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NoneSouth Korea's leader prompts dismay by briefly declaring martial law. Here's what to know( MENAFN - UkrinForm) Law enforcement agencies have referred over 2,000 cases of questionable disability statuses issued by Medical-Social Expert Commissions (MSEC) to the Ministry of health of Ukraine. Following reviews, disability statuses for 188 individuals have already been revoked. Health Minister Viktor Liashko disclosed this information during a television broadcast, as reported by a Ukrinform correspondent. “Law enforcement has forwarded over 2,000 cases to us. We have already reviewed nearly 1,000, and 188 disability statuses have been revoked,” Liashko stated. The Minister added that 388 individuals involved in these cases have been summoned to a specialized research institute for reassessment. Liashko urged medical professionals in expert panels to strictly adhere to legal protocols in their work. He also reminded that starting January 1, 2025, MSECs will cease to function as separate legal entities. “When discussing the comprehensive reform of medical-social expertise, we have already restructured the medical aspect. This marks the first step in a broader reform. Next, we anticipate reforms from the social sector, the Ministry of Economy, and the Ministry of Education and Science. Together, these changes will complete the assessment framework for evaluating individuals' functionality, identifying their needs related to loss of function, and offering state-provided compensatory solutions,” Liashko explained. The Minister assured that the healthcare system is prepared for the elimination of MSECs. Liashko also highlighted that a list of diagnoses has been established for which disability statuses will be granted for life, eliminating the need for annual or biannual reassessments.“This has been clearly outlined in Cabinet resolutions and detailed in Ministry of Health regulations for each condition. This issue has been resolved and will be implemented in 2025 to settle the matter once and for all,” he added. As reported by Ukrinform, on December 19, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine passed a law eliminating Medical-Social Expert Commissions starting next year. MENAFN29122024000193011044ID1109040131 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.US coach Emma Hayes admits to anthem uncertainty ahead of England stalemate
A VAN-lifer has revealed how he bought a used white Citreon van on Facebook Marketplace and moved in. Harry Gilbert, 24, packed in his busy London life in exchange for a home on wheels to save thousands on rent. The Isle of Man native was living in Putney, London, when he started working remotely and decided to take the plunge. . He told The Sun: "I started working remote and thought there's no point me being here." So he packed his bags, moved home, and bought a Citroen Relay 06 on Facebook Marketplace for £1,600. Over the course of a year, Harry built the bed and cupboards from scratch but used flatpack furniture for the rest of his home. READ MORE ON MOTORS He shared the process via YouTube, and TikTok where he's racked up 198,000 followers. Harry also installed a gaming PC in his van, this is an internet satellite known as a Starlink, along with solar panels to enable him to work remotely. The van is also equipped with a stove, fridge and a toilet/seating area. In total, his tiny-home cost £10,000. Most read in Motors Harry spends around £1,000 a month - £400 on cash withdrawals, £220 on fuel, £200 on groceries and £180 on internet/subscriptions. He brings in £1,200 from work. The TikTokker says he's now completed nine months of vanlife and visited 12 different countries. He said: "For me, it's just a different way of living. "I know people talk about the rat race - but times are changing and a lot of people work remotely now. "People can get so sucked up in it [London life] they kind of forget it [van life] is possible. Harry believes people should take advantage of working remotely and that freedom is "the best thing". He said: "I get to go where I want, do what I want, work when I want. So, I think that's rich in itself." But the TikToker admitted he does struggle - one downside, he claimed, is loneliness. He explained: "For the first couple of weeks travelling around Europe I didn't really have much contact with people. "I was kind of by myself the whole time and there were times when that was very challenging. "I don't really do many touristy things, or go to any touristy places, I like to distance myself and go to to places that not many tourists go." Harry doesn't really plan his routes but uses an app called Park 4 Night to pick a nice spot for the night. Another downside is "bad weather", he says. The TikToker recalled the night that led him to consider whether van life was for him. During the early hours of the morning, on a stormy night on the Isle of Man, Harry's Starlink flew off the van roof and smashed against the ground. Feeling tired and unwell, Harry got up to retrieve the pieces. He added: "That was probably the only time I have debated van life." On the other hand, there are many pros to van life. He explained: "You can book a holiday and it not be nice but you're stuck there because you booked the holiday. "But with a van, you can go somewhere and if you aren't feeling it or don't really like it, you can just drive somewhere else. "You can also visit more places, it really is the freedom of it." READ MORE SUN STORIES Harry isn't thinking too deeply into the future just yet but hopes to find somewhere off-grid to live in. His plan for now is just to "go with the flow".
Savvy investments in the stock market could pave the way to incredible wealth accumulation. Take Nvidia , for example. If you invested $10,000 in Nvidia a decade ago, you would be sitting on over $3 million today. Archer Aviation ( ACHR 4.50% ) is an innovative flying taxi company that could revolutionize urban travel. Imagine effortlessly soaring over city traffic in an electric drone-like aircraft, whisked away to your destination in record time. It's the future and could be closer than you think. According to Morgan Stanley , the urban air travel industry could grow into a $9 trillion market by 2050. As cities grow and traffic congestion worsens, demand for aerial transportation will inevitably surge. The question is: Can Archer Aviation seize this opportunity and provide life-changing wealth? Let's examine the company to find out. Archer Aviation looks to reimagine transportation with its Midnight aircraft Archer is one of the leading companies working on electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL). These aircraft hover vertically and can operate in small spaces. Also, their electric motors are powered by modern battery technology, allowing them to operate quieter than helicopters with less pollution, making them ideal for urban transportation. Archer has been developing its aircraft since 2018 and has made huge strides in getting them commercially operational. Earlier this year, its flagship Midnight aircraft performed a successful transition flight , where it soared vertically, then transitioned from hovering to flying like a typical fixed-wing aircraft. After reaching speeds of over 100 miles per hour, it returned for a smooth vertical landing. What's next for Archer Several steps are left before eVTOL operators achieve commercial operations and, more importantly, start producing steady revenue. Archer is making significant strides in its certification process, having completed three of the four required steps. This certification is crucial, since it will confirm that the Midnight eVTOL has met rigorous safety standards and will pave the way for commercial flight operations. The company anticipates receiving the certification by late 2025. In addition to type certification, Archer is also pursuing production certification, which will enable the large-scale manufacturing of its Midnight aircraft. With a factory in Georgia, Archer plans to produce up to 650 aircraft annually, with production projected to commence in 2025. The preparation for air taxis is underway. Archer is partnering with Southwest Airlines to map out electric air taxi networks at California airports served by Southwest. And it is collaborating with Signature Aviation to electrify 200 airports across the U.S. Archer expects to roll out its Los Angeles air mobility network by 2026 while also seeking international expansion, with operations in the United Arab Emirates set to begin as early as 2025. Can Archer Aviation set you up for life? Archer's innovative aircraft could revolutionize urban transportation. As a pioneer in the industry, Archer stands to benefit from a first-mover advantage as it transitions from concept to manufacturing and