2024: the year of movie musicals
Lululemon stock rises on profit beat as company boosts full-year outlookBy JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70
Six arrested after daylight shooting near PM's office
The city’s fleet of 74 school buses serve 1,300 special education students. Parents can track their location in real time and are notified when children get on and off. Quieter than diesel buses and less polluting, they are expected to prevent 25,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year. The local utility installed a new transformer and 171 feet of underground infrastructure where the buses park. Using “vehicle-to-grid” technology, bidirectional chargers on the new buses send energy back to California’s grid, supplying electricity that can power up to 400 homes. Electric school bus startup Zum manages the fleet for $11.2 million a year, half of which is funded by federal, state, and private grants. A 2023 state law says all new or leased school buses must be zero-emissions as of 2035. Sources: KQED , CBS News , Electrek Over half the women in the Amazonas region report having experienced violence from their partner or husband. The Nuwa Senchi project – whose name means “strong woman” in the Awajún Indigenous language – brings psychologists to remote areas that are hard to access and where communities are often scattered. They offer local women psychological services and “dignity kits” equipped with hygiene supplies and information about rights and resources. After attending a workshop, one participant said she felt more comfortable speaking out: “We know our rights and are more willing to respond.” Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, the initiative has also trained community leaders on preventing violence against women. Source: UNFPA Greece is home to 60% of the world’s Caretta caretta sea turtle nests. Conservationists began tracking hatchlings, once on the verge of extinction, 25 years ago. Now those same turtles are reappearing to nest in the habitat where they were born. Over 1,200 nests were recorded this year on the island of Zakynthos, one of the most important nesting grounds in the Mediterranean and the site of a marine park founded three decades ago. Across Greece, annual nesting numbers have risen to over 10,000 since 2023, from about 5,000 to 7,000. That trend is mirrored to a degree across the Mediterranean. The success comes following 25 years of conservation measures, including preserving vital beach habitats from threats such as speedboats and tourism. Sea turtles are one of the oldest living species on the planet, dating back over 100 million years. Source: The Guardian In addition to housing over a million books, the Doha library is home to over 235,000 historic manuscripts, books, maps, globes, and other items of cultural importance. These sorts of materials have long been held privately among families or in mosques, said Tan Huism, executive director of the Qatar National Library, which opened in 2018. In collaboration with Interpol and the International Federation of Library Associations, the library helps prevent illegal trafficking of valuable items. In 2022, the team helped recuperate nearly a dozen manuscripts stolen from Afghanistan. “In a museum you get a curator telling a story,” said the building’s architect, Rem Koolhaas. “But in a library, you create your own narrative. The material in the Heritage Library is of such a caliber that it could be considered works of art, so this really makes this building both a museum and a library.” Source: The New York Times In a country where two-thirds of the food and three-quarters of the livestock feed are imported, food also makes up 40% of the waste Japan incinerates. The Japan Food Ecology Center in Sagamihara has pioneered another approach: fermenting 40 metric tons (44 tons) of scraps a day into nutrition for pigs. The center receives food waste from hundreds of supermarkets and food manufacturers, charging less than facilities that incinerate. The food passes through a metal detector and is inspected by workers to avoid any contamination. Then it is liquefied, sterilized, and sent to huge tanks where lactic acid begins the fermentation process. The result is half as expensive as conventional feed and lasts unrefrigerated for 10 days. At the center, scraps that are not suitable for livestock feed – with high fat or salt content – are fermented, and an electric conversion generator turns the methane into electricity. Source: BBCBoeing advances safety and quality plan, FAA notes
White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign
Terns pharmaceuticals CEO Amy Burroughs acquires $110,467 in stockThe internet can’t handle the United Healthcare CEO’s alleged shooter being Italian
New turtle moms hit the beach in Greece, and the school buses making electricity
Indiana got what it wanted Tuesday night in a 97-71 rout of Sam Houston State -- a lopsided victory where its bench played well and it didn't have to go down to the wire. The Hoosiers will look for more of the same Friday night in Bloomington when they continue their homestand against nonconference foe Miami (Ohio). Four players scored in double figures for Indiana (6-2) against the Bearkats, including 18 from reserve Luke Goode. The Illinois transfer hit four 3-pointers in less than four minutes of the first half, enabling the Hoosiers to take a 34-12 lead. Led by Goode, Indiana's bench contributed a whopping 36 points. "I thought it was a total team effort on everybody's part," Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson said. "Helps when your bench come off and play the way they did. Goode was fantastic but everybody off the bench played well." Indiana also got an encouraging 19-point performance from point guard Myles Rice, who struggled a bit in the first seven games in terms of making shots and running the offense. Rice (11.1 ppg) is one of four double-figure scorers in an attack led by Mackenzie Mgbako (16.8). Meanwhile, the RedHawks (5-2) are coming off a 73-60 home win Monday against Air Force. Bellarmine transfer Peter Suder poured in a career-high 42 points on 17-of-21 shooting, the highest-scoring game in program history since Wally Szczerbiak scored 43 in 1999. Suder, who averaged 10.5 ppg as a sophomore last season, is up to 17.4 ppg this season. He's hitting 58.8 percent of his field goals while also chipping in 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals. "I always say players win games, man. Coaches lose games," Miami coach Travis Steele told the Journal-News. "Peter was phenomenal. It was just get out of the way and just let him go." Forward Kam Craft, who Steele landed out of high school when he was still coaching at Xavier, is the RedHawks' second-leading scorer at 14.1 ppg. The Hoosiers have won 22 of the previous 25 meetings, including an 86-56 rout two years ago in Indianapolis. --Field Level MediaThe