman Trophy. “I think all the memories start to roll back in your mind,” Gabriel said. Ward threw for 4,123 yards and led the nation with a school-record 36 touchdown passes for the high-scoring Hurricanes (10-2) after transferring from Washington State. The senior from West Columbia, Texas, won the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Year award and is looking to join QBs Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992) as Miami players to go home with the Heisman. “I just think there’s a recklessness that you have to play with at the quarterback position,” Ward said. Finalists: QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon; WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado; RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State; QB Cam Ward, Miami When: Saturday, 5 p.m. PT Where: Lincoln Center, New York City TV: ESPNA Tennessee man is convicted of killing 2 at a high school basketball game in 2021
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Hoda Kotb left her Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager momentarily speechless by recalling an unthinkable exchange from before her time at NBC in which an unnamed boss critiqued her weight. On Monday, December 2, the anchors of Today With Hoda and Jenna discussed how Timothee Chalamet has successfully pivoted to action roles after reportedly losing out on previous jobs because of his body type. “I mean, look, sometimes people will tell you things that you’re not right for,” Kotb said. “I still remember had just started working in a small market,” she continued. “And I played basketball in high school so I always assumed I was in shape even though, literally, after college and stuff I wasn’t.” “I still remember my boss going to me, ‘Hey, Hoda,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah?’ He goes, ‘Hey, I got an idea. Maybe you might wanna try to get on the treadmill,’” Kotb said. The 60-year-old added levity by impersonating her then-boss’s voice and doing a treadmill-running motion. Bush Hager looked shocked and stared directly into the camera, gasping, “No!” Kotb continued, “And I go, ‘What?!’ You know when you have a perception of yourself that is not the perception of the world?” Bush Hager joked, “Yeah, it’s called reverse body dysmorphia. I have it too.” “Yeah, so I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’” Kotb recalled. “But, if you don’t fit, they want you to wear something a certain way, cut your hair a certain way, speak a certain way.” The shocking exchange can be seen around the 5 minute mark of the broadcast shared on YouTube below: Bush Hager related to being told to change oneself, bringing up how she was originally asked to refrain from saying “y’all” on the Today show. She said she dismissed the idea, and that she couldn’t “pretend” to be a “serious news person” and continued saying the slang word. Related Craig Melvin Named as Hoda Kotb's Replacement on 'Today' “I think you know when you’re pretending deep down and no matter what it is, you start losing who you are,” Kotb concluded, admitting that “sometimes” people have to make small changes to “fit into a work environment.” Kotb made sure not to name names, but since she has worked for NBC for the last 26 years, the unnamed boss may have been from her local news days. Kotb worked at a CBS local station in Greenville, Mississippi after graduating from Virginia Tech in 1986. Today , Weekdays, 7 a.m. ET, NBC More Headlines: Will ‘Yellowstone’ Fulfill ‘1883’ Prophecy & 6 More Burning Questions We Need Answered ‘Today’: Hoda Kotb Reveals Former Boss Told Her to ‘Get on The Treadmill’ (VIDEO) ‘Based on a True Story’s Melissa Fumero on Breaking Bad in Peacock’s Killer Comedy Is ‘SNL’ New This Weekend? Here’s Everything to Know ‘The Price Is Right’ Fans Want Big Change to Game After Contestant’s ‘Depressing’ DisasterParis stocks wobbled and the euro fell Monday as a budget standoff in France fueled concern about the eurozone's second-biggest economy. Positive data from China helped boost equity markets elsewhere, with Germany's DAX index hitting a record above 19,900 points.A 7-year-old dispute between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and prevent an artificial intelligence "dictatorship" is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker's ongoing shift into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year alleging it had betrayed its founding aims as a nonprofit research lab benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. The world's richest man, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and social media platform X, last year started his own rival AI company, xAI. Musk says it faces unfair competition from OpenAI and its close business partner Microsoft, which has supplied the huge computing resources needed to build AI systems such as ChatGPT. “OpenAI and Microsoft together exploiting