eventually to large-scale commercial operations. However, the company is still pre-revenue, and positive cash flow is years away. The growth story will take years or even decades to play out, making it best for extremely patient investors with a long time horizon. Its significant upside potential comes with a lot of execution risk around this new form of travel that may take time before it has mainstream acceptance, leaving the stock vulnerable to volatility along the way. If you're looking to build a position in Archer today, a wise approach is to start small and gradually add to it over time , making sure it is part of a well-diversified portfolio . In this scenario, you could benefit from the company's potentially explosive growth. And if it fails to take flight, at least you'll have your other investments to fall back on.The following is a list of in-person and online worship services and events happening at churches and synagogues in the Oakland County area. Visit websites or call for service times and events. • Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, 1550 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills, 248-651-6550, abidingpresence.org. Sunday worship services are at 9:30 a.m., virtual services are available on the website. • Adat Shalom Synagogue, 29901 Middlebelt Road, Farmington Hills, online services via Zoom. To view daily Minyan video conferences; email Executive Director Michael Wolf at mwolf@adatshalom.org or visit adatshalom.org, 248-851-5100. • All Saints’ Episcopal, 171 W. Pike St., Pontiac, allsaintspontiac.org, 248-334-4571, rector@allsaintspontiac.org. • The Apostolic Church of Christ, 3655 N. Squirrel Road, Auburn Hills, theapostolicchurch.com, 248-373-4500, Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. • Archdiocese of Detroit, livestream Mass times, aod.org/livemasses. • Auburn Hills Christian Center, 2592 Walton Blvd., Auburn Hills, Sunday worship services at 10:30 a.m., Servicio Evangelistico services (in Spanish) at 2-4 p.m. Sundays, 248-373-7139, www.myahcc.org. • Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Troy, online services at 10:30 a.m. Sundays, beaconcongregation.org, admin@beaconcongregation.org. • Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, 5631 N Adams Road, Bloomfield Hills, livestream services at 9 a.m. Sundays, and in person at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. at bslcmi.org, facebook/bslcmi, 248-646-5041. • Berea Family Tabernacle of Faith, Pontiac, online worship services are noon Sundays, Berea’s YouTube Channel: youtu.be/5QnjxMyFwJ4 or visit experienceberea.org and click “Watch Now,” 248-338-4748. • Berkley First United Methodist Church, 2820 12 Mile Road, Berkley, worship services are 10 a.m. Sundays in person and online at www.berkleyfirst.org. • Bharatiya Temple, 6850 N Adams Road, Troy, www.bharatiya-temple.org, 248-879-2552. • Big Beaver United Methodist Church, 3753 John R Road, Troy, worship services at 10 a.m. Sundays, http://bbumchurch.org. • Birmingham First United Methodist Church, 1589 W Maple Road, Birmingham, www.fumcbirmingham.org. Sunday worship services in-person and online are at 9:30 a.m., and in-person only services at 11 a.m. Summer worship services between Memorial Day and Labor Day, are at 10 a.m. • Birmingham Unitarian Church, Bloomfield Hills, online worship services, 10:30 a.m. Sundays, bucmi.org, 248-647-2380. • Bridge Community Church, 5700 Rochester Road, Troy, online worship services, 10:45 a.m. Sundays, bridgecommunitychurch.com/live, 248-879-9500. • Brightmoor Christian Church, 40800 W. 13 Mile Road, Novi, www.brightmoorchurch.org. • Calvary Chapel Oakland County, 1975 E. Long Lake Road, Troy, 248-457-9673, ccoaklandcounty.com. Worship 7 p.m. Wednesdays and 10 a.m. Sundays. • Calvary Church, 1361 Giddings Road, Pontiac, Sunday worship services are at 10 a.m., https://ccpontiac.org, 248-373-0311. • Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, 6805 Bluegrass Drive, Clarkston, calvary-lutheran.org. Sunday worship services are Traditional Worship at 7:55 a.m.; Modern Worship at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.; and livestream at 9:30 a.m. Food pantry (drive-up or curbside pickup) is 9-11 a.m. Wednesdays. • Central Church, 1529 Twelve Mile Road, Madison Heights, www.centralchurch.cc. Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. • Central Oaks Community Church, 2005 Rochester Road, Royal Oak, www.centraloaks.com, 248-547-7755. Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. • Central United Methodist Church, 3882 Highland Road, Waterford Twp., 248-681-0040, WaterfordCUMC.org. In-person worship, at 8:45 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sundays. The 10:30 a.m. service is also available online at Live.WaterfordCUMC.org. Blue Christmas is 7-8 p.m. Dec. 11, https://waterfordcumc.org/christmas-at-central-church, worship service of remembrance and encouragement. • Central Woodward Christian Church Disciples of Christ, 3955 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 248-644-0512, centralwoodwardchristian.com. Sunday worship services are at 10:30 a.m., in person and online at centralwoodwardchristian.com and Facebook at www.facebook.com/CentralWoodward. • Chapel of Our Lady of Orchard Lake, 3535 Commerce Road, West Bloomfield Twp., www.sscms.edu, 248-683-0310. • Christian Tabernacle Church, Southfield, ctabchurch.com, 248-213-4770. • Christ Church Cranbrook, 470 Church Road, Bloomfield Hills, In-person and online worship services, 10 a.m. Sundays, ccc-info.org. • Christ Lutheran Church, Waterford Twp., online worship services, christwaterford.org/livestream, 248-673-7331. • Christ, Our Light! Catholic Church, 3077 Glouchester, Troy. Mass times are: Saturday at 4 p.m.; Sunday at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.; weekday Masses (followed by Rosary recitation) are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 9 a.m., and Friday at 12:05 p.m., Christourlight.weconnect.com, 248-649-5510. • Christ the Good Shepherd Progressive Old Catholic Church, 3947 Twelve Mile Road Berkley, church services: Saturday Mass 4:30 p.m. and Sunday Mass 10:30 a.m., 248-439-0470, www.cgs-occ.org. • Christ the Redeemer Parish, 2700 Waldon Road Orion Township, 248-391-1621, weekly online Mass at 10 a.m. Sundays, also in-person Masses, ctredeemer.org. • Church of the Holy Spirit, 3700 Harvey Lake Road, Highland Twp., www.holyspirithighland.com. • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregations in Oakland County include: Bloomfield Hills, Clarkston, Commerce Twp., Farmington Hills, Lake Orion, Pontiac (Spanish), Rochester, Troy and White Lake Twp. The congregations host worship services on Sundays. For worship times and locations, visit churchofjesuschrist.org. • Church of the Resurrection, 6490 Clarkston Road, Village of Clarkston, https://clarkstonepiscopal.com, 248-625-2325. Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. • Clarkston Community Church, 6300 Clarkston Road, Clarkston, in-person and online services at 9:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays, clarkstoncchurch.com, 248-625-1323. • Clarkston United Methodist Church, 6600 Waldon Road, Clarkston, in-person and online faith services, 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays, clarkstonumc.org, 248-625-1611. • Commerce United Methodist Church, 1155 N. Commerce Road, Commerce Twp., commerceumc.org/media. • Community Bible Church, 1888 Crescent Lake Road, Waterford Twp., https://cbcmi.com, 248-674-4871. Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. • Community Fellowship Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 27800 Southfield Road, Lathrup Village, church services at 11 a.m. Saturdays, http://communityfellowship22.adventistchurchconnect.org, 248-469-8539. • Community Presbyterian Church, 4301 Monroe Ave., Waterford Twp. In-person worship is 10 a.m., Sundays, cpcwaterford.org, 248-673-7805. • Congregation Beth Ahm, 5075 West Maple Road, West Bloomfield Twp., 248-851-6880, cbahm.org. • Congregational Church of Birmingham, UCC, 1000 Cranbrook Road, Bloomfield Hills. Worship services are 10 a.m. Sundays, ccbucc.org, 248-646-4511. • Congregation Shaarey Zedek, 27375 Bell Road, Southfield, offers virtual Jewish religious services including daily morning and evening Minyan services, Shabbat morning services and Youth Shabbat activities, shaareyzedek.org, 248-357-5544. • Congregation Shir Tikvah, 3900 Northfield Parkway, Troy, www.shirtikvah.org. • Cornerstone Baptist Church, Ortonville, livestream online worship services, Sundays at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at Facebook at Cornerstone Baptist Church Ortonville, cbcortonville.com, 248 627-4700. • Cornerstone Church, Highland, online services, cornerstonehighland.com, 248-887-1600. • Crossroads Free Will Baptist Church, 4804 White Lake Road, White Lake Twp., https://crossroadswl.org, Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. The church has a Blessing Box that is stocked with non-perishable food items, books and other household items for those in need. Donations welcome. • Divine Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 3000 S. Lapeer Road, Orion Twp., divinegrace.net, Sunday worship services at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., livestream. • Door of Faith Christian Church, Pontiac, online services, 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays, mydooroffaith.org. • Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 23425 Lahser Road, Southfield, 248-357-1848, emmanuellutheransouthfield.org. • Empowerment Church of Southfield, worship services are 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sundays at new worship center location, Shriner’s Silver Garden Events Center, 24350 Southfield Road, Southfield, 248-569-2299, empowerment.mi.org. Virtual worship services, 10:30 a.m. Sundays at empowermentmi.org/stream and on Facebook Live. • Encounter Church, 600 North Campbell Road, Royal Oak, in-person and online services, 11 a.m. Sundays; Prayer and Bible study is 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, www.encounter360.org. • Evanswood Church of God, 2601 E Square Lake Road, Troy, 248-879-9240. • Faith Church in Rochester Hills offers free meals to the community, 5:30-6:45 p.m. Wednesdays, at the church,160 W Hamlin Road, Rochester Hills, faithchurchrochesterhills.org/sharethetable. • Faith Community Christian Church (meeting at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church), 1550 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills, 586-703-6249, Reverend Tom Sayers. Traditional service is at 1 p.m., www.faithcommunitychristianchurch.org. • Faith Covenant Church, 35415 W. 14 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, worship services are at 9:30 a.m. and 11a.m., Sundays, 248-661-9191, 4fcc.org. • First Baptist Church, 2601 John R Road, Troy, fbctroy.org. • First Baptist Church, 255 E. Scripps Road, Lake Orion, fbclo.org, 248-693-6203, info@fbclo.org. • First Congregational Church, 5449 Clarkston Road, Clarkston, (just east of Sashabaw Road), 248-394-0200, www.fcclarkston.com, worship services at 10 a.m. Sundays. • First Congregational Church of Rochester UCC, 1315 N. Pine, Rochester, worship services at 10 a.m. Sundays, fccrochester.org, 248-651-6225. • First Congregational Church of Royal Oak, 1314 Northwood Blvd., Royal Oak. Worship services at 10:30 a.m. Sundays, www.fccro.org. • First General Baptist of Waterford, 2933 Frembes Road, Waterford, wgbchurch.com, 248-673-6481, Sunday school at 10 a.m., worship services at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. • First Missionary Church, 4832 Clintonville Road, Independence Twp., www.fmcclarkston.org, 248-674-3186. Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. • First Presbyterian Church Birmingham, 1669 W. Maple, Birmingham, worship services are Sundays, 8:30 a.m. in person, and 10 a.m. in person and livestream, fpcbirmingham.org, 248-644-2040. • First Presbyterian Church of Pontiac, 99 Wayne Street, Pontiac, fpcpontiac.info. • First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak, 529 Hendrie Blvd., 248-541-0108, fpcro.org, online services available anytime at fpcro.org, 248-541-0108. • First United Methodist Church of Troy, 6363 Livernois, Troy. Church services are 10 a.m. Sundays in person and livestream on YouTube and Facebook, www.FUMCTROY.org, 248-879-6363. • Five Points Community Church, 3411 E Walton Blvd, Auburn Hills, https://5pointscc.org, 248-373-1381. Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. • Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1950 S. Baldwin Road, Lake Orion, 248-391-1170, goodshepherdlakeorion.net. Worship services are 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays. • Grace Gospel Fellowship, 65 East Huron Street, Pontiac; in-person and livestream online services are 11 a.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Wednesdays. Livestream online services are at www.facebook.com/GraceGospelFellowshipPontiac, 248-334-2187. • Greenfield Presbyterian Church, 2312 Greenfield Road, Berkley, both virtual and in-person worship services are at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays, (Memorial Day through Labor Day, services are at 10 a.m. only), youtube.com/user/GreenfieldChurch, greenfieldchurch.com, 248-544-1800. • Grace Church, 220 Bogie Lake Road, White Lake Twp. Sunday services are 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., Gracechurchinfo.net, 248-887-3700. • Harvestland Church, 5848 Clintonville Road, Independence Twp., https://harvestland.church, 248-391-2063. Sunday worship services at 10:30 a.m. • Hazel Park First United Methodist Church, 313 E. Nine Mile Road, Hazel Park, 248-546-5955, hpfirst.org. Sunday worship services at 11:15 a.m. • Heart of the Hills Christian Church, 5085 Orion Road, Rochester, https://heartofthehills.com, 248-841-1679. Sunday worship services at 10:30 a.m. • Hillside Bible Church, 73 N Church St, Ortonville, 248-627-2513, hillsidebible.org, Sunday worship services at 10:30 a.m. • Hilltop Church of the Nazarene, 21260 Haggerty Road, Northville, hilltopnaz.org, Sunday worship services at 10:30 a.m. • Holly Calvary Church, 15010 N Holly Road, Holly, hollycalvary.org, Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. in person and online, Wednesday worship is at 6:30 p.m. • Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, 4800 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Twp. In-person worship services at 10 a.m. Sundays, livestream on YouTube youtube.com/@spiritdrivenchurch, 248-682-5441, spiritdrivenchurch.com. • Hope United Methodist Church, 26275 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield, 248-356-1020, hopeumc.org. • Immanuel Congregational Church of Christ, Oxford, 248-628-1610, icucc.org, virtual service at 11 a.m. Sundays, facebook.com/oxfordimmanuelucc. • International Christian Church, 3980 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills, online and in-person services at 11:30 a.m. Sundays, 248-494-8757, myiccglobal.org, facebook.com/icchurch/live. • Islamic Association of Greater Detroit, 879 West Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, www.childrenofabrahamday.org. • Jewel Heart Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center, 27745 Woodward Ave., Berkley, www.jewelheart.org. • Journey Lutheran Church, (joined with Holy Cross Church) 136 S. Washington St., Oxford, online and in-person worship services, 8:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays, education hour is at 10 a.m., journeylutheran.church, 248-628-2011. • Kensington Church with locations in Birmingham, Clarkston, Clinton Twp., Orion Twp. and Troy, in-person Sunday worship times, and online services offered streaming on YouTube, Facebook, and website, kensingtonchurch.org. • King of Kings Lutheran Church, 1715 S. Lapeer Road, Lake Orion, www.kingofkingslakeorion.org. Worship services are 9:30 a.m. Sundays, online streaming at www.facebook.com/kingofkingslakeorion. • Kirk in the Hills, 1340 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills. Sunday worship services are at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., kirkinthehills.org, 248 626 2515. • Lakecrest Baptist Church, 35 Airport Rd, Waterford Twp., www.lakecrestbaptist.com, 248-681-3214. Sunday worship services are at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Spanish service at 1 p.m. • Lake Orion Church of Christ, 1080 Hemingway Road, Lake Orion, www.lococ.org, 248-693-7242. Sunday worship services at 10:30 a.m. • Lake Orion Methodist Church, Lake Orion, www.lakeorionumc.org. Sunday worship services at 10 a.m., in person and online. • LakePoint Community Church, 1550 W. Drahner Road, Oxford, https://lakepointcc.org, 248-628-0038. • The Lakes Church, 1450 S Hospital Road, Waterford Twp., www.thelakes.cc, 248-254-7833, Sunday worship services are 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. The 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services are livestreamed. • Liberty General Baptist Church, 3545 Joslyn Rd, Auburn Hills, https://libertygeneralbaptistchurch.org, 248-431-3498. Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. • Lifepoint Church, 5601 Scott Lake Road, Waterford Twp., lifepointchristian.com. • Life Renewal Church, 28312 Grand River, Farmington Hills, https://liferenewalchurch.org, worship is 11 a.m. Sundays. • Madison Heights Church of the Nazarene, 555 E 13 Mile Road, Madison Heights, mhnaz.org, 248-585-5551. • Maranatha Baptist Church, 5790 Flemings Lake Road, Clarkston, Sunday worship services at 10:30 a.m., www.mbcclarkston.org. • Marimont Community Church, 424 W Walton Blvd., Pontiac, Sunday worship services are at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., https://marimontcommunitychurch.com. • Masjid Mahmood, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Center, 1730 W. Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, ahmadiyyamosque.blogspot.com. • Metro Detroit Christian Church, 33360 W. 13 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, https://metrodetroit.org, 248-562-7998. Sunday worship services at 10:30 a.m. • Mother of God Chaldean Catholic Church, 25585 Berg Road, Southfield, https://mogccc.com, 248-356-0565. • Motor City Church, 3668 Livernois Road, Troy, www.motorcitychurch.org, 248-524-2400. Sunday worship services are at 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. • Mt. Zion Church, 4900 Maybee Road, Clarkston, mtzion.org. Sunday worship services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. • Muslim Unity Center of Bloomfield Hills, 1830 W. Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, Muslimunitycenter.org. • Nardin Park United Methodist Church, 29887 W Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, 248-476-8860, nardinpark.org, www.facebook.com/NPUMC. • Nativity Episcopal Church, 21220 W. 14 Mile Road, Bloomfield Twp., nativityepiscopalchurch.org, 248-646-4100. • New Heights Baptist Church, Grand Blanc, 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sundays, newheightsbc.com. For information, email pastornewheights@gmail.com or call 810-866-4563. • New Hope Christian Fellowship, 6020 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Twp., https://newhopemi.org, 248-886-1500, Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. • New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 23455 W Nine Mile Road, Southfield, www.newhope-mbc.org, 248-353-0675. Sunday worship services at 11 a.m., in person and livestream. • New Hudson United Methodist Church, 56730 Grand River Ave., New Hudson, newhudsonumc.org, worship services, 10:30 a.m. Sundays. • Northminster Presbyterian Church, 3633 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 248-644-5920, Worship service at 10:30 a.m. Sundays, in person and livestream, www.facebook.com/TroyNorthminster. • North Congregational Church, 36520 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, northcongregationalchurch.org. • North Hills Christian Reformed Church, 3150 North Adams Road, Troy, worship services, 9:30 a.m. Sundays, 248-645-1990, northhillscrc.org. • North Oaks Church, 9600 Ortonville Road, City of the Village of Clarkston, worship services are 10:30 a.m., Sundays, northoakschurch.org, office@northoakschurch.org, 248-922-3515. • Oakland Church, 5100 North Adams Road, Rochester, worship services, 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays, www.oaklandchurch.me. • Oakland Church of Christ, 23333 West 10 Mile Road Southfield, livestream and in-person worship services are 10:30 a.m. Sundays, TheOaklandChurchofchrist.org, 248-355-9225. • Oakland Hills Community Church, Farmington Hills, ohcc.net, 313-686-4578. • Oakland Woods Baptist Church 5628 Maybee Rd, Village of Clarkston, www.facebook.com/OWBCClarkston, 248-625-7557. Sunday worship services are at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. • Oak Pointe Church,1250 South Hill, Milford, in-person or online worship services are 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays, opcmilford.org. • Oak Pointe Church, 50200 W. 10 Mile Road, Novi, in-person or online worship services are 9:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. oakpointe.org, 248-912-0043. • Oak Pointe Church, 6343 Farmington Road, West Bloomfield, in-person or online worship services are 10:15 a.m. Sundays, oakpointe.org/westbloomfield. • Oakwood Community Church, 5791 Oakwood Rd, Ortonville, www.oakwoodcc.org, 248-628-6388. • Orchard Grove Community Church, 850 Ladd Rd; Bldg. C, Walled Lake, Sunday worship services are at 10:10 a.m., www.orchardgrove.org. • Orchard Lake Community Church, Presbyterian, 5171 Commerce Road, Orchard Lake, worship services are at 9 a.m., and 10:30 a.m. Sundays, olccp.com, 248-682-0730. • Orchard United Methodist Church, Farmington Hills, worship services, 10 a.m. Sundays and Weekday Worship Experiences at Noon at youtube.com/c/OrchardUMC and facebook.com/OrchardUMC/live_videos, 248-626-3620, orchardumc.org. • Our Lady of La Salette, 2600 Harvard Road, Berkley, 248-541-3762, par8551@gmail.com, lasalette-church.org, Mass is at 4:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sundays. • Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church in-person Mass, Saturday at 5 p.m., Sunday at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., weekdays at 8:15 a.m., 5481 Dixie Hwy., Waterford Twp. Livestream Mass at 5 p.m. Saturdays and 9:30 a.m. Sunday, ollonline.org/live. • Our Lady of Refuge Church, 3700 Commerce Road, Orchard Lake, olorcc.org, 248-682-4099, Mass is 5 p.m. Saturdays and 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. Sundays. • Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 23815 Power Road, Farmington, church.olsorrows.com. • Our Mother of Perpetual Help, 13500 Oak Park Blvd, Oak Park, www.omoph.org. Saturday mass is at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday mass is at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. • Oxbow Lake Baptist Church, 10730 Elizabeth Lake Rd, White Lake Charter Township, www.oxbowbc.com, 248-698-3034. Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. • Oxford United Methodist Church, 21 E. Burdick St. Oxford, 248 628-1289, oxfordunitedmc.org. People Feeding People (PFP) free breakfast is 9:30-10:30 a.m. Saturdays. In-person worship services and online at youtube.com/channel/UCN2R96oWdXzxDqwdz8YBlrQ. • Paint Creek United Methodist Church, 4420 Collins Road, Rochester, www.paintcreekumc.org, 248-373-2360, Sunday worship services are at 11 a.m. • Renaissance Vineyard Church, 1841 Pinecrest Drive, Ferndale, https://renvc.com, 248-545-4664. Sunday worship services at 10:33 a.m. • The River Church of Auburn Hills, 315 S. Squirrel Road, Auburn Hills, http://riverchurch.faith, 248-853-1524. Worship services are 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Sundays. • The River Church, Holly, Lake Orion, Waterford and more locations, livestream and videos of sermons, theriverchurch.cc, 248-328-0490. • River North Church, 67 N Lynn Ave, Waterford Twp., Sunday School is 10 a.m. Sundays, worship services at 11:15 a.m. Sundays and 7:15 p.m. Wednesdays, view sermons online at www.youtube.com/@rivernorthchurch2023, nondenominational family church, 248-724-6559, www.facebook.com/Rivernorthchurch. • River Of Life Christian Church, 5482 Winell St., Independence Twp., 248-599-3074. • Rochester Christian Church, 4435 Rochester Rd, Rochester Hills, https://rcc4me.com, 248-652-3353, Sunday worship services at 10 a.m. • Royal Oak First United Methodist Church, 320 W. 7th Street, Royal Oak, www.rofum.org, 248-541-4100. Worship services are 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays, in person and online, www.rofum.org/live. • Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 3400 S. Adams Road, Auburn Hills. Mass times are at 4 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday. Weekday Mass services are 9 a.m. Monday through Friday, www.esacredheart.org, 248-852-4170. • St. Anastasia Roman Catholic Church, 4571 John R Road, Troy, www.stanastasia.org, 248-689-8380. • St. Anne Catholic Church of Ortonville, 825 South Ortonville Road, Ortonville. Mass times are Sunday at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.; Saturday at 5 p.m.; Monday at 7 p.m. and Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m., 248-627-3965, churchofstanne.org. • St. Augustine Lutheran Troy (SALT) Church, 5475 Livernois in Troy, saltchurch.net, communications@saltchurch.net, 248-879-6400. • St. Benedict Catholic Church, 60 South Lynn Street, Waterford Twp., 248-681-1534. Sunday Mass times are 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., streaming at stbencc.org/live-stream. • St. David’s Episcopal Church, 16200 W. Twelve Mile Road, Southfield, www.stdavidssf.org. Sunday worship services are at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. both in person and via zoom. Food pantry is 9 a.m.