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AP Business SummaryBrief at 3:14 p.m. EST“Cassoulet, that best of bean feasts, is everyday fare for a peasant but ambrosia for a gastronome.” ~ Julia Child When winter heads our way, bringing chilly temperatures and close, dark nights, my thoughts turn to Cassoulet, the iconic comfort food from southwestern France. It has it all – juicy beans, duck leg confit, sausages and sometimes pork or lamb, slowly simmered in well-seasoned broth, then baked in a wide-mouthed, glazed terra-cotta dish called a cassole . Like any truly traditional dish, there are multiple versions, all claiming to be the “authentic one.” Cassoulet originated in southwestern France. Toulouse claims it — and so does Castelnaudary and Carcassonne — and the recipes vary. Toulouse adherents eschew adding cubed pork. Castelnaudary purists add a bit of lamb, while Carcassonne’s adds partridge. In most restaurants, cassoulets are served in an individual cassole , bubbling with hot juices,and with a bit of duck leg peeking through the top. But at Hostellerie Etienne , a vast indoor- outdoor restaurant on the edge of a forest near Castelnaudary, the cassoulets come to the table in family-size cassoles , big enough to serve two, four, six or even 10 people, so you can share the dish with your dining companions. I don’t know if Etienne’s even has a single-serving bowl size. I didn’t see one, when I was there as the guest of a bean trader from Castelnaudary. According to him, Etiennne’s has the best cassoulet anywhere, and they use the Lauragais lingot beans known as the Castelnaudary bean. Copious doesn’t begin to describe the cassoulet scene there, with stacks of cassoles lined up in Etienne’s kitchen, next to caldrons of simmering beans, ready to be filled and popped into the vast ovens. Here in the Bay Area, we have our own go-to restaurants for cassoulets. Some, like the Left Bank Brasseries in San Jose, Menlo Park, Oakland and Larkspur, and Reve Bistro in Lafayette, only serve it during the winter months as a special. (Reve will be serving cassoulet Dec. 10-14, for example, and Jan. 7-11; reserve it when you reserve your table.) Others, such as Bistro Jeanty in Yountville and Le Central in San Francisco, always have it on the menu. Both Reve Bistro and Bistro Jeanty use cassoles made by potter Kathy Kernes at her Crockett Pottery in Crockett, and they are every bit as beautiful and as practical as those you’ll find in southwestern France. Kernes’ makes cassoles in six sizes ($38-$210), ranging from individual to “extra large plus,” which is very large indeed. (Browse the possibilities at www.crockettpottery.com.) Reve Bistro offers take-out cassoulets if you pre-order the week the dish is on the menu. Pick it up — in a takeout container, not a cassole! — then heat it at home. Just note that chef-owner Paul Magu-Lecugy only makes a limited number of portions. “It’s time consuming,” he says, noting for him, it is a two-day process. Le Central’s cassoulet is one of the more elaborate around, with lamb, pork shoulder and boudin blanc, as well as the all-important duck leg confit and slightly garlicky Toulouse sausage. Left Bank uses chef-owner Roland Passot’s recipe (see below) and keeps it simple, limiting the meats to duck leg confit and Toulouse sausages. (Don’t panic. If you’re making this at home, some specialty markets sell duck confit.) The beans are key to cassoulet. Once cooked, they should not be mushy, but hold their shape after the long cooking. In France, tradition calls for either Tarbais beans, a plump, white bean, or lingot beans — a strain of cannellini beans — in making cassoulet. As Passot suggests in his recipe below, you can substitute cannellini beans or Great Northern beans. Rancho Gordo produces a variety called cassoulet , a West Coast-grown bean from the Tarbais strain. Cassoulet isn’t difficult to make. It just requires time and patience. You can make it a couple of days ahead, refrigerate it and then slowly reheat it. That way, there’s nothing to do on the day of but sip a glass of wine while the beans and meats slowly heat to bubbling. Add a green salad and some crusty bread, and you’ll have the perfect winter meal. Or put your coat on and head to one of our local restaurants, where the cooking is done for you. All you need is a reservation. Serves 6 to 8 Beans: 4 cups dried lingot beans (white kidney, cannellini or Great Northern, will all work) 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped 1 small onion, diced (about 3⁄4 cup) 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 pound slab bacon or extra thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 sprigs of thyme 1 bay leaf Cassoulet: 1⁄4 cup duck fat (lard will do in a pinch) 2 pounds pork butt cut in 2-inch cubes 1 cup onions, diced small 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1⁄4 cup tomato paste 1 small can diced tomatoes 11⁄2-2 cups reserved bean water 6 Toulouse sausages 1 small garlic sausage 4 confit duck legs, purchased or homemade (see note below) 1 cup panko bread crumbs 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Note: If you are making your own duck confit, start the night before by rubbing the duck legs with a “green salt” mixture — kosher salt, parsley, a couple of bay leaves and thyme ground together. The next day, rinse the duck legs well, pat dry and place in an oven-safe cooking vessel with enough duck fat to cover the legs. Roast in a 225-degree oven for 21⁄2 to 3 hrs. The night before, place the beans in a deep pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Let beans soak overnight. The next day, rinse the beans well. Add the rinsed beans, carrots, onions, garlic, bacon, thyme and bay leaf to cold water and cook, over low heat, until the beans are tender. Strain the beans, saving the water, and set aside the beans. In a large braising pan, melt the duck fat over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, brown the pork butt pieces without stirring. When beginning to brown, start stirring, making sure you scrape the bottom if it starts to caramelize. The pork doesn’t need much color, but it does need to cook in the duck fat for a while. Add lots of salt and pepper. This is not a shy dish. When the pork is nice and brown on all sides, add the 1 cup onions and garlic, and sauté until the onions are soft and cooked through. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes and reserved liquid from the beans. Stir, using a rubber spatula to clean the side of the pot. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Bring the heat under the braising pan up to high. Once at a rolling boil, turn down to low heat and add all the sausages. When they are cooked through, remove and set aside. Slice the garlic sausage in half and cut into 1-inch pieces. Return the whole and sliced sausages back to the pot along with the cooked beans. Continue to cook on low heat until the pork is cooked through. Taste for seasoning; add more salt and pepper if needed. Transfer the beans and pork to a heavy, wide mouth, earthenware, clay or cast iron baking dish that can hold 5 to 6 quarts. Bake at 250 degrees for about 11⁄2 hours, checking at least every 30 minutes. It may require a bit more time. If the dish is starting to look too dry, add a small amount of reserved bean broth or chicken stock. Add warmed duck legs to the cassoulet and make a breadcrumb topping by combining the panko, garlic, parsley, thyme and extra virgin olive oil. Return the dish to the oven and continue baking until the crumbs brown on the top. — Courtesy Roland Passot, Propriétaire, Chef Culinary Officer, Vine HospitalityA scandal involving Clayton Bartolo, Clint Camilleri and Bartolo’s wife Amanda Muscat should be the subject of a police investigation, the Green Party has argued. ADPD secretary general Ralph Cassar said the trio should be charged with criminal association and fraud, and challenged the police commission to “do his duty” instead of standing by those who “defraud the people.” “This is another case in which the Commissioner appears to be spineless with those in power and a bully to those who steal a tin of tuna because they are hungry,” Cassar said. The scandal concerns manoeuvres by Bartolo and Camilleri to secure a fake ministry consultancy job for Muscat, who was dating Bartolo at the time. Muscat was first made a consultant within Bartolo’s ministry and then moved to Camilleri’s. But she never did any work as a consultant, had no qualifications to justify that role and continued to work as Bartolo’s secretary throughout. A parliamentary committee this week resolved to admonish Bartolo and Camilleri and order Muscat to refund the balance between what she was meant to be earning and what she actually made. Bartolo was also instructed to apologise to parliament. The prime minister, Robert Abela, has made it clear that he sees no reason for Camilleri to be sacked as minister. Bartolo was sacked and kicked out of Labour’s parliamentary group after Abela learnt that Times of Malta was to reveal that Bartolo and Muscat are the subject of a money laundering probe concerning an unrelated affair. In a new conference on Saturday ADPD said the parliamentary committee’s decisions were “scandalous” and that Speaker Anġlu Farrugia had effectively “granted guilty parties an easy pass” through his casting vote. ADPD public relations officer Brian Decelis said the prime minister appeared to be favouring loyalty to those around him over rectitude and ethical politics The steps taken by the Standards Committee are the minimum, Decelis said. “The abuse of power cannot be treated superficially and taken simply as a misunderstanding. It must be treated as a crime.” The ADPD speakers said the affair was proving them right – the country need constitutional change to allow more than two parties into parliament, to scrutinise a system that the country’s two large parties have allowed to deteriorate “for decades”. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use as our marketing platform. 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(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump has promised to reduce government waste and employed wealthy businessmen Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the charge. So far, spending on federal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies are prime targets for Musk and Ramaswamy, and a recent report shows just how widespread federal DEI spending has become. The report from Do No Harm shows 500 ways the Biden-Harris administration “infused DEI into the federal government.” Those examples include federal agencies starting dozens of equity training programs, doling out federal contracts and jobs based on race and gender, and teaching Americans more about their country’s racism, both past and present. The DEI explosion took off after Biden issued executive orders on his first day in office as well as another in June of 2021. The first executive order “established that affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government.” The second order established “that it is the policy of my Administration to cultivate a workforce that draws from the full diversity of the Nation.” Biden also issued other executive orders, including around gender and sexuality, to the same effect his first year in office. Those orders gave federal bureaucrats not only permission but actually direct orders to embrace DEI policies across the board. And Do No Harm’s report shows they did, full-throttle, citing 80 “Equity Action Plans” submitted by agencies that promised over 500 taxpayer-funded actions. Some of the actions are seemingly mild, such as the U.S. Social Security Administration tracking more racial data. Other examples of DEI policies, though, made the federal government the nation’s teacher. For example, a blog for the U.S. Treasury Department lectures Americans on racial inequality. More directly, the federal government began implementing training programs for many federal employees that fully embrace racial ideology labeled “woke” by its opponents. For instance, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission invested in training for employees to consider equity more in its regulatory decisions. “Training will address how equity and environmental justice involves removing barriers underserved communities may face in the context of the Commission’s practices, processes, and policies,” FERC said in its Equity Action Plan. “Training also will address how, consistent with FERC’s mission and statutory duties, the Commission considers the impact of its actions on such communities. More specific trainings geared toward the responsibilities of different program offices and issue areas also may be identified or developed and offered.” Other actions seem to favor some groups over others. Changing the “percentage” of benefits received necessarily requires giving contracts, grants, or other federal resources to certain groups, almost always at the expense of white Americans, even more often white men. For example, the American Battle Monuments Commissions in its Equity Action Plan called for “expanding the percentage of U.S.-based contracted goods and services awarded to minority-owned, women-owned, and service disabled veteran-owned enterprises.” In fact, the ABMC pledged to pay a worker for this sole purpose. In another instance, the Smithsonian Institute pledged to recruit more Black and indigenous interns. “One of the simplest ways to ensure equity and accessibility in internships is to provide a livable stipend and advertise it clearly in promotion materials,” the federal group said in its Equity Action Plan. “Many units include a statement directly in their internship description about their commitment to equity. They also are intentional about making the application process simple and transparent, offering access services for interviews and allowing for multiple formats in place of a required essay.” The Smithsonian Institution , the federal steward of America’s past, also promised to begin promoting a historical framework that emphasizes American racism in the past and today. The federal group pledged to “Address the historical roots and contemporary impacts of race and racism in the United States and globally through interdisciplinary scholarship, creative partnerships, dialogue, education, and engagement.” The Center Square has reported on other examples of DEI policies and grants becoming the norm in recent years as well, though much of this kind of spending began before the Biden-Harris administration took power. Those include: Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.
