646jili com
Elon Musk’s Bold AI Chip Strategy Sends Shockwaves Through NvidiaDirect Line has rejected a £3.3bn takeover offer from FTSE 100 insurer Aviva , the second suitor it has rejected so far this year. In a stock exchange announcement, Aviva confirmed that it had submitted an offer last week, which valued the FTSE 250 firm at 250p per share. The offer represented a premium of 60 per cent to Direct Line’s share price on the day before the proposal was submitted. Direct Line said the deal was “highly opportunistic and substantially undervalued the company”. “The Board has considerable conviction in the capabilities of our newly established leadership team and stands firmly behind their delivery of our strategy,” the insurer said in a statement . “The Board considered the proposal to not reflect the standalone value that can be delivered by the Company,” it added. Direct Line is undertaking a turnaround plan, which it hopes will deliver around £50m in cost savings in 2025. In its third quarter trading update, released earlier this month, the firm said it was considering cutting around 550 roles as part of its savings programme. The firm has already rebuffed two approaches from the Belgian insurer Ageas this year, with the latter valuing the firm at £3.1bn. The board unanimously rejected Ageas’ approach back in March, also describing it as “highly opportunistic”. However, Aviva said the deal would deliver unlock value that is “inaccessible to Direct Line standalone” and would deliver “material cost and capital synergies, incremental to Direct Line’s existing cost savings programme”. Shares in Direct Line have fallen over 14 per cent in the year-to-date, giving it a market cap of around £2.1bn. Under UK takeover rules Aviva has until Christmas Day to announce an intention to make an offer or walk away.
A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok’s petition to overturn the law — which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — and rebuffed the company’s challenge of the statute, which it argued had ran afoul of the First Amendment. “The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” said the court’s opinion, which was written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.” TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, though its unclear whether the court will take up the case. “The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans' right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people,” Hughes said. Unless stopped, he argued the statute “will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025.” Though the case is squarely in the court system, it’s also possible the two companies might be thrown some sort of a lifeline by President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the presidential campaign that he is now against such action . “He wants to save TikTok,” Rep. Michael Waltz, Trump’s pick for national security adviser, said Friday during an interview on Fox Business. The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a yearslong saga in Washington over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China. The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits , that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect. The European Union on Friday expressed similar concerns as it investigates intelligence that suggests Russia possibly abused the platform to influence the elections in Romania. “Today’s decision is an important step in blocking the Chinese government from weaponizing TikTok,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement Friday. TikTok, which sued the government over the law in May, has long denied it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. Its attorneys have accurately pointed out that the U.S. hasn’t provided evidence to show that the company handed over user data to the Chinese government, or manipulated content for Beijing’s benefit in the U.S. They have also argued the law is predicated on future risks, which the Department of Justice has emphasized pointing in part to unspecified action it claims the two companies have taken in the past due to demands from the Chinese government. Friday’s ruling came after the appeals court panel, composed of two Republicans and one Democrat appointed judges, heard oral arguments in September. In the hearing, which lasted more than two hours, the panel appeared to grapple with how TikTok’s foreign ownership affects its rights under the Constitution and how far the government could go to curtail potential influence from abroad on a foreign-owned platform. On Friday, all three denied TikTok’s petition. In the court’s ruling, Ginsburg, a Republican appointee, rejected TikTok’s main legal arguments against the law, including that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder, or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. He also said the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to “suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok. “Content on the platform could in principle remain unchanged after divestiture, and people in the United States would remain free to read and share as much PRC propaganda (or any other content) as they desire on TikTok or any other platform of their choosing,” Ginsburg wrote, using the abbreviation for the People’s Republic of China. Judge Sri Srinivasan, the chief judge on the court, issued a concurring opinion. TikTok’s lawsuit was consolidated with a second legal challenge brought by several content creators — for which the company is covering legal costs — as well as a third one filed on behalf of conservative creators who work with a nonprofit called BASED Politics Inc. Other organizations, including the Knight First Amendment Institute, had also filed amicus briefs supporting TikTok. “This is a deeply misguided ruling that reads important First Amendment precedents too narrowly and gives the government sweeping power to restrict Americans’ access to information, ideas, and media from abroad,” said Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the organization. “We hope that the appeals court’s ruling won’t be the last word.” Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, lawmakers who had pushed for the legislation celebrated the court’s ruling. “I am optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok to allow its continued use in the United States and I look forward to welcoming the app in America under new ownership,” said Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China. Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who co-authored the law, said “it’s time for ByteDance to accept” the law. To assuage concerns about the company’s owners, TikTok says it has invested more than $2 billion to bolster protections around U.S. user data. The company has also argued the government’s broader concerns could have been resolved in a draft agreement it provided the Biden administration more than two years ago during talks between the two sides. It has blamed the government for walking away from further negotiations on the agreement, which the Justice Department argues is insufficient. Attorneys for the two companies have claimed it’s impossible to divest the platform commercially and technologically. They also say any sale of TikTok without the coveted algorithm — the platform’s secret sauce that Chinese authorities would likely block under any divesture plan — would turn the U.S. version of TikTok into an island disconnected from other global content. RECOMMENDED • silive .com Is there a new ‘Saturday Night Live’ episode tonight (12/7/24)? Dec. 7, 2024, 9:00 a.m. Could Daylight Saving Time end in the new Trump administration? Musk, Ramaswamy on board Dec. 4, 2024, 12:22 p.m. Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in purchasing the platform. Both men said earlier this year that they were launching a consortium to purchase TikTok’s U.S. business. This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said unnamed participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital.In a Dec. 22 Truth Social post , Trump announced Ken Howery as his choice for United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark and added that the U.S. should pursue control of Greenland. Greenland is an island located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans and is a territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump’s post says. While Trump hasn’t elaborated on his motivation to purchase Greenland, the territory has access to valuable natural resources and houses a large U.S. military base . Its location also provides access to the Arctic Ocean from the Atlantic. Trump first floated the idea of purchasing Greenland in 2019, during his first administration. Denmark’s prime minister called purchase discussions “absurd,” prompting Trump to cancel a planned trip to the country. Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton penned an op-ed in 2019 saying that acquiring the territory would provide a safeguard against foreign threats like what the U.S. faced during World War II and the Cold War. After Trump expressed renewed interest in Greenland on Dec. 22, Google search data shows there’s been a spike in searches about Trump’s statement and Greenland, including whether the territory is for sale. THE QUESTION Is Greenland for sale? THE SOURCES THE ANSWER No, Greenland is not for sale. WHAT WE FOUND Greenland is not for sale, Múte Egede, the territory’s prime minister, said on Facebook . “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our years-long fight for freedom,” Egede wrote in Danish, translated into English via Google Translate. “However, we must continue to be open to cooperation and trade with the whole world, especially with our neighbours. Since all cooperation and trade cannot go through Denmark. All cooperation with us must be based on our values. Because at all times we must not squabble about our country,” Egede wrote. Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, according to the Danish national government website . It has its own government, managing most domestic affairs, while Denmark oversees foreign policy, defense and monetary matters. In 2009, Greenland's residents voted for increased autonomy , which gave the island its own parliament and independent leadership, but it is still in part controlled by Denmark. According to Greenland’s Self-Government Act in 2009 , Greenland has the option to declare full independence if it chooses to in the future. First, in order to do that, the decision regarding Greenland’s independence must be brought before the people. Greenland has a population of roughly 56,000. If Greenland’s population decides to move forward, negotiations begin between Danish and Greenland governing bodies. An agreement has to be made between the two, and if reached, Greenland’s parliament has to approve and then draft a resolution for independence. The agreement for independence ends with Denmark’s parliament approving the independence. Greenland