-noon Monday, Wednesday and Friday. • St. George’s Episcopal Church, 801 E Commerce, Milford, 248-684-0495. Sunday worship services 8:30 a.m. and 10:15 a.m., in person and online, www.stgeorgesmilford.org. • St. George Orthodox Church, 2160 E Maple Road, Troy, 248-589-0480, www.stgeorgeoftroy.org, www.facebook.com/stgeorgeoftroymi. • St. James Church, 46325 Ten Mile Road, Novi, Mass times are 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Sundays, and 4 p.m. Saturdays. Livestream services, 4 p.m. Saturdays, 248-347-7778, stjamesnovi.org. • St. John Lutheran Church & School, 1011 University Drive, Rochester. Traditional praise worship services are Sundays at 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Modern praise services are Saturdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 10:45 p.m. The 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Sunday worship services are livestreamed and posted on the website at stjohnrochester.org. • St. John’s Episcopal Church Royal Oak, 26998 Woodward Ave. Royal Oak. Services are 8 a.m. Sundays, in person and 10:15 a.m. Sundays, online and in-person worship, stjohnsroyaloak.org, 248-546-1255. • St. Joseph Catholic Church, Lake Orion, view Mass services on the church’s Youtube channel, youtube.com/user/stjosephmassarchive, or at Facebook page, facebook.com/StJoeLo, stjoelo.org, 248-693-0440. • St. Joseph Chapel and Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, 400 South Blvd. West, Pontiac, https://terrasanctaministries.net. • St. Mark and St. Mary & St. Philopater Coptic Orthodox Church, 3603 Livernois Road, Troy, www.stmarkmi.org. Divine liturgy services are at 7 a.m. (Arabic) and 8:15 a.m. (English), Sundays. • St. Mary Catholic Church, 730 S Lafayette Ave., Royal Oak, www.stmaryroyaloak.com, 248-547-1818. Mass at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday. • St. Mary of the Hills Roman Catholic Church, 2675 John R. Road, Rochester Hills. Live online Mass is 4 p.m. Saturday, on Facebook and YouTube. In-person Mass is 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. Sunday, sign up required, 248-853-5390, smoth.org. • St. Mary’s In-the-Hills Episcopal Church, 2512 Joslyn Court, Lake Orion, 248-391-0663, www.stmarysinthehills.org. Sunday Services are at 8:30 a.m.-Simple service of Holy Eucharist and at 10 a.m.-Service of Holy Eucharist with choir and Children’s Church School-Service, livestream on YouTube or Facebook or www.stmarysinthehills.org. Adult Bible Study is held Tuesdays at 10 a.m. • St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 2040 S. Commerce Road, Walled Lake, 248-624-7676, st-matthew.org. Blended Worship services are 8:45 a.m. Sundays (also livestream on YouTube); Prayer & Praise Worship services are 11 a.m. Sundays; Monday Blended Worship services are 7 p.m. • St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 48380 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 248-624-9525, st-matthew.org. Sunday worship services are 10 a.m. • St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Divine Liturgy at 9:30 a.m. Sundays, 760 W Wattles Road, Troy, 248-362-9575, stnicholastroy.org. • St. Owen Catholic Church, 6869 Franklin Road Bloomfield Hills, stowen.org. • St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 1413 E. Thirteen Mile Road, Madison Heights, 248-585-9591, in-person Sunday worship services are at 10 a.m., or online at stpatsmh.org. • St. Paul Community Lutheran Church, 1133 Joslyn Ave., Pontiac, www.stpaulpontiac.com. 248-758-9019. Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. • St. Paul Lutheran Church, 202 E. Fifth St, Royal Oak, worship services are 8:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays. Livestream also at 8:15 a.m. service, stpaulroyaloak.org, 248-930-3100. • St. Paul United Methodist Church, 165 E. Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 248-338-8233, services are at 9:45 a.m. Sundays, SPUMC.net, facebook.com/spumcbloomfieldhills, 248-216-1657. • St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 620 Romeo Street, Rochester. Open door worship services are at 9:30 a.m. Sundays and sanctuary worship services are at 11 a.m., Sundays, livestream available, facebook.com/stpaulsrochester, stpaulsrochester.org. • St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 100 Romeo Road, Rochester, stpfeeds.org. • St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 5500 N Adams Road, Troy, www.ststephenstroy.org, 248-641-8080, worship services at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. online and in person. • St. Stephens Missionary Baptist Church, 69 S. Astor St., Pontiac, 248-335-5873, www.saintstephenmbc.com. Sunday worship services are at 11 a.m. • St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church, 6900 West Maple Road, West Bloomfield Twp., www.stccc.org. • St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. Sundays, 29150 W. 10 Mile Road, Farmington Hills, 248-471-1059, stthomasalbanianorthodoxchurch.org. • St. William Parish, 531 Common St., Walled Lake, stwilliam.com, 248-624-1421. • Sanctuary Church, 300 Willits St., Birmingham, in-person and online services, 10:30 a.m. Sundays, 248-644-0550, sanctuary-church.com. • Sashabaw Presbyterian Church, Clarkston, worship services via Zoom, services at 11 a.m. on 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays of the month, and at 6 p.m. on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. Email sashabawpresbyterianchurch@gmail.com for a link to services, sashabawpresbyterianchurch.org, 248-310-0792. • Scott Lake Baptist Church, 811 Scott Lake Road, Waterford Twp., Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., also livestream, https://hisscottlake.org. • Seymour Lake United Methodist Church, 3050 S. Sashabaw Road, Oxford, in-person or online services at 10 a.m. Sundays, 248-572-4200, email- office@seymourlakeumc.org, seymourlakeumc.org. • Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church, 2905 S. Commerce Road, Walled Lake, worship services are 10 a.m. Sundays, and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. during Lent and Advent, www.shepherdlakes.org, 248-624-4238. • Shrine Catholic Church, 12 Mile and Woodward, 248-541-4122, https://shrinechurch.com. Light Up Shrine-Shining a Message of Hope is 5:50-8 p.m. Dec. 7. • Silver Lake Church Of The Nazarene, 20 W Walton Blvd., Pontiac, https://slcpontiac.org, 248-977-4698. • Spirit of Grace Church, 2399 Figa Ave., West Bloomfield Twp., 248-682-0270, Sunday worship at 10 a.m., spiritofgrace.church, facebook.com/spiritograce/videos. The church has a diabetic food pantry for those in need with dietary restrictions. The church seeks donations of non-perishable food items for diabetics including: proteins, nuts, grains and beans, sugar-free foods, low carb and high fiber foods as well as shopping bags and unused boxes. Drive-up diabetic food pantry hours are 10 a.m.-noon, 3rd Saturdays of the month. • Spiritual Life Center, Troy, www.slctroy.com, 248-925-6214. A Message of Hope is 10 a.m. Sundays at www.youtube.com/c/SLCTroy. • Stone Haven Free Methodist Church, 1349 West Wattles Road, Troy, services are 11 a.m. Sundays, (limited in-person seating at 10:45 a.m.) online services at stonehavenfmc.org, 248-649-1465. • Temple Beth El Synagogue, 7400 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, www.tbeonline.org, streaming page – tbelive.org and facebook.com/tbeonline/live, 248-851-1100. • Temple Israel, West Bloomfield Twp., streaming video at temple-israel.org. • Temple Kol Ami, 5085 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield Twp., tkolami.org, 248-661-0040. • Temple Shir Shalom, 3999 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield Twp., www.shirshalom.org, 248-737-8700. • Thrive Church, a Global Methodist Church, 680 W. Livingston Road, Highland Twp., www.thrive-church.us, 248-887-1311. • Trinity United Methodist Church, 6440 Maceday Drive, Waterford Twp., Services, 11 a.m. Sundays, waterfordtrinityumc.org, 248-623-6860. • Troy Church of the Nazarene, 6840 Crooks Road, Troy, troynaz.org, 248-802-7650. Worship Services and Bible Study, 11 a.m. Sundays and 6 p.m. Wednesdays. • Unity of Farmington Hills worship service in person and online at 10 a.m. Sundays, youtube.com/channel/UCi90mgzXUDpw0k21_3JXlTg, Unityfh.com. • Unity of Lake Orion, 3070 S. Baldwin Road, Orion Twp., unitylakeorion.org, 248-391-9211. Sunday worship services are 10 a.m. Sundays, in person and livestream on Facebook. • Unity of Royal Oak, 2500 Crooks Road, Royal Oak, unityofroyaloak.org, 248-288-3550. Sunday worship services at 10 a.m., livestream on YouTube and Facebook. • Universalist Unitarian Church of Farmington, 25301 Halsted Road, Farmington Hills, uufarmington.org. Sunday worship services at 10:30 a.m. Sundays, in person and livestream. • University Presbyterian Church, 1385 S. Adams, Rochester Hills, universitypres.org, 248-375-0400. • The Village Church of Ortonville, 93 N Church St. Ortonville, www.facebook.com/oumvillagechurch, 248 627-3125. • Walled Lake United Methodist Church, 313 E Northport St., Walled Lake. Sunday worship services at 9:30 a.m. in person, or at Facebook Live, facebook.com/walledlakeumc and YouTube, youtube.com/channel/UCjOTQmG5DAGUdd_ghKdp2FQ, walledlakeumc.org, 248-624-2405. • Warren’s Amazing Grace Lutheran Church, 29860 Dequindre, Warren. Sunday worship services are at 10 a.m. in person and livestream at www.aglc-warren.org, 586-751-7750. • Waterford Seventh-day Adventist Church, 5725 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford Twp., www.waterfordadventist.org, 248-681-3334. Worship services in person and livestream, 11 a.m. Saturdays. • Waypoint Church, 8400 Dixie Hwy., Clarkston, waypoint.org, 248-623-1224. Sunday worship services at 10:30 a.m. • Welcome Missionary Baptist Church, 143 Oneida St, Pontiac, www.welcomemissionarybaptistchurch.com, 248-335-8740. Sunday worship services are at 8:30 a.m. in person and livestream on Facebook at www.facebook.com/welcomemissionary.church. • Wellspring Bible Church, 485 Farnsworth, White Lake Twp., worship services are at 10:30 a.m. Sundays, wellspringbiblechurch.org, 248-682-0319. • West Bloomfield United Methodist Church, 4100 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield Twp., worship services are at 10:30 a.m. Sundays, westbloomfieldumc.org, 248-851-2330. • White Lake Presbyterian Church. 