Musk’s donations so they can build a for-profit monopoly, one now specifically targeting xAI, is just too much,” says Musk's filing that alleges the companies are violating the terms of Musk’s foundational contributions to the charity. OpenAI is filing a response Friday opposing Musk’s requested order, saying it would cripple OpenAI’s business and mission to the advantage of Musk and his own AI company. A hearing is set for January before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland. At the heart of the dispute is a 2017 internal power struggle at the fledgling startup that led to Altman becoming OpenAI's CEO. Musk also wanted the job, according to emails revealed as part of the court case, but grew frustrated after two other OpenAI co-founders said he would hold too much power as a major shareholder and chief executive if the startup succeeded in its goal to achieve better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Musk has long voiced concerns about how advanced forms of AI could threaten humanity. “The current structure provides you with a path where you end up with unilateral absolute control over the AGI," said a 2017 email to Musk from co-founders Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman. “You stated that you don't want to control the final AGI, but during this negotiation, you've shown to us that absolute control is extremely important to you.” In the same email, titled “Honest Thoughts,” Sutskever and Brockman also voiced concerns about Altman's desire to be CEO and whether he was motivated by “political goals.” Altman eventually succeeded in becoming CEO, and has remained so except for a period last year when he was fired and then reinstated days later after the board that ousted him was replaced. OpenAI published the messages Friday in a blog post meant to show its side of the story, particularly Musk's early support for the idea of making OpenAI a for-profit business so it could raise money for the hardware and computer power that AI needs. It was Musk, through his wealth manager Jared Birchall, who first registered “Open Artificial Technologies Technologies, Inc.”, a public benefit corporation, in September 2017. Then came the “Honest Thoughts” email that Musk described as the “final straw.” “Either go do something on your own or continue with OpenAI as a nonprofit,” Musk wrote back. Musk didn't immediately respond to emailed requests for comment sent to his companies Friday. Asked about his frayed relationship with Musk at a New York Times conference last week, Altman said he felt “tremendously sad” but also characterized Musk’s legal fight as one about business competition. “He’s a competitor and we’re doing well,” Altman said. He also said at the conference that he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence with President-elect Donald Trump. OpenAI said Friday that Altman plans to make a $1 million personal donation to Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships with the incoming administration.
Montana State Bobcats look forward to Puerto Rico basketball trip with Waded CruzadoD-Wave Quantum Inc. QBTS shares are trading higher Friday in sympathy with Alphabet Inc. 's GOOGL GOOG Google, which announced the launch of its new quantum computing chip, Willow, earlier this week. Here’s what you need to know. What To Know: Google Quantum AI's Willow chip demonstrated progress in quantum computing by performing a task in under five minutes that would take one of the fastest supercomputers an estimated 10 septillion years to complete. Willow incorporates advanced error correction techniques that reduce errors as the number of qubits increases. This innovation addresses one of quantum computing's long-standing challenges: error rates associated with scaling up qubits. Why It Matters: D-Wave, which operates within the quantum computing space, may be benefiting from investor speculation that advancements such as Google's Willow could bolster interest and investment across the quantum sector. The announcement also highlights ongoing collaborations between quantum computing firms and established technology leaders like Nvidia, which recently partnered with Google Quantum AI to advance quantum hardware development. The significance of Willow's launch lies in its potential to accelerate quantum computing's commercial viability. With demonstrated breakthroughs in error correction and computational speed, the technology could disrupt industries ranging from finance to materials science, while influencing the competitive dynamics of quantum computing firms like D-Wave. D-Wave Price Action: D-Wave Quantum shares were up 27.88% at $5 at publication Friday, according to Benzinga Pro. Read Next: Is U.S. Health Insurance Failing The Sickest And Poorest? New Study Reveals 49 Million Americans Lack Proper Health Coverage Photo: Shutterstock. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.