would then become an independent nation. In response to Trump’s Dec. 22 Truth Social post, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told ABC News the “Danish Government is looking forward to welcoming the new American ambassador. And the Government is looking forward to working with the new administration.” “In a complex security political situation as the one we currently experience, transatlantic cooperation is crucial. As far as statements about Greenland, the Prime Minister's Office has no comments other than reference to what was stated by the Premier of Greenland about Greenland not being for sale, but open for cooperation.” VERIFY reached out to the Danish prime minister’s office for comment, but did not hear back at the time of publication. Danish parliament member Rasmus Jarlov rejected Trump’s interest in purchasing Greenland in a post on X. “Greenland is Danish. It has been since 1380 and it will continue to be. This is undisputed, signed in rock in treaties and not open for negotiation. At all. Dictators threaten to take control over other countries' territory. Free democratic countries do not,” Jarlov said. The U.S’s interest in Greenland did not begin with Trump. In 1946, the U.S. considered proposals to pay Denmark $100 million in gold bars for Greenland or trade oil-rich land in Alaska for some of Greenland’s territory, according to the Associated Press . Even though the sale did not go through, the United States ended up with the military bases it wanted anyway. The U.S. Air Force currently maintains two bases in Greenland, Thule and Sondestrom. Construction of the Thule base in 1952 was made possible by a defense treaty signed by the U.S. and Denmark in 1951 . Originally designed as a refueling base for long-range bombing missions, it has been a ballistic missile early warning site and satellite telemetry station since 1961. Sondestrom’s mission is in support of the base at Thule. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter , text alerts and our YouTube channel . You can also follow us on Snapchat , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok . Learn More » Follow Us Want something VERIFIED? Text: 202-410-8808
LYNCHBURG, Va. (AP) — Quinton Cooley rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns, Billy Lucas added 131 yards and a score, and Liberty gained 419 on the ground with four touchdowns in a 38-21 victory over Western Kentucky on Saturday. Liberty (8-2, 5-2 Conference USA) has won eight-plus games for the sixth consecutive season to keep alive hopes of a second straight trip to the conference championship game. The Flames play Sam Houston (8-3, 5-2) on Friday. Liberty scored 21 straight points to close the first quarter, the last covering 90 yards in just 45 seconds to take a 21-7 lead. Amarian Williams made two interceptions, including one with 2:03 remaining to seal it. Caden Veltkamp was intercepted three times before finishing 20 of 34 for 262 yards and two touchdowns for Western Kentucky (7-4, 5-2). Cooley reached 1,000 yards rushing for the second straight season. The Flames entered ranked No. 5 nationally in rushing yards/game (249.8). Quarterback Kaidon Salter also carried 11 times for 66 yards and a touchdown. Three other players had at least two rushes for Liberty, which ended with 63 carries. The Flames, in their season finale at Williams Stadium, avoided dropping multiple conference games at home for the first time since 2005. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballJeremy Clarkson backpedals on previous claim he bought farm for tax reasons
Off the ropes, councillor puts forward his fresh swimming pools approachAre you tracking your health with a device? Here’s what could happen with the data
Global Commercial Waterproof Drone Market Set to Experience Exponential Growth: Key Trends and Opportunities | Valuates ReportsSaturday, November 23, 2024 Delta celebrates 100 years at CES 2025 with a groundbreaking keynote at Sphere Las Vegas, showcasing innovation and future visions led by CEO Ed Bastian. Delta Air Lines will mark its 100-year anniversary at CES 2025 with an innovative keynote at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The event, on January 7, will be led by CEO Ed Bastian and showcase a blend of technology and storytelling to celebrate the airline’s legacy and future vision. The keynote will highlight Delta’s century-long journey in aviation and its future strategy to enhance human connections through technology. “Technology is a powerful tool, but it’s people that make true innovation possible,” said Bastian. “We’re on the brink of a new era, and I can’t think of a better way to demonstrate how the Delta team will leverage cutting-edge advancements to propel our next century of flight.” This is Delta’s third CES appearance and second keynote. The airline debuted in 2020 when Bastian became CES’s first airline keynote speaker. In 2023, Delta announced free onboard Wi-Fi for SkyMiles members. The 2025 event at Sphere will elevate Delta’s CES presence further using immersive technologies. Delta’s keynote will use Sphere’s state-of-the-art features to create a sensory experience. The Exosphere, the world’s largest LED screen, will showcase Delta’s story. Inside, attendees will experience the highest-resolution LED display and Sphere Immersive Sound, powered by HOLOPLOT. Delta will offer expedited CES badging for SkyMiles members at Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport from January 5-7, ensuring a seamless start for attendees.
Liberty gains 419 on the ground with 4 touchdowns in a 38-21 victory over Western KentuckyNATO chief discusses ‘global security’ with Trump
Assad’s fall: The end of Syria’s brutal ruling dynasty
None
New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday termed the verdict given by the people of Maharashtra to the Mahayuti, which swept back to power with a near absolute majority, is a "stamp" of approval for the good governance of the BJP-led government. “Without a doubt, the Maharashtra result is historic. The verdict of Maharashtra is a stamp for the BJP model of good governance. The people of Maharashtra have blessed us for the time because they trust us. The BJP has also become the largest party in Maharashtra for the third time,” said PM Modi in his victory speech at BJP headquarters here. He added that the people of Maharashtra have given the BJP many more seats than the Congress and its allies combined, adding that this shows that when it comes to good governance, the country trusts only the BJP and the NDA. "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is an idol for me and the BJP. Dharamveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is our inspiration. We have always believed in the ideas of social justice of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Phule, and Savitribai Phule... this is in our conduct, this is in our behaviour. Respect for cultures and history is in our culture, in our nature,” PM Modi said. Lies, deceit and fraud have been badly defeated in Maharashtra, he said, adding that divisive forces have been defeated, negative politics has been defeated, and dynastic politics has also been defeated. “Maharashtra has witnessed the triumph of development, good governance, and genuine social justice. The forces of deception, divisive politics, and family dynasties have been defeated. Maharashtra has strengthened its resolve for a developed India,” PM Modi said. Lashing out at Congress, PM Modi said that people across the country are with the 'nation first' mantra and not with the ‘kursi first’ formula, adding that people have rejected Congress and people know that they will not keep their “dishonest” promises. "Congress and its ecosystem thought that by lying in the name of the Constitution and lying in the name of reservation, they would divide SC/ST/OBC into small groups. Maharashtra has completely rejected this conspiracy of Congress and its allies. Maharashtra has said it loudly: If there is one, then it is safe," PM Modi said. PM Modi said that whoever talks about two constitutions, people reject them and the Congress again tried to create two constitutions in J&K but Maharashtra results show that this will not be allowed at any cost. He said that no power on earth in the world can bring back Article 370, adding that the Maharashtra results have exposed the dual face of the INDIA bloc and the Maha Vikas Aghadi. "The results of by-elections in many states of the country have also come and our number in the Lok Sabha has increased by one more seat. UP, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan have given full support to BJP. People of Assam have once again expressed their trust in the BJP. We also got success in Madhya Pradesh. Support for NDA has increased in Bihar too. This shows that the country now wants only development,” PM Modi said. He also congratulated and applauded all BJP and NDA workers across the country. On Jharkhand, where the JMM came back to power, PM Modi said: "We will work even harder for the rapid development of Jharkhand, and every single BJP worker will contribute their utmost efforts towards this goal." Earlier, BJP President J.P Nadda said that the people of Maharashtra have delivered a decisive verdict, affirming their unwavering support for PM Modi and Mahayuti. “Simultaneously, they have sent a strong message to Maha Aghadi, acknowledging the reality that Congress is a 'Parjeevi' party that prioritises its own interests while leaving others to wither away! The outcome of Maha Aghadi serves as a testament to this harsh reality,” Nadda said.