Matua Programme at Nabua Secondary School, outside Suva, is making a significant improvement in the lives of its students. Young people, mostly school drop-outs who were unable to complete their high school education due to personal circumstances, are given a second chance at the school, offering them a new lease on life. Nabua Secondary School is the only educational institution in Fiji offering this incentive. Since its inception two decades ago, hundreds of adult students have attended the programme to complete their secondary school education and pursue tertiary studies. Yesterday, more than 42 students graduated. One of the graduates, Lusiana Turaga, said the programme inspired them to pursue their educational goals. Ms Turaga said the programme renewed her hopes. “It was quite fitting that we had students from diverse back-grounds, which was a new experience for me,” Ms Turaga said. “Engaging in this programme fosters social inclusion for elder citizens by acknowledging their con-tributions to society and ensuring they are not left behind. “It offers seniors an opportunity to remain connected within their communities, enhancing their so-cial well-being.” Ms Turaga said the programme also helped provide financial stability and access to services, helping to improve life and ensured that students when they progressed in life, lived with dignity and comfort. She said the common goal of students who went through the programme was to become better versions of themselves. Feedback: sosiveta.korobiau@fijisun.com.fj
Daniel Penny acquittal for chokehold death of Jordan Neely met with widely different reactions
OTTAWA — NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he won't play Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's games by voting to bring down the government on an upcoming non-confidence motion. The Conservatives plan to introduce a motion that quotes Singh's own criticism of the Liberals, and asks the House of Commons to declare that it agrees with Singh and has no confidence in the government. The motion is expected to be introduced on Thursday and the debate and vote are set for Monday. Singh says he is not going to vote non-confidence and trigger an election when he believes Poilievre would cut programs the NDP fought for, like dental care and pharmacare. The non-confidence vote was scheduled after Speaker Greg Fergus intervened to pause a filibuster on a privilege debate about a green technology fund. The Conservatives have said they would only end that debate if the NDP agree to topple the government or if the Liberals turn over unredacted documents at the centre of the parliamentary gridlock. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2024. David Baxter, The Canadian PressDean McCullough took on his third Bushtucker Trial in tonight’s episode (November 21) of I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Having quit his first trial as he shouted “I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!” and only managed to secure two out of 10 stars in a trial with GK Barry, he was out to prove himself tonight. His third trial saw him locked in a box, similar to his two other trials, where he had to turn stars off a screw using only his mouth and tongue while being accompanied by various critters. Throughout the trial, he had to move from box to box and was met with different critters in each one. He also had to make a chemical reaction while ants were biting his hands. View this post on Instagram A post shared by I'm a Celebrity... (@imacelebrity) Since Dean is frightened of creepy crawlies and bigger critters, he asked Ant and Dec not to tell him what was joining him in the box which was secured around his head. The trial called Lethal Lab saw the BBC Radio 1 presenter take four stars back to camp. Each star means more food for the celebrity campmates while no stars means they have to eat rice and beans. Going back to camp was a much better experience for Dean this time around as he was able to celebrate with his campmates, knowing he’d supplied food for the camp’s evening meal. View this post on Instagram A post shared by I'm a Celebrity... (@imacelebrity) On arriving back to camp, Dean was ecstatic with his success in Lethal Lab and the other celebrities celebrated his win with him. After earning four stars, Dean had fish guts put inside the box with him and quit the trial with "I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!" Meanwhile, the campmates were ordered to give up their contraband after McCullough smuggled teabags into the jungle, while Tulisa Contostavlos gave up a bag of seasoning which radio presenter Melvin Odoom had distributed to her. I’m A Celeb viewers react to Dean’s Lethal Lab trial Viewers took to social media platform X to share their thoughts on Dean’s performance. One said the trial was easy: "So they gave him the easiest challenges we’ve ever seen on I’m a Celeb so he can win some stars lol". Another person commented: “He’s actually doing it, I’m surprised." Recommended reading: Are campmates allowed make-up on ITV's I'm a Celebrity? Banned items revealed What is Dean McCullough's net worth as he takes on I'm A Celeb jungle? 'My life fell apart': I'm A Celeb's Tulisa Contostavlos opens up about 2013 arrest A third said: "Are you serious?? On the fish guts!" The latest series of I’m A Celebrity has a wide range of popular stars including Danny Jones, Coleen Rooney, Melvin Odoom, Oti Mabuse and Barry McGuigan to name a few. I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! airs every night at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign
Pure Storage Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2025 Financial ResultsNEW YORK (AP) — Stocks wavered in afternoon trading on Wall Street Monday at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%. A handful of technology companies helped support the gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 63 points, or 0.2% as of 1:18 p.m. Eastern time. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.7%. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3%. Broadcom jumped 5.2% to also help support the broader market. Japanese automakers Honda Motor and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. Honda rose 3.8% and Nissan rose 1.6% in Tokyo. Eli Lilly rose 3% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.7% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a 24% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market's path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. "Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025," said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields edged higher in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.58% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets were mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close early on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas.