As US president-elect Donald Trump continues to nominate personalities to his cabinet, we take a look behind the scenes at how the US Secret Service is using the most up-to-date technology to protect the president-elect and ease the burden on agents. This report from France 24's Jack Colmer Gale and our colleagues at France 2.Smith & Wesson: Fiscal Q2 Earnings Snapshot
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Mumbai: “If I go to the auction. will I be sold or not and for how much??” That was Rishabh Pant’s midnight post from his social media handle last month that spilled the beans that retention talks between him and Delhi Capitals (DC) had reached a stalemate. Six weeks later, the left-handed batting maverick had the answer. Yes, to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a record price of ₹ 27 crore. All the drama on an action-filled Day 1 of the two-day 2025 IPL mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia played out early. Within a span of minutes, the highest-priced IPL player record was bettered twice. Shreyas Iyer was the third name up for sale, after pacers Arshdeep Singh (Rs.18 crore) and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada ( ₹ 10.75 crore). Bidding for Shreyas, captain of current champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) zoomed past the record of Rs. 24.75 crore paid for Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc by KKR at last year’s auction. Punjab Kings (PBKS) eventually bought Shreyas for Rs.26.75 crore. Soon after Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), searching for a skipper like PBKS and three other teams, went even better by surpassing the bid for Shreyas in acquiring Pant, acknowledged as the hottest draw after he entered the auction. The five most expensive contracts in Sunday’s proceedings went to Indian players, typical of mega auctions where there are more attractive home players available compared to mini auctions. These five – Arshdeep and spinner Yuzvendra Chahal ( ₹ 18 crore) being fourth and fifth and Venkatesh Iyer (Rs.23.75 crore) third in the list – cost teams a total of Rs.113.5 crore. Those holding the paddle power in the auction room accompanied with data intel from their analysts had stretched Pant’s bidding up to Rs. 20.75 crore. As many as four franchises bid aggressively. Among them were Delhi Capitals too, who had already lost a fierce bidding war for Shreyas to PBKS. Auctioneer Malika Sagar asked DC if they wanted to exercise the Right To Match card. They did, but as it turned out, LSG were determined to pull out all stops to secure the wicket-keeper batter’s services. LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka spelt out a significant incremental bid – Rs.27 crore. DC gave up. There were handshakes on the LSG table. Lucknow had in all likelihood their new captain. ‘Shukriya, Rishabh’ video followed on DC’s social media. Purely from a cricketing standpoint, one could reason that there are many with a better T20 batting record than Shreyas (IPL SR 127.48). Even Pant (SR 148.93) is yet to ace the T20 format. But ringing in the pricing argument is almost futile in the auction room. We have seen it over 17 auctions, how teams’ priority is to fill their vacant slots, find the best bets for their first playing elevens, now twelves with the Impact Player Rule. In both the record buys, Pant and Shreyas, the incentive to have an Indian captain stoked a bidding war. LSG appeared sure they had slotted in Pant as captain once they looked past KL Rahul during retentions. “Everyone knows Rishabh’s value. He is dynamic, a winner. They (LSG) have done well to get him,” PBKS’ new head coach Ricky Ponting said after the bidding. Ponting wanted to rejoin forces with Shreyas – the two had worked together as captain-coach at DC. It made LSG’s task a tad easier, else Pant’s bidding could have gone into orbit. Similarly, Shreyas’s name wouldn’t have come into the auction at all had KKR given more weightage to his captaincy. At variance with some other team’s tactics, they prioritised retaining their T20 specialists and the more experienced players. Although even their tactics did not prove to be fool proof as they had to shell out Rs.23.75 crore later to buy back batting all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer – a possible captaincy candidate – after finding themselves lagging in many bidding wars. Shreyas was “elated” to join PBKS, who used the weight of their spending power (Rs.110.5 crore) to get him. It was quite a statement from the middle-order batter to end a tumultuous year on a high, where he lost his India contract, was not retained by the team that he led to the IPL title but got a vote of approval from market forces. In Pant’s case, once he proved he retained his cheerful approach to cricket after making a successful comeback following his horrific accident, many, most certainly LSG, felt sky was his limit. Among other Indians, KL Rahul (Rs.14 crore) proved to be quite a bargain buy for DC, also looking for a new skipper. It was a homecoming for R Ashwin, who went to Chennai Super Kings for Rs.9.75 crore. Caught Dhoni bowled Ashwin, one final time in IPL 2025?