AP Business SummaryBrief at 10:21 a.m. ESTCozy winter fare: Make a French-style cassoulet at home
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump was on the verge of backing a 16-week federal abortion ban earlier this year when aides staged an intervention. According to Time magazine's cover story on his selection as its 2024 Person of the Year, Trump's aides first raised concerns in mid-March that the abortion cutoff being pushed by some allies would be stricter than existing law in numerous states. It was seen as a potential political liability amid ongoing fallout over the overturning of Roe v. Wade by a conservative majority on the Supreme Court that includes three justices nominated by Trump in his first term. Trump political director James Blair went to work assembling a slide deck — eventually titled “How a national abortion ban will cost Trump the election" — that argued a 16-week ban would hurt the Republican candidate in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, the magazine reported. “After flipping through Blair’s presentation" on a flight to a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in April, Trump dropped the idea, according to the report. "So we leave it to the states, right?" Trump was quoted as saying. He soon released a video articulating that position. At the time, Trump’s campaign denied that he was considering supporting the 16-week ban, calling it “fake news” and saying Trump planned to “negotiate a deal” on abortion if elected to the White House. Here are other highlights from the story and the president-elect's 65-minute interview with the magazine: Trump reaffirmed his plans to pardon most of those convicted for their actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. “It’s going to start in the first hour,” he said of the pardons. “Maybe the first nine minutes.” Trump said he would look at individuals on a “case-by-case" basis, but that “a vast majority of them should not be in jail.” More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the riot that left more than 100 police officers injured and sent lawmakers running into hiding as they met to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 victory . More than 1,000 defendants have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial of charges, including misdemeanor trespassing offenses, assaulting police officers and seditious conspiracy. Trump insisted he has the authority to use the military to assist with his promised mass deportations , even though, as his interviewers noted, the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits the use of the military in domestic law enforcement. “It doesn’t stop the military if it’s an invasion of our country, and I consider it an invasion of our country," he said. “I’ll only do what the law allows, but I will go up to the maximum level of what the law allows. And I think in many cases, the sheriffs and law enforcement is going to need help." Trump did not deny that camps would be needed to hold detained migrants as they are processed for deportation. “Whatever it takes to get them out. I don’t care," he said. “I hope we’re not going to need too many because I want to get them out and I don’t want them sitting in camp for the next 20 years.” Trump told Time he does not plan to restore the policy of separating children from their families to deter border crossings, but he did not rule it out. The practice led to thousands of children being separated from their parents and was condemned around the globe as inhumane. “I don’t believe we’ll have to because we will send the whole family back,” he said. “I would much rather deport them together, yes, than separate.” Trump dismissed the idea that Elon Musk will face conflicts of interest as he takes the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency , an advisory group that Trump has selected him to lead. The panel is supposed to find waste and cut regulations, including many that could affect Musk's wide-ranging interests , which include electric cars, rockets and telecommunications. “I don’t think so," Trump said. “I think that Elon puts the country long before his company. ... He considers this to be his most important project." Trump lowered expectations about his ability to drive down grocery prices. “I’d like to bring them down. It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up. You know, it’s very hard. But I think that they will,” he said. Trump said he is planning “a virtual closure" of the "Department of Education in Washington.” “You’re going to need some people just to make sure they’re teaching English in the schools," he said. “But we want to move education back to the states.” Yet Trump has proposed exerting enormous influence over schools. He has threatened to cut funding for schools with vaccine mandates while forcing them to “teach students to love their country" and promote “the nuclear family,” including “the roles of mothers and fathers” and the “things that make men and women different and unique.” Asked to clarify whether he was committed to preventing the Food and Drug Administration from stripping access to abortion pills , Trump replied, “It’s always been my commitment.” But Trump has offered numerous conflicting stances on the issue, including to Time. Earlier in the interview, he was asked whether he would promise that his FDA would not do anything to limit access to medication abortion or abortion pills. "We’re going to take a look at all of that,” he said, before calling the prospect “very unlikely.” “Look, I’ve stated it very clearly and I just stated it again very clearly. I think it would be highly unlikely. I can’t imagine, but with, you know, we’re looking at everything, but highly unlikely. I guess I could say probably as close to ruling it out as possible, but I don’t want to. I don’t want to do anything now.” Pressed on whether he would abandon Ukraine in its efforts to stave off Russia's invasion , Trump said he would use U.S. support for Kyiv as leverage against Moscow in negotiating an end to the war. “I want to reach an agreement,” he said, “and the only way you’re going to reach an agreement is not to abandon.” Trump would not commit to supporting a two-state solution, with a Palestinian state alongside Israel, as he had previously. “I support whatever solution we can do to get peace," he said. "There are other ideas other than two state, but I support whatever, whatever is necessary to get not just peace, a lasting peace. It can’t go on where every five years you end up in tragedy. There are other alternatives.” Asked whether he trusted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , he told Time: “I don’t trust anybody.” Trump would not rule out the possibility of war with Iran during his second term. “Anything can happen. It’s a very volatile situation," he said. Asked if he has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin since the Nov. 5 election, Trump continued to play coy: "I can’t tell you. It’s just inappropriate.” Trump insisted that his bid to install Matt Gaetz as attorney general ”wasn’t blocked. I had the votes (in the Senate) if I needed them, but I had to work very hard.” When the scope of resistance to the former Republican congressman from Florida became clear, Trump said, “I talked to him, and I said, ‘You know, Matt, I don’t think this is worth the fight.'" Gaetz pulled out amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations, and Trump tapped former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi for the Cabinet post. Trump, who has named anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, did not rule out the possibility of eliminating some childhood vaccinations even though they have been proved safe in extensive studies and real world use in hundreds of millions of people over decades and are considered among the most effective public health measures in modern history. Pressed on whether “getting rid of some vaccinations” — neither Trump nor the interviewers specified which ones — might be part of the plan to improve the health of the country, Trump responded: “It could if I think it’s dangerous, if I think they are not beneficial, but I don’t think it’s going to be very controversial in the end.” “I think there could be, yeah," Trump said of the prospect of others in his family continuing in his footsteps. He pointed to daughter-in-law Lara Trump , who served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee and is now being talked about as a potential replacement for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump has chosen for secretary of state. Trump said the former and soon-to-be first lady Melania Trump will be joining him at the White House during second term and will "be active, when she needs to be.” “Oh yes,” he said. “She’s very beloved by the people, Melania. And they like the fact that she’s not out there in your face all the time for many reasons.”