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Lakeland Industries Inc. (LAKE) on Thursday reported profit of $86,000 in its fiscal third quarter. On a per-share basis, the Huntsville, Alabama-based company said it had net income of 1 cent. The safety garments manufacturer posted revenue of $45.8 million in the period. Lakeland Industries expects full-year revenue of $165 million. This story was generated by Automated Insights ( http://automatedinsights.com/ap ) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on LAKE at https://www.zacks.com/ap/LAKE For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, STATS Perform dba Automated Insights. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
Discount Tire Expands Into Youth Sports Nationwide With New ECNL Soccer Partnership SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading retailer of tires and wheels, Discount Tire , began a multiyear partnership for 2024-2026 with the Elite Clubs National League, or ECNL, the nation's top youth soccer program offering multiple developmental platforms for elite athletes. Discount Tire is now the Official Tire Retailer for the ECNL through the 2026 season, expanding its partnership roster to allow for a greater focus on the next generations of tire consumers. The partnership between Discount Tire and the ECNL officially kicked off in November at the ECNL Girls Phoenix Showcase in Arizona . During this three-day event, 178 teams from across the country in the U16-U18/19 age groups competed in front of hundreds of college and professional scouts for their chance to show their skills and talent. "Discount Tire strives to make the tire buying process easy, inviting, and safe for all drivers — no matter their age," shared Tom Williams , chief experience officer at Discount Tire. "By investing in our youth, Discount Tire can expand the knowledge of tire safety starting at an earlier age than we have before." Support for the ECNL expands Discount Tire's commitment to significant sponsor investments in soccer, including the multiyear deal as the Official Tire Retailer of Major League Soccer and teamwide partnerships with Chicago Fire, FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami, Nashville SC, Portland Timbers, and Seattle Sounders. "Since the founding of the girls league in 2009, the ECNL has grown into an incredible youth soccer platform for male and female youth players at the domestic and international levels," said Christian Lavers , ECNL President. "Today, the ECNL includes more than 400 clubs and 120,000 players nationwide, providing incredible competition, development and opportunities for all its athletes." Discount Tire's branding will be featured at more than 40 prominent ECNL Showcase and National Championship events annually. Discount Tire will be highlighted with field signage at each event, including at the Continental Tire ECNL National Selection Game series, receive exposure on the ECNL podcast " Breaking the Line , " and appear in ECNL newsletters and joint social media campaigns. The deal also includes title sponsorship of the ECNL Conference Cup and League Cups competitions, and branding on game jerseys. For more information on Discount Tire's investment in soccer, visit DiscountTire.com/MLS . About Discount Tire Discount Tire is a leading independent retailer of tires, wheels, and windshield wipers. Founded in 1960 by Bruce T. Halle , the company serves customers at more than 1,200 stores in 39 states. The company does business as Discount Tire in most of the U.S. and as America's Tire in parts of California and Pennsylvania . Treadwell, Discount Tire's proprietary online tire-buying guide, uses decades of data and individual driving habits to recommend the right tires for each driver's unique needs. For more information, visit www.discounttire.com . About the ECNL The ECNL is the nation's leading youth soccer development platform. The ECNL respects and celebrates the unique individuality of every youth soccer player and club, supporting and enabling them to unleash their unfettered passion and fierce tenacity in striving to achieve their potential. The ECNL mission to Raise the Game is a total commitment to create the best possible environment for players, coaches, referees and administrators, with a determination to constantly question convention and challenge the status quo in youth sports. The ECNL Commitment: We will lead, set our eyes on new horizons, and pursue them relentlessly. Born out of the belief in a better way. Continued in the ever-evolving pursuit of excellence. MEDIA CONTACT: Rachel Baker pressemails@discounttire.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/a-new-multiyear-partnership-between-discount-tire-and-elite-clubs-national-league-302331670.html SOURCE Discount TireOver 20,000 jobs for working families are at risk in California’s Inland Empire. The reason? Fallout from a regulation raising concerns amongst businesses, labor groups, government officials, and even environmental advocates . Let’s take a step back. Founded over 50 years ago, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has been a world leader in air pollution control, smog reduction, and climate science. And the air across Southern California is better for it. However, CARB’s new “In-Use Locomotive Regulation,” mandating railroads like Union Pacific and BNSF set aside hundreds of millions of dollars today for the technology of the future, risks undermining this precarious balance. While the goal of reducing emissions is commendable, the technology required to meet this mandate is not yet commercially viable to move freight across the country. BNSF has said that its planned $1.5 billion investment in the Barstow International Gateway (BIG) is in jeopardy if the regulation moves forward. As a result, this regulation could jeopardize over 20,000 direct and indirect jobs in the high desert. BNSF plans to develop the 4,500-acre Barstow rail yard, intermodal facility and warehouses for transloading freight project in the next few years, creating thousands of jobs and reducing truck miles traveled from the 130-mile trip from the ports to the Inland Empire along the Interstate 15 corridor. The project would also reduce vehicle miles traveled up and down the Cajon Pass from high desert residents who would have job opportunities closer to home. However, the costs of complying with the regulation and transitioning to non-existent technology would divert capital and resources from railroads, threatening the viability of significant investments like BIG. The potential loss of the BIG project would deal a significant blow to the local economy, particularly to the working families in the region. Moreover, over 86,000 businesses and one in nine jobs in Southern California connected to the San Pedro Bay Port Complex depend on efficient rail connections. Maintaining these connections is essential for the region’s growth and stability and we cannot afford increased traffic congestion and carbon emissions from continuing to force freight onto highways. Related Articles Commentary | A roadmap for healthcare reform in the Trump era Commentary | Californians deserve real solutions, not yet another Newsom vanity project Commentary | Biden wanted to be a transformative historical figure. Instead, he will be a footnote. Commentary | As Los Angeles prepares for Olympics, transportation money gets shuffled toward fiber network Commentary | Democrats welcome Trump ‘the fascist’ with open arms Freight rail, which is responsible for 40 percent of U.S. long-distance freight but only 1.7% of transportation emissions, is one of our most efficient means of moving goods. BIG is also touted to be a state-of-the-art answer to many of the regional and national supply chain issues we’ve all felt over the last several years as our ports have been winning back trade from importers because they are rail connected. While the goals of CARB’s locomotive rule are aligned with our shared commitment to addressing climate change, the regulation’s timing and feasibility are out of step with current technological realities. Our organizations agree with CARB on this: we see a path forward for zero emissions locomotives; we need to convene to align timing, technology, and transition. As Californians, we understand the urgency of transitioning to a zero-emission future, but we must also ensure that our policies support both environmental and economic sustainability. By aligning climate goals with technological capabilities, we can protect jobs, support economic growth, and continue to lead in the fight against climate change while maintaining good jobs for working families in our region. Jon Switalski is the executive director of the Rebuild SoCal Partnership. Sarah Wiltfong is the chief public policy and advocacy officer at the Supply Chain Council
Hear ye, hear ye, the official town crier of Sidney, B.C. is set to hang up his hat after more than 20 years in the role. Kenny Podmore, the official town crier of the municipality, is retiring after lending his vocal talents to the community for more than two decades – first as the Deputy Town Crier in 1998, then as the Official Town Crier in 2003. “Throughout this time, he approached his role with professionalism and passion,” said Sidney Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith in a statement to CHEK News on Thursday. “By sharing his unique gifts as an orator with the community, Kenny enhanced countless local events and ceremonies.” In a social media post Wednesday , the town said that Podmore’s “captivating voice and presence” helped elevate countless parades, events, and openings of new facilities and businesses. The municipality says it’s planning to hold an event to celebrate his retirement sometime in early 2025, though an exact date has not been set yet. The town says details will be released in the near future. “Kenny Podmore’s outstanding service as Sidney’s Official Town Crier has been greatly appreciated by Council, Town staff, and community members,” said the mayor. “We thank Kenny for his dedication and long service to our community.” SEE ALSO: Duncan eliminates town crier positionSEBI Recommends Clearing Corporations Should Operate As Profit-Making Public Utilities, Market Watchdog Proposes To Diversify Ownership Of CCsIn the aftermath of the , while Thompson’s colleagues grieve and politicians decry his murder, some online discussion has shown little sympathy for Thompson or the industry he represented. Instead, social media has been in engulfed in expressions of anger at many Americans’ dire