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Tilly's, Inc. TLYS the ", Company", )) today announced financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 ended November 2, 2024. "Our third quarter results included our best quarterly comp sales performance since fiscal 2021, our first month of positive comp sales since February 2022 during fiscal August, and our second consecutive quarter of year-over-year store traffic growth," commented Hezy Shaked, Co-Founder, Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "However, we still have a long way to go to return to generating consistent sales growth and profitability. We are disappointed in our net sales performance in the early stages of the fourth quarter, yet somewhat encouraged by our improved product margins thus far in the fourth quarter." Operating Results Overview Fiscal 2024 Third Quarter Operating Results Overview The following comparisons refer to the Company's operating results for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 ended November 2, 2024 versus the third quarter of fiscal 2023 ended October 28, 2023. Total net sales were $143.4 million, a decrease of 13.8%. This decrease was primarily attributable to the calendar shift impact of last year's 53rd week in the retail calendar, which caused a portion of the back-to-school season's sales volume to shift into the second quarter this year from the third quarter last year, resulting in a net sales reduction of $18.4 million in this year's third quarter. Total comparable net sales, including both physical stores and e-commerce ("e-com"), decreased by 3.4% relative to the comparable 13-week period ended November 4, 2023. Net sales from physical stores were $111.3 million, a decrease of 16.0%. Comparable store net sales decreased 5.6% relative to the comparable 13-week period ended November 4, 2023. Net sales from physical stores represented 77.6% of total net sales this year compared to 79.6% of total net sales last year. The Company ended the third quarter with 246 total stores compared to 249 total stores at the end of the third quarter last year. Net sales from e-com were $32.2 million, a decrease of 5.4%. E-com net sales increased 4.9% relative to the comparable 13-week period ended November 4, 2023. E-com net sales represented 22.4% of total net sales this year compared to 20.4% of total net sales last year. Gross profit, including buying, distribution, and occupancy costs, was $37.2 million, or 25.9% of net sales, compared to $48.7 million, or 29.3% of net sales, last year. Product margins were generally consistent with last year's third quarter, declining by 10 basis points. Buying, distribution, and occupancy costs deleveraged by 320 basis points collectively, despite being $0.7 million lower than last year, primarily due to carrying these costs against a lower level of net sales this year. Selling, general and administrative ("SG&A") expenses were $51.3 million, or 35.7% of net sales, compared to $51.2 million, or 30.8% of net sales, last year. Lower store payroll and related benefits as well as lower non-cash store asset impairment charges were largely offset by increased e-com fulfillment costs. Operating loss was $14.1 million, or 9.8% of net sales, compared to $2.5 million, or 1.5% of net sales, last year, due to the combined impact of the factors noted above. Pre-tax loss was $12.9 million, or 9.0% of net sales, compared to $1.2 million, or 0.7% of net sales, last year. Income tax benefit was $5.0 thousand or 0.0% of pre-tax loss, compared to $0.3 million, or 28.0% of pre-tax loss, last year. The decrease in the effective income tax rate was due to the continuing impact of the previously disclosed full, non-cash deferred tax asset valuation allowance. Net loss was $12.9 million, or $0.43 net loss per share, compared to $0.8 million, or $0.03 net loss per share, last year. Weighted average shares were 30.1 million this year compared to 29.9 million shares last year. Fiscal 2024 Year-to-Date Third Quarter Operating Results Overview The following comparisons refer to the Company's operating results for the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2024 ended November 2, 2024 versus the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2023 ended October 28, 2023. Total net sales were $422.2 million, a decrease of 6.2%. Total comparable net sales, including both physical stores and e-commerce ("e-com"), decreased by 6.8% relative to the comparable 39-week period ended November 4, 2023. Net sales from physical stores were $336.4 million, a decrease of 6.6%. Comparable store net sales decreased 7.4% relative to the comparable 39-week period ended November 4, 2023. Net sales from physical stores represented 79.7% of total net sales this year compared to 80.0% of total net sales last year. Net sales from e-com were $85.8 million, a decrease of 4.7%. E-com net sales decreased 4.6% relative to the comparable 39-week period ended November 4, 2023. E-com net sales represented 20.3% of total net sales this year compared to 20.0% of total net sales last year. Gross profit, including buying, distribution, and occupancy costs, was $111.4 million, or 26.4% of net sales, compared to $119.0 million, or 26.4% of net sales, last year. Product margins improved by 130 basis points primarily due to the combination of improved initial markups and lower total markdowns. Buying, distribution, and occupancy costs deleveraged by 140 basis points collectively, despite being $1.3 million lower than last year, primarily due to carrying these costs against lower net sales this year. SG&A expenses were $147.1 million, or 34.9% of net sales, compared to $141.4 million, or 31.4% of net sales, last year. The $5.7 million increase in SG&A was primarily attributable to increases in store payroll and related benefits of $1.6 million due to wage rate increases, software as a service expense of $1.4 million, corporate payroll and related benefits of $1.2 million, e-commerce fulfillment expenses of $1.0 million, and non-cash store asset impairment charges of $1.0 million. These increases were partially offset by a variety of smaller expense decreases. Operating loss was $35.7 million, or 8.5% of net sales, compared to $22.5 million, or 5.0% of net sales, last year, due to the combined impact of the factors noted above. Pre-tax loss was $32.6 million, or 7.7% of net sales, compared to $18.8 million, or 4.2% of net sales, last year. Income tax benefit was $21.8 thousand or 0.1% of pre-tax loss, compared to $4.9 million, or 26.0% of pre-tax loss, last year. The decrease in the effective income tax rate was due to the continuing impact of the previously disclosed full, non-cash deferred tax asset valuation allowance. Net loss was $32.6 million, or $1.08 net loss per share, compared to $13.9 million, or $0.47 net loss per share, last year. Weighted average shares were 30.0 million this year compared to 29.8 million shares last year. Balance Sheet and Liquidity As of November 2, 2024, the Company had $51.7 million of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities and no debt outstanding. Total inventories increased 11.8% as of November 2, 2024 compared to October 28, 2023, largely due to pulling forward new inventory receipts to improve distribution center efficiencies. Total year-to-date capital expenditures at the end of the third quarter were $6.7 million this year compared to $10.5 million last year. Fiscal 2024 Fourth Quarter Outlook Total comparable net sales through December 3, 2024 decreased by 15.3% relative to the comparable period of last year ended December 5, 2023, with meaningfully improved product margins compared to last year. On a shifted basis, lining up the timing of this year's Thanksgiving holiday with last year's, total comparable net sales through December 3, 2024, decreased by 9.6% relative to the comparable period of last year ended November 28, 2023. Based on current and historical trends, the Company currently estimates the following for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024: Net sales to be in the range of approximately $149 million to $156 million, translating to an estimated comparable net sales decrease in the range of approximately 9% to 5%, respectively, relative to the comparable 13-week period last year; Product margin improvement of approximately 200 basis points relative to last year's fourth quarter; SG&A expenses to be approximately $52 million before factoring in any potential non-cash store asset impairment charges that may arise; Pre-tax loss and net loss to be in the range of approximately $13.0 million to $9.5 million, respectively, with a near-zero effective income tax rate due to the continuing impact of a full, non-cash valuation allowance on deferred tax assets; and Per share results to be in the range of a net loss of $0.43 to $0.32, respectively, with estimated weighted average shares of approximately 30 million. The Company currently expects to have 239 total stores open at the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024. The Company opened three new stores in November and currently expects to close 10 predominantly underperforming stores near the end of the quarter. Conference Call Information A conference call with analysts to discuss these financial results is scheduled for today, December 5, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT). Analysts interested in participating in the call are invited to dial (877) 300-8521 (domestic) or (412) 317-6026 (international). The conference call will also be available to interested parties through a live webcast at www.tillys.com . Please visit the website and select the "Investor Relations" link at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the call to register and download any necessary software. A telephone replay of the call will be available until December 12, 2024, by dialing (844) 512-2921 (domestic) or (412) 317-6671 (international) and entering the conference identification number: 10193481. About Tillys Tillys is a leading, destination specialty retailer of casual apparel, footwear, accessories and hardgoods for young men, young women, boys and girls with an extensive selection of iconic global, emerging, and proprietary brands rooted in an active, outdoor and social lifestyle. Tillys is headquartered in Irvine, California and currently operates 249 total stores across 33 states, as well as its website, www.tillys.com . Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, statements regarding our current operating expectations in light of historical results, the impacts of inflation and potential recession on us and our customers, including on our future financial condition or operating results, expectations regarding changes in the macro-economic environment, customer traffic, our supply chain, our ability to properly manage our inventory levels, and any other statements about our future cash position, financial flexibility, expectations, plans, intentions, beliefs or prospects expressed by management are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs, but they involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to the impact of inflation on consumer behavior and our business and operations, supply chain difficulties, and our ability to respond thereto, our ability to respond to changing customer preferences and trends, attract customer traffic at our stores and online, execute our growth and long-term strategies, expand into new markets, grow our e-commerce business, effectively manage our inventory and costs, effectively compete with other retailers, attract talented employees, or enhance awareness of our brand and brand image, general consumer spending patterns and levels, including changes in historical spending patterns, the markets generally, our ability to satisfy our financial obligations, including under our credit facility and our leases, and other factors that are detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including those detailed in the section titled "Risk Factors" and in our other filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on our website at www.tillys.com under the heading "Investor Relations". Readers are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. We do not undertake any obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This release should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and notes thereto contained in our Form 10-K. Tilly's, Inc. Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands, except par value) (unaudited) November 2, 2024 February 3, 2 024 October 28, 2 023 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 26,407 $ 47,027 $ 44,425 Marketable securities 25,321 48,021 49,523 Receivables 6,136 5,947 7,118 Merchandise inventories 92,481 63,159 82,753 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 11,781 11,905 11,816 Total current assets 162,126 176,059 195,635 Operating lease assets 181,117 203,825 216,205 Property and equipment, net 42,603 48,063 49,220 Deferred tax assets, net — — 13,229 Other assets 1,424 1,598 1,685 TOTAL ASSETS $ 387,270 $ 429,545 $ 475,974 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 32,577 $ 14,506 $ 27,025 Accrued expenses 12,771 13,063 14,688 Deferred revenue 13,333 14,957 13,520 Accrued compensation and benefits 8,127 9,902 10,590 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 49,944 48,672 50,063 Current portion of operating lease liabilities, related party 3,345 3,121 3,048 Other liabilities 210 336 330 Total current liabilities 120,307 104,557 119,264 Long-term liabilities: Noncurrent portion of operating lease liabilities 135,724 160,531 171,388 Noncurrent portion of operating lease liabilities, related party 16,736 19,267 20,081 Other liabilities 192 321 391 Total long-term liabilities 152,652 180,119 191,860 Total liabilities 272,959 284,676 311,124 Stockholders' equity: Common stock (Class A) 23 23 23 Common stock (Class B) 7 7 7 Preferred stock — — — Additional paid-in capital 174,516 172,478 171,754 Accumulated deficit (60,527 ) (27,962 ) (7,410 ) Accumulated other comprehensive income 292 323 476 Total stockholders' equity 114,311 144,869 164,850 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 387,270 $ 429,545 $ 475,974 Tilly's, Inc. Consolidated Statements of Operations (In thousands, except per share data) (unaudited) Thirteen Weeks Ended Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended November 2, 2 024 October 28, 2 023 November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 Net sales $ 143,442 $ 166,475 $ 422,165 $ 450,063 Cost of goods sold (includes buying, distribution, and occupancy costs) 105,314 116,825 307,939 328,297 Rent expense, related party 931 931 2,796 2,793 Total cost of goods sold (includes buying, distribution, and occupancy costs) 106,245 117,756 310,735 331,090 Gross profit 37,197 48,719 111,430 118,973 Selling, general and administrative expenses 51,118 51,101 146,734 141,035 Rent expense, related party 133 134 397 400 Total selling, general and administrative expenses 51,251 51,235 147,131 141,435 Operating loss (14,054 ) (2,516 ) (35,701 ) (22,462 ) Other income, net 1,174 1,341 3,114 3,625 Loss before income taxes (12,880 ) (1,175 ) (32,587 ) (18,837 ) Income tax benefit (5 ) (328 ) (22 ) (4,897 ) Net loss $ (12,875 ) $ (847 ) $ (32,565 ) $ (13,940 ) Basic net loss per share of Class A and Class B common stock $ (0.43 ) $ (0.03 ) $ (1.08 ) $ (0.47 ) Diluted net loss per share of Class A and Class B common stock $ (0.43 ) $ (0.03 ) $ (1.08 ) $ (0.47 ) Weighted average basic shares outstanding 30,060 29,872 30,017 29,834 Weighted average diluted shares outstanding 30,060 29,872 30,017 29,834 Tilly's, Inc. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (In thousands) (unaudited) Thirty-Nine Weeks Ended November 2, 2 024 October 28, 2 023 Cash flows from operating activities Net loss $ (32,565 ) $ (13,940 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 9,586 9,547 Stock-based compensation expense 1,744 1,684 Impairment of assets 3,605 2,631 (Gain) loss on disposal of assets (45 ) 2 Gain on maturities of marketable securities (1,449 ) (1,156 ) Deferred income taxes — (4,732 ) Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Receivables 611 4,196 Merchandise inventories (29,322 ) (20,636 ) Prepaid expenses and other assets 900 5,980 Accounts payable 18,047 11,033 Accrued expenses (159 ) 106 Accrued compensation and benefits (1,775 ) 2,407 Operating lease liabilities (5,422 ) (4,545 ) Deferred revenue (1,624 ) (2,583 ) Other liabilities (335 ) (452 ) Net cash used in operating activities (38,203 ) (10,458 ) Cash flows from investing activities Purchases of marketable securities (59,557 ) (88,146 ) Purchases of property and equipment (6,678 ) (10,543 ) Proceeds from maturities of marketable securities 83,500 80,000 Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 24 9 Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 17,289 (18,680 ) Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from exercise of stock options 294 210 Taxes paid on short-swing profits disgorgement payment — (173 ) Net cash provided by financing activities 294 37 Change in cash and cash equivalents (20,620 ) (29,101 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 47,027 73,526 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 26,407 $ 44,425 Tilly's, Inc. Store Count and Square Footage Store Count at Beginning of Quarter New Stores Opened During Quarter Stores Permanently Closed During Quarter Store Count at End of Quarter Total Gross Square Footage End of Quarter (in thousands) 2023 Q1 249 1 2 248 1,809 2023 Q2 248 — 2 246 1,792 2023 Q3 246 3 — 249 1,810 2023 Q4 249 3 4 248 1,801 2024 Q1 248 2 4 246 1,784 2024 Q2 246 1 — 247 1,791 2024 Q3 247 — 1 246 1,780 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241205990996/en/ © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Petro decorates Mujica with Colombia's highest distinction
Money saving expert Martin Lewis has flagged that a staggering 800,000 individuals are not claiming a £2000 government benefit earmarked for reducing childcare costs. The initiative, dubbed 'Tax-Free Childcare', provides parents with up to £2000 annually for each child, applicable to various childcare options including nurseries, childminders, and certain holiday camps. Shedding light on the scheme, Lewis comments: "Tax-Free Childcare is appallingly named, don't let it confuse you. Calling the scheme Tax-Free Childcare was a political spin to ensure government gets credit for the scheme." He further criticises the naming decision, stating: "Unfortunately the name is appallingly misleading, and probably partly responsible for the scheme having a much lower take up than it should. It's not about tax in any way, and isn't linked to the tax rate you pay. A better name would be 'Working Families Childcare Top-up', because it's effectively a discounted childcare savings scheme where you save and then pay for childcare with a 25% top-up." Read more Exact number of hours to stay at home if someone in your family has norovirus Martin Lewis has highlighted that around 800,000 families are missing out on a Government-backed benefit, despite 1.3 million being eligible for it. He points out that the Tax-Free Childcare scheme is designed to give 20p for every 80p deposited into an account, meaning parents could receive up to £2,000 per child each year. The Money Saving Expert clarifies that this could cover up to £10,000 of childcare costs annually, with a potential top-up of £2,000 per child, or £4,000 for a disabled child. To take advantage of this, Martin advises opening an online Tax-Free Childcare account with a Government Gateway ID, reports the Mirror . For every 80p put in, the government will add to the balance, but he cautions there's a quarterly cap with a maximum government contribution of £500. Furthermore, Martin explains that the scheme is available to all working parents, including the self-employed, stating: "If you're single, you qualify for Tax-Free Childcare, if you're in work, including if you're self-employed. If you have a partner, you usually both need to be in work to qualify. But there are some circumstances where you'd be eligible even if you are not working." He clarifies that individuals on sick leave, annual leave, shared parental, maternity, paternity, or adoption leave, or those where one partner is working and the other is unable to work and claiming certain benefits (such as incapacity benefit, carer's allowance, or severe disability allowance) should be eligible.Zeo Energy Corp. ( NASDAQ:ZEO – Get Free Report ) saw a significant growth in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 163,800 shares, a growth of 527.6% from the November 30th total of 26,100 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 880,200 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 0.2 days. Currently, 12.0% of the company’s stock are sold short. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Zeo Energy A hedge fund recently bought a new stake in Zeo Energy stock. Townsquare Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Zeo Energy Corp. ( NASDAQ:ZEO – Free Report ) in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund purchased 50,378 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $85,000. Townsquare Capital LLC owned 0.12% of Zeo Energy as of its most recent SEC filing. Zeo Energy Stock Performance Shares of ZEO opened at $2.88 on Friday. Zeo Energy has a twelve month low of $1.05 and a twelve month high of $11.60. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $1.61 and a 200 day moving average of $2.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a current ratio of 2.17 and a quick ratio of 2.12. Zeo Energy Company Profile Zeo Energy Corp. provides residential solar energy systems, other energy efficient equipment, and related services in Florida, Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri, the United States. The company is involved in the selling and installing of residential solar energy systems that homeowners use electricity required to power their homes. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Zeo Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Zeo Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
LAS VEGAS — A slate of six Nevada Republicans have again been charged with submitting a bogus certificate to Congress that declared Donald Trump the winner of the presidential battleground's 2020 election. Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford announced Thursday that the state's fake electors case had been revived in Carson City, the capital, where he filed a new complaint this week charging the defendants with “uttering a forged instrument,” a felony. The original indictment was dismissed earlier this year after a state judge ruled that Clark County, the state’s most populous county and home to Las Vegas, was the wrong venue for the case. Ford, a Democrat, said the new case was filed as a precaution to avoid the statute of limitations expiring while the Nevada Supreme Court weighs his appeal of the judge's ruling. “While we disagree with the finding of improper venue and will continue to seek to overturn it, we are preserving our legal rights in order to ensure that these fake electors do not escape justice,” Ford said. “The actions the fake electors undertook in 2020 violated Nevada criminal law and were direct attempts to both sow doubt in our democracy and undermine the results of a free and fair election. Justice requires that these actions not go unpunished.” Officials have said it was part of a larger scheme across seven battleground states to keep Trump in the White House after losing to Democrat Joe Biden. Criminal cases have also been brought in Michigan, Georgia and Arizona. Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Trump lost in 2020 to Biden by more than 30,000 votes in Nevada. An investigation by then-Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, a Republican, found no credible evidence of widespread voter fraud in the state. The defendants are state GOP chair Michael McDonald; Clark County GOP chair Jesse Law; national party committee member Jim DeGraffenreid; national and Douglas County committee member Shawn Meehan; Storey County clerk Jim Hindle; and Eileen Rice, a party member from the Lake Tahoe area. In an emailed statement to The Associated Press, McDonald's attorney, Richard Wright, called the new complaint a political move by a Democratic state attorney general who also announced Thursday he plans to run for governor in 2026. “We will withhold further comment and address the issues in court,” said Wright, who has spoken often in court on behalf of all six defendants. Attorneys for the others did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Their lawyers previously argued that Ford improperly brought the case before a grand jury in Democratic-leaning Las Vegas instead of in a northern Nevada city, where the alleged crimes occurred.Nicholas Hoult got a surprise package after the film Nosferatu wrapped. The movie based off the 1922 film of the same name stars Nicholas as Thomas Hutter, Lily-Rose Depp as his wife Ellen Hutter, and Bill Skarsgard as Count Orlok, the titular vampire. It's a loose adaptation of Bram Stroker's Dracula, just with the names changed. During an interview promoting the film , Lily-Rose and Nicholas sat down with Elle and read each other questions. She asked him what he took from set, and the Man of Steel actor had an interesting answer. New Superman trailer teases multiple easter eggs for superfans - From Krypto to iconic villain Seven must see Christmas Netflix movies to watch this holiday season "I have Count Orlok’s prosthetic penis framed at home," he admitted, "There’s a scene where Bill Skarsgard is slurping my blood, and Robert Eggers [the director] asked afterward, ‘How was that for you?’ And I said, ‘I could feel his prosthetic penis on my leg.’ And then, as a wrap gift, Rob got it framed, and he sent it to my house.” The actor added that the gift got a bit damaged during transit and the frame broke. So he took it to a local frame shop where, at first, the worker didn't bat an eye. "He kind of didn’t even blink the first time," Nicholas described, "Then, when I went back to pick it up, I think he’d clocked like how weird it was that I was framing potentially this vampire penis, and he was like, ‘Is this some kind of collector’s piece?’ And I was like, ‘Hm, you could say that.'” The film, which hits theaters on Christmas, has also been promoted by Lily-Rose and Nicholas in other places. The two actors appeared on a recent episode of Jeopardy! to read clues relating to Cinematic Vampires. Fans of the game show were a bit tired of seeing movies promoted on the show as guest actors read a catagory's clues. "These upcoming movie ad categories are really tiring tbh," one fan wrote on X, formally known as Twitter. Another wrote: "And, per usual, the length of the clues means we don't finish DJ and this time left a lot of cash on the board! I like Hoult, but both he and Depp appeared to be really miserable about reading these clues aloud, like someone was torturing them and forcing them to do it under duress. No offense intended to the players, but this was a dud of a game." Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories. DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.
The tallies, carried out by party activists and volunteers as boxes opened at 9am, give a more localised sense of the potential result than Friday night’s exit poll. The largest opposition party Sinn Fein held 21.1% of first-preference votes, narrowly ahead of current coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21% and 19.5% respectively, according to the Ipsos B&A Exit Poll commissioned by RTE, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin. With boxes now open, the votes must first be sorted before counting formally begins in a process which could last days because of Ireland’s complex system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV), where candidates are ranked by preference. It means the voting slips need to be counted several times, an undertaking which can last days. The inconclusive early indications have turned the focus of speculation to the tricky arithmetic of government formation, as the country’s several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockey for a place in government. First counts which carry the potential for the election of new members of parliament, known as TDs in Ireland, are expected later on Saturday. Most of the leaders of the main parties, including Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, deputy premier and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, and Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald seem set to be reelected. However, Green leader Roderic O’Gorman, who is the head of the junior partner in the outgoing coalition, is in with a fight to hold on to his seat. He has conceded that a number of his colleagues will not retain their seats, amid the broader potential for a wipeout. That would be a repeat of history given the last time the Greens exited a coalition – in 2011, the party lost all six of its TDs. Mr O’Gorman, the outgoing integration minister, said on Saturday: “It’s clear the Green Party has not had a good day.” Catherine Martin, the Green party’s former deputy leader and outgoing media minister, is also at risk of failing to be reelected. The tallies suggest potential trouble for Fianna Fail in Wicklow, where the party’s only candidate in the constituency Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is considered to have a battle ahead, with the risk of losing his seat. Meanwhile, there is significant focus on independent candidate Gerard Hutch, who is sitting on fourth in the four-seat constituency of Dublin Central after the completion of the unofficial tallies there. Last spring, Mr Hutch was found not guilty by the non-jury Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne, in one of the first deadly attacks of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud. Mr Byrne, 33, died after being shot six times at a crowded boxing weigh-in event at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. A Special Criminal Court judge described Mr Hutch, 61, as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation and said he had engaged in “serious criminal conduct”. The constituency will be closely watched as other hopefuls wait to see if transfers from eliminated candidates may eventually rule him out of contention. In the constituency of Louth, the much-criticised selection of John McGahon has appeared not to have paid off for Fine Gael. The party’s campaign was beset by questioning over footage entering the public domain of the candidate engaged in a fight outside a pub in 2018. The Social Democrats have a strong chance of emerging as the largest of the smallest parties. Leader Holly Cairns announced the birth of her baby girl on polling day. Elsewhere, Labour and Sinn Fein are eyeing potential gains. Despite the apparent rise of the Social Democrats, it initially appeared unlikely that only one smaller party would be needed to act as a kingmaker to seal a majority. It has turned eyes to the possibility that a coalition could potentially be formed with four parties or with the use of independents – considered by some to be a recipe for unstable governance. The leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have consistently ruled out entering into a coalition with Sinn Fein, citing substantial differences on policy. As such, the opposition party faces a much more challenging route to forming a government. However, long-held and ostensibly insurmountable political differences have eroded as recently as 2020, when the general election also delivered an inconclusive result. Then, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties forged from opposing sides of Ireland’s Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power for the outgoing coalition, after similar pledges against forming coalitions had been made before the final results. In that election, Sinn Fein won the popular vote but a failure to run enough candidates meant it did not secure sufficient seats in the Dail to give it a realistic chance of forming a government. Sinn Fein’s director of elections said on Saturday that another Fine Gael and Fianna Fail government would be a “nightmare scenario”. Matt Carthy told RTE: “We will try and do everything in our power to create a government that doesn’t include Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.” The “encouraging” exit poll suggests Fine Gael has “held ground”, according to the party’s general secretary John Carroll. Before voting began, Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers said the race remained “too close to call”. Asked if there is now no difference between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, Mr Chambers told RTE radio that the parties had worked well together in government but added: “There were very clear differences in policies (during the campaign).” A key factor in determining the final result of any Irish election is the transfer of votes based on a voter’s preferences, a key part of PR-STV. It is through this system that candidates can still claim a seat after insufficient votes following a first count. More than 3.6 million people were registered to vote in the election to choose their representatives across 43 constituencies, in a campaign that has focused on the country’s housing crisis, the response to a dramatic increase in immigration, and economic management for the cost of living, as well as potential future trade shocks. There are a total of 174 seats in the country’s parliament to be filled, more than ever before. As the Ceann Comhairle, the speaker of the house, is automatically returned, 173 seats will be filled in the counting process.Law enforcement officers in Warsaw have detained scandalous TikTok blogger Vladyslav Oliinychenko , better known online under the pseudonym Crawly , and deported him to Ukraine. For a long time, the 23-year-old streamer lived in Poland, where he created trash content, organizing provocations on the streets and in shopping centers. Such videos caused strong indignation among the country's citizens and attracted the interest of the police, RMF24 reports. In addition, the Internet activist conducted live broadcasts where he allegedly openly insulted Poles and stated that he wanted to move to Moscow. "The man was handed over to the Border Guard officers, who, based on his registration in the Schengen Information System, took measures to expel him from the Republic of Poland," said Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesman for the Ministry of Interior and Administration. Representatives of law enforcement agencies reported that the blogger is a native of Belarus, but he was educated in a Ukrainian school. He has now been banned from entering the Schengen area for ten years and deported from Poland to Ukraine. The online activist's Instagram account has 1.9 million followers. He used social media to organize provocative events, which were attended by a large number of people. According to Polish media, shortly before his arrest, Crawly posted a video of himself and his fans running around a parking lot and jumping on cars. Earlier, the blogger also had a page on the social network TikTok, but now the account has been deleted. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
Georgia QB Carson Beck announces plan to enter NFL draft after season-ending elbow injury
Pramod Kumar Voola: Pioneering ethical AI and innovation in healthcare technologyThe World Has Legal and Moral Duty To Stop Genocide in Gaza | OpinionEXCLUSIVE: NBCU Launch has set its 2024-26 class for the TV Directors Program, now in its fifteenth year. Those selected and the shows they are attached to are Parisa Barani ( Law & Order) , Winter Dunn ( The Irrational ), Nina Kramer ( St. Denis Medical ), and Liz Sargent ( Chicago Med ). Founded in 2009, NBCU’s scripted directing program (now called the NBCU Launch TV Directors Program) gives experienced directors with distinct points of view their break into episodic television. The program supports the company’s goal of producing authentic stories with talent whose lived experiences inform their unique creative visions. It’s the first scripted directing initiative in the TV industry to guarantee that participants will helm at least one episode by the program’s culmination. Directors shadow on two episodes of an NBCU scripted series before sitting in the director’s chair themselves. This year’s class will benefit from new learning and development opportunities to prepare the program directors to helm their first episode of scripted TV. Each class member has been paired with an alumnus currently working as a TV director to be their mentor. SJ Main Muñoz ( Fear the Walking Dead ), Brenna Malloy ( On Call ), Kim Nguyen ( Survival of the Thickest ), and Dinh Thai ( Wu-Tang: An American Saga ) will help guide the new program directors through the process of helming their episodes. Barani, Dunn, Kramer, and Sargent participated in a recent six-day intensive workshop held across two weekends with TV directors Mary Lou Belli and Bethany Rooney. During their time together, Belli and Rooney led participants through exercises on practical sets aimed at honing their creative visions, technical craft, and communication and interpersonal skills. The program is open to experienced directors of all backgrounds who must have directing experience in their respective fields, including feature-length films, short films, music videos, commercials, digital content and unscripted programming. Candidates can have no more than one scripted television directing credit. All eligibility requirements can be found on the NBCU Launch website. Applications will open next in the second half of 2025. Class members were selected following a lengthy selection process where showrunners and executive producers from the participating shows chose the candidate that best suited the creative direction of their show. More on the class of 2024-26 in their own words below. (Deadline has edited responses for length and clarity) Parisa Barani ( Law & Order ) Barani is an award-winning queer Iranian-American-Canadian film director. She is a directing fellow of the 2024 WBD Access x Canadian Academy directors talent roster and Ryan Murphy’s Half Initiative. She participated in Netflix’s 2023 TV Episodic “Directors on the Rise” masterclass led by Paris Barclay, ViacomCBS Emerging Directors Program, Universal Directors Initiative, Creative Capital’s On Our Radar, and a recipient of Tribeca Film Institute Sloan Grant. She has been a semi-finalist for Sundance Screenwriters Lab. Barani is slated to direct the upcoming features Haram and Haji and is in development for her TV pilot, Duty Station . Her film Human Terrain stars Maggie Siff and Sarita Choudhury. Winter Dunn ( The Irrational ) Dunn is an award-winning filmmaker dedicated to amplifying universal narratives through the lens of BIPOC voices. Her short film Dear Mama premiered at SXSW and won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Short Film (Live Action). The short is currently streaming on The New Yorker’s Screening Room and Short of the Week. Her film Junebug premiered at the American Black Film Festival and made its TV debut on Fox Soul. Most recently, her latest film, Play Hard , had its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. Beyond film, Dunn has directed a wide range of digital content, including web series and editorial videos. Nina Kramer ( St. Denis Medical ) Nina Kramer (they/them) is a Chilean-American award-winning comedy writer, director, and actor based in Los Angeles. Kramer won an Emmy Award in 2016 for Best Scripted Web Series for their project, Playhouse of Cards . Most recently, they were selected to participate in Disney Entertainment’s 2024 TV Directors Program where they directed their first TV episode for General Hospital . Separately, they’ve shadowed on shows such as Abbott Elementary and are currently developing an hourlong series with the Wolper Organization based on their true-life learning that their mother was South American political royalty. Kramer is represented by Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment, and Guinsburg Daniels Kallis LLP. Liz Sargent ( Chicago Med ) Sargent is a Korean-American adoptee whose work explores themes of adoption, disability, and family. Drawing from her background as a choreographer, she infuses her visual storytelling with complex emotions, shaped by her unique experience as the middle child of 11 and her intersectional identity. Her film Take Me Home premiered at Sundance, screened at the White House and won the Grand Jury prize at American Cinematheque’s Proof Film Festival. The feature script received an SFFILM Rainin grant and is currently in development in partnership with Caring Across Generations; filming will begin in the spring. Sargent is a two-time New York Emmy winner, a Ryan Murphy HALF Initiative Mentee and an AICP Mentee with MSSNG PCES. She works with TDW+CO and ROSY Productions on commercial projects celebrating the AAPI community and is an executive producer on Minos Papas’s latest film, Motherwitch .