experiences at the hands of health insurance companies and outrage at the large profits that they generate. That belies the shock also generated by the brutality of Thompson’s death. The killing appeared premeditated and calculated. A gunman dressed in black waited for Thompson outside the midtown Manhattan Hilton where he was scheduled to speak at an investor’s meeting, approached him from behind with a handgun fitted with a silencer, and shot and killed the executive, according to police. He fled on an ebike into Central Park. A manhunt is ongoing. The motive is unknown. Andrew Witty, CEO of the parent company, UnitedHealth Group, called the attack “a terrible tragedy” in a message sent to company employees and shared with the Guardian. “Our hearts are with his family, especially his mom, his wife Paulie, his brother and his two boys, who lost a father today,” Witty said. Amy Klobuchar, a Democratic US Senator from Minnesota, described the killing as “a horrifying and shocking act of violence”. But in contrast, one commenter on about Thompson’s death wrote: “Can’t find the room to care over my daughter’s $60,000 cancer treatment. Thoughts and prayers.” Another said: “An innocent victim was gunned down in cold blood. Have a heart regardless of your health insurance.” Vacillating between the condemnation of violence and dark humor, celebratory memes and outright violent rhetoric, comments on social media highlight the deep and often unpleasant connection Americans have with their own health system. An expert in political violence told the Guardian he sees this as part of the US’s growing acceptance of violence as a way to settle civil disputes. “Now the norms of violence are spreading into the commercial sector,” said Robert Pape, director of the University of Chicago’s project on security and threats. “That’s what I saw when I saw this.” Although the motive for the killing is unknown, it has not stopped rampant speculation that there was an obvious candidate – Thompson’s work in corporate health insurance. That speculation was only furthered by the scrawled with the words “deny”, “depose” and “defend” in permanent marker. “What I think we’re really experiencing as a country is the erosion against norms,” said Pape, with the little sympathy among the “body politic” expressed in social media as one more example. “That means, basically, seeing violence as the more normal tool, or acceptable tool, to resolve what should be straightforward civil disputes resolved in nonviolent ways.” Thompson’s killing also laid bare the threat that healthcare executives face in a – from insurers to to . “It doesn’t seem paranoid to worry that someone who’s had services denied that they may believe are important might be in an emotionally unstable state and could take some action,” Michael Sherman, former chief medical officer at Point32Health, told , a health industry publication. “The most likely targets would be the chief medical officer ... or the CEO.” Comments online did not single out Thompson, a 50-year-old licensed accountant who reportedly kept a . Instead, they were targeted at an industry often seen as a despised fact of life in America. Comments laced “jokes” with the sting of denial, delay, debt and impenetrable bureaucracy, all and reviled experiences for the throngs of Americans who are now or have been insured through a private company. Another comment: “Does he have a history of shootings? Denied coverage.” Ranked by size, UnitedHealth Group is one of the biggest companies in the world. Measured by its market capitalization of it tops household names such as Mastercard and ExxonMobil. The company is one of the biggest private insurers in the nation, providing health coverage to more than 50 million Americans spanning employer insurance all the way to the elderly through Medicare Advantage. Thompson ran the insurance division of the company as a reportedly longtime employee who kept a low profile. With an enormous footprint, it is also the subject of near constant scrutiny. Thompson himself was part of an investigation into insider trading at the company. Early this year, after the Department of Justice began an inquiry into monopolistic practices, executives at United sold $101m in stocks, including Thompson, who sold $15m, before the public became aware of the investigation, according to . Witty was hauled in for over a that caused severe disruptions across the healthcare industry. UnitedHealthcare has been criticized as denying care to . While security executives for leading Fortune 500 companies gathered on Wednesday, others marveled in public that Thompson was unaccompanied on his way to the annual investor conference. Michael Julian, CEO of MPS Security & Protection, told that he “was shocked the guy didn’t have a protective detail”, implying that a head of an American healthcare giant would be an obvious target for the potentially aggrieved. “Whether this technically will fit the pigeonhole of political violence or not, it obviously will be an important issue,” said Pape, whose recent study showed a dramatic increase in instances of violent threats against both Democrats and Republicans since about 2017, the beginning of the first Trump term. “But it also misses the bigger picture of what’s been happening in our country.”