4805 Highland Road, White Lake, worship services are 10 a.m. Sundays, 248-887-4654, whitelakepc.org. • Williams Lake Church, 2840 Airport Road, Waterford Twp., www.facebook.com/williamslakechurch, 248-673-5911, www.williamslakechurch.com. • Woodside Bible Church, with 14 locations in Southeast Michigan, livestream online services, 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Sundays, live.woodsidebible.org, 248-879-8533. • Zion Lutheran Church, 143 Albany St., Ferndale, in-person and online worship services at 10:30 a.m. Sundays, www.zionlutheranmi.org. To add a church or event to this list, visit the link to the online submission form at https://bit.ly/40a2iAm . — MediaNews GroupThe holiday season is a time of joy and celebration, but it’s also prime hunting season for scammers. In 2024, the FBI has issued a warning to consumers about the growing risks of holiday-related fraud . With cybercriminals using increasingly sophisticated tactics and online shopping continuing to grow, more opportunities exist for fraudsters to exploit unsuspecting consumers than ever before. Holiday Scams: Why 2024 Is a Particularly Risky Year The FBI’s warning comes against a backdrop of record-setting online shopping activity. With holiday e-commerce sales projected to exceed $260 billion this year, scammers have more opportunities than ever to target victims. Fraudsters are deploying advanced techniques such as AI-generated fake websites and realistic phishing emails to trick even the most careful consumers. Younger shoppers are particularly at risk. According to the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC , individuals aged 18 to 39 are 25% more likely to fall victim to online shopping scams than older adults. These shoppers, who rely heavily on e-commerce platforms and social media ads, often encounter scams disguised as unbelievable holiday deals. The Real-World Impact of Holiday Scams The financial stakes of holiday scams are staggering. In 2023, U.S. consumers lost $10 billion to various scams, marking a $1 billion increase from the previous year. Among these, non-delivery scams accounted for $73 million in losses, as consumers paid for goods that never arrived. Gift card fraud, another common tactic, drained $148 million from victims, leaving them with no recourse to recover their money. The emotional toll is just as significant. Victims often report feelings of stress, anxiety, and betrayal, especially during the holidays when finances and trust are paramount. Falling for a scam can disrupt the festive spirit and cause long-lasting financial hardships. Common Holiday Scams And How They Work Here are some of the most common cyber holiday scams to watch out for: Non-Delivery Scams Among the most common holiday scams is the non-delivery scam, where fraudsters set up fake e-commerce websites or post counterfeit listings on legitimate platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace. These scams often target high-demand items such as gaming consoles, smartphones, or designer goods. A shopper scrolling through their favorite marketplace spots a deal too good to pass up—a brand-new gaming console priced far below retail. Excited to snag a bargain, they quickly click "Buy Now," enter their payment information, and anticipate the shipping confirmation. But days pass, then weeks, with no sign of the item. Emails to the seller go unanswered, and the listing mysteriously disappears from the site. It’s only after countless failed attempts to track down the seller that the realization sets in—the deal was a scam, and the money is gone for good. Gift Card Fraud Scams Scammers frequently target victims through gift card fraud, exploiting the season’s popularity for prepaid cards as gifts. In this scheme, fraudsters impersonate charities, retailers, or even trusted acquaintances, asking victims to purchase gift cards and share the card numbers and PINs. A scammer might pose as a charitable organization soliciting donations for holiday meals or gifts for children. Alternatively, a fraudster could impersonate a retailer, claiming that a gift card is the only accepted form of payment for a time-sensitive deal. Fake Charity Scams The holiday season inspires generosity, but it also provides fertile ground for fake charity scams. Fraudsters create fictitious organizations, often using names, logos, or slogans that closely resemble those of reputable charities. They may reach out via phone calls, social media posts, or emails urging donors to act quickly to "make a difference" during the holidays. Tactics often include emotional appeals, such as helping families in need or providing toys for children, and pushing for immediate donations, often via untraceable payment methods like wire transfers or gift cards. A survey by AARP found that 80% of U.S. consumers encountered at least one holiday-related scam in 2023, with fake charity requests being a frequent tactic. Phishing Emails and Fake Websites Phishing emails and fake websites are among the most sophisticated scams today, designed to deceive even experienced online shoppers. Fraudsters craft communications that appear to come from legitimate retailers, delivery services or payment platforms. They become especially dangerous during the holiday season because they exploit the unique pressures and behaviors of this time of year. The holidays are a whirlwind of online activity—shoppers are racing to find deals, track orders and manage last-minute purchases. Scammers know this, and they tailor their schemes to blend seamlessly into the frenzy. Imagine receiving an email claiming there’s a problem with your recent order— package delay or a payment issue. During the holidays, with orders from multiple retailers in transit, it’s easy to lose track. The email looks legitimate, complete with a recognizable logo and professional formatting. Feeling the urgency to resolve the issue and avoid delivery delays, the recipient clicks the link without hesitation. They’re taken to a convincing website where they’re prompted to enter login credentials or payment details. By the time they realize the site was fake, their sensitive information is in the hands of scammers. What makes these scams even more potent during the holidays is the sheer volume of legitimate emails consumers receive, from shipping updates and promotional offers to invoices and account notifications. This overload makes it harder to differentiate between real and fraudulent communications. Advanced techniques, like AI-generated fake websites and phishing emails that mimic corporate branding, only add to the challenge. TransUnion’s data underscores the scale of the threat. During the 2023 holiday season, 3.6% of global e-commerce transactions were flagged as potentially fraudulent, and that number is expected to climb in 2024. With so much at stake, staying vigilant against these "digital wolves in sheep’s clothing" is more important than ever during the holiday rush. What the FBI Recommends The FBI’s advice to consumers is straightforward: vigilance is your best defense against holiday scams. Here is what the FBI recommends: Verify Website URL Addresses Shoppers are urged to verify website URLs, ensuring they begin with "https" and include a padlock icon in the address bar. When the FBI advises shoppers to check for "https" in website URLs and look for a padlock icon, they’re addressing a fundamental scam tactic: fake websites. These fraudulent sites are designed to look nearly identical to legitimate retailers, often with minor differences in the URL—like a misspelled brand name or an added character. The "https" and padlock symbol indicate a secure connection, which helps ensure that any data you enter, like payment information, is encrypted and harder for scammers to intercept. By independently typing the retailer’s URL into your browser instead of clicking links in emails or ads, you avoid the risk of being redirected to a convincing but fraudulent site. Be Wary of “Too Good To Be True” Deals The FBI’s warning about unrealistic discounts highlights how scammers play on the holiday rush and desire for bargains. Massive markdowns on high-demand items like gaming consoles or electronics can create a sense of urgency—“Act now before the deal ends!” This pressure often leads shoppers to skip basic precautions, like verifying the legitimacy of the seller. Scammers thrive on this impulsive behavior, collecting payments for goods that don’t exist. The advice to slow down and critically evaluate deals helps counteract the emotional manipulation scammers rely on. Use Secure Payment Methods The FBI’s emphasis on using credit cards rather than gift cards or wire transfers reflects the protections built into credit card transactions. Credit cards allow consumers to dispute unauthorized charges and often provide fraud monitoring services. Conversely, payments made through gift cards or wire transfers are nearly impossible to recover once sent, which is why scammers frequently demand these methods. This advice ensures that, if something goes wrong, consumers have a safety net to recover their funds. Verify Charities Before Donating Holiday generosity makes charitable giving a prime target for scammers. The FBI’s recommendation to check charities through tools like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau addresses the prevalence of fake charity scams. Fraudsters exploit the goodwill of the season by creating organizations that mimic legitimate ones, often with names or logos that look authentic. By verifying the legitimacy of the charity, donors can ensure their contributions go to the intended cause rather than into the pockets of scammers. This advice also helps combat emotional manipulation, as fraudulent charities often use urgent, heart-wrenching appeals to elicit impulsive donations. Monitor the Shipping Process The FBI advises holiday shoppers to carefully monitor the shipping process for their online purchases to avoid falling victim to scams or package theft. The holidays bring a surge in e-commerce activity, which scammers exploit through non-delivery scams and fake tracking information. By requesting and using tracking numbers, buyers can: The FBI warns that sellers also need to safeguard their transactions, especially during the holidays when scams targeting sellers increase. Be cautious with purchases where the shipping address differs from the billing address on the credit card. These mismatches often indicate fraudulent activity, such as the use of stolen credit cards. Good practices for sellers include: What to Do If You’ve Been Caught In A Holiday Scam If you suspect you’ve fallen victim to a scam, the FBI urges immediate action. Start by filing a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3 . Next, contact your bank or credit card provider to dispute fraudulent charges and secure your accounts. If sensitive personal information was stolen, consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit file to prevent further misuse. The FTC also offers resources for reporting scams and recovering from identity theft. Reporting fraudulent activity not only helps authorities track down scammers but also prevents others from becoming victims. The FBI’s 2024 holiday scam warning is a reminder that protecting yourself requires more than luck. It requires awareness and caution. The combination of increased online shopping, sophisticated scam tactics, and consumer distractions creates a perfect storm for fraud. By staying informed, verifying suspicious offers, and using secure payment methods, you can ensure a safer shopping experience this season.
www.purestorage.com (PRNewsFoto/Pure Storage) (PRNewsfoto/Pure Storage) Awarded industry-first design win from a top-four hyperscaler SANTA CLARA, Calif. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Pure Storage (NYSE: PSTG), the IT pioneer that delivers the world's most advanced data storage technologies and services, announced financial results for its third quarter fiscal year 2025 ended November 3, 2024. "Pure Storage has achieved another industry first in our journey of data storage innovation with a transformational design win for our DirectFlash technology in a top-four hyperscaler," said Pure Storage Chairman and CEO Charles Giancarlo . "This win is the vanguard for Pure Flash technology to become the standard for all hyperscaler online storage, providing unparalleled performance and scalability while also reducing operating costs and power consumption." Third Quarter Financial Highlights "Our third quarter results exceeded our expectations on revenue and operating income, demonstrating the sustaining strength of our business models," said Kevan Krysler , Pure Storage CFO. "We remain focused on driving both near-term results and long-term value creation through disciplined investments and innovation that position Pure as the leader in transforming the data storage landscape." Third Quarter Company Highlights Industry Recognition and Accolades Fourth Quarter and FY25 Guidance These statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. Refer to the Forward Looking Statements section below for information on the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from these statements. Pure has not reconciled its guidance for non-GAAP operating income and non-GAAP operating margin to their most directly comparable GAAP measures because certain items that impact these measures are not within Pure's control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted. Accordingly, reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures guidance to the corresponding GAAP measures are not available without unreasonable effort. Conference Call Information Pure will host a teleconference to discuss the third quarter fiscal 2025 results at 2:00 pm PT today, December 3, 2024. A live audio broadcast of the conference call will be available on the Pure Storage Investor Relations website . Pure will also post its earnings presentation and prepared remarks to this website concurrent with this release. A replay will be available following the call on the Pure Storage Investor Relations website or for two weeks at 1-800-770-2030 (or 1-647-362-9199 for international callers) with passcode 5667482. Additionally, Pure is scheduled to participate at the following investor conferences: Wells Fargo 8th Annual TMT Summit Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2024 Time: 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET Chief Technology Officer Rob Lee 27th Annual Needham Growth Conference Date: Thursday, January 16, 2025 Time: 9:45 a.m. PT / 12:45 p.m. ET Founder & Chief Visionary Officer John "Co z" Colgrove Chief Financial Officer Kevan Krysler The presentations will be webcast live and archived on Pure's Investor Relations website at investor.purestorage.com . ---- About Pure Storage Pure Storage (NYSE: PSTG) delivers the industry's most advanced data storage platform to store, manage, and protect the world's data at any scale. With Pure Storage, organizations have ultimate simplicity and flexibility, saving time, money, and energy. From AI to archive, Pure Storage delivers a cloud experience with one unified Storage as-a-Service platform across on premises, cloud, and hosted environments. Our platform is built on our Evergreen architecture that evolves with your business – always getting newer and better with zero planned downtime, guaranteed. Our customers are actively increasing their capacity and processing power while significantly reducing their carbon and energy footprint. It's easy to fall in love with Pure Storage, as evidenced by the highest Net Promoter Score in the industry. For more information, visit www.purestorage.com . Connect with Pure Blog LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Pure Storage, the Pure P Logo, Portworx, and the marks on the Pure Storage Trademark List are trademarks or registered trademarks of Pure Storage Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. The Trademark List can be found at purestorage.com/trademarks . Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding our products, business and operations, including but not limited to our views relating to our opportunity with hyperscale and AI environments, our ability to meet hyperscalers' performance and price requirements, our ability to meet the needs of hyperscalers for the entire spectrum of their online storage use cases, the timing and magnitude of large orders, including sales to hyperscalers, the timing and amount of revenue from hyperscaler licensing and support services, future period financial and business results, demand for our products and subscription services, including Evergreen//One, the relative sales mix between our subscription and consumption offerings and traditional capital expenditure sales, our technology and product strategy, specifically customer priorities around sustainability, the environmental and energy saving benefits to our customers of using our products, our ability to perform during current macro conditions and expand market share, our sustainability goals and benefits, the impact of inflation, economic or supply chain disruptions, our expectations regarding our product and technology differentiation, new customer acquisition, and other statements regarding our products, business, operations and results. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on potentially inaccurate assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or implied by the forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted include, among others, those risks and uncertainties included under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in our filings and reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on our Investor Relations website at investor.purestorage.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov . Additional information is also set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended February 4, 2024. All information provided in this release and in the attachments is as of December 3, 2024, and Pure undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law. Key Performance Metric Subscription ARR is a key business metric that refers to total annualized contract value of all active subscription agreements on the last day of the quarter, plus on-demand revenue for the quarter multiplied by four. Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, Pure uses the following non-GAAP financial measures: non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating income (loss), non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income (loss), non-GAAP net income (loss) per share, and free cash flow. We use these non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision-making and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. Our management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding our performance and liquidity by excluding certain expenses such as stock-based compensation expense, payments to former shareholders of acquired companies, payroll tax expense related to stock-based activities, amortization of debt issuance costs related to debt, and amortization of intangible assets acquired from acquisitions that may not be indicative of our ongoing core business operating results. Pure believes that both management and investors benefit from referring to these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing our performance and when analyzing historical performance and liquidity and planning, forecasting, and analyzing future periods. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for our financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, and our non-GAAP measures may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. For a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP measures, please see the tables captioned "Reconciliations of non-GAAP results of operations to the nearest comparable GAAP measures" and "Reconciliation from net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow," included at the end of this release.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian utilized a really nifty trick play to pick up a big fourth down against Georgia in Saturday's SEC championship game in Atlanta. Needing just a yard to keep a drive going early in the second quarter, Sarkisian drew up a fake quarterback sneak that snapped the ball directly to running back Jaydon Blue instead of giving it to Quinn Ewers for the push. Blue made it nearly untouched around Georgia's defense to pick up the first down. The play call was brilliant and rather innovative, and we won't be surprised to see this one used in the NFL sooner than later. It takes a great snap from the center to pull it off, but the reward is key yardage to keep the drive alive. Texas with the fourth down conversion — Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) Texas Fake QB Sneak Direct Snap to RB between the QB’s legs 👀 — Danny Schaechter 🏝️🏈🐾 (@CoachDShack)Q3 Net Revenue: $1.516 billion , grew by 7% year-on-year Q3 Gross Margin: 23.0% GAAP gross margin; 60.5% non-GAAP gross margin Q3 Diluted income (loss) per share: $(0.78) GAAP diluted loss per share; $0.43 non-GAAP diluted income per share SANTA CLARA, Calif. , Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Marvell Technology, Inc. MRVL , a leader in data infrastructure semiconductor solutions, today reported financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025. Net revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 was $1.516 billion , $66 .0 million above the mid-point of the Company's guidance provided on August 29, 2024 . GAAP net loss for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 was $(676.3) million, or $(0.78) per diluted share. Non-GAAP net income for the third quarter of fiscal 2025 was $373 .0 million, or $0.43 per diluted share. Cash flow from operations for the third quarter was $536.3 million . "Marvell's fiscal third quarter 2025 revenue grew 19% sequentially, well above the mid-point of our guidance, driven by strong demand from AI. For the fourth quarter, we are forecasting another 19% sequential revenue growth at the midpoint of guidance, while year-over-year, we expect revenue growth to accelerate significantly to 26%, marking the beginning of a new era of growth for Marvell," said Matt Murphy , Marvell's Chairman and CEO. "The exceptional performance in the third quarter, and our strong forecast for the fourth quarter, are primarily driven by our custom AI silicon programs, which are now in volume production, further augmented by robust ongoing demand from cloud customers for our market-leading interconnect products. We look forward to a strong finish to this fiscal year and expect substantial momentum to continue in fiscal 2026." Fourth Quarter of Fiscal 2025 Financial Outlook Net revenue is expected to be $1.800 billion +/- 5%. GAAP gross margin is expected to be approximately 50%. Non-GAAP gross margin is expected to be approximately 60%. GAAP operating expenses are expected to be approximately $710 million . Non-GAAP operating expenses are expected to be approximately $480 million . Basic weighted-average shares outstanding are expected to be 867 million. Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding are expected to be 877 million. GAAP diluted net income per share is expected to be $0.16 +/- $0.05 per share. Non-GAAP diluted net income per share is expected to be $0.59 +/- $0.05 per share. GAAP diluted EPS is calculated using basic weighted-average shares outstanding when there is a GAAP net loss, and calculated using diluted weighted-average shares outstanding when there is a GAAP net income. Non-GAAP diluted EPS is calculated using diluted weighted-average shares outstanding. Conference Call Marvell will conduct a conference call on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 1:45 p.m. Pacific Time to discuss results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025. Interested parties may join the conference call without operator assistance by registering and entering their phone number at https://emportal.ink/4fngg8m to receive an instant automated call back. To join the call with operator assistance, please dial 1-800-836-8184 or 1-646-357-8785. The call will be webcast and can be accessed at the Marvell Investor Relations website at http://investor.marvell.com/ . A replay of the call can be accessed by dialing 1-888-660-6345 or 1-646-517-4150, passcode 47973# until Tuesday, December 10, 2024 . Discussion of Non-GAAP Financial Measures Non-GAAP financial measures exclude the effect of stock-based compensation expense, amortization of acquired intangible assets, acquisition and divestiture-related costs, restructuring and other related charges (including, but not limited to, asset impairment charges, recognition of future contractual obligations, employee severance costs, and facilities related charges), resolution of legal matters, and certain expenses and benefits that are driven primarily by discrete events that management does not consider to be directly related to Marvell's core business. Although Marvell excludes the amortization of all acquired intangible assets from these non-GAAP financial measures, management believes that it is important for investors to understand that such intangible assets were recorded as part of purchase price accounting arising from acquisitions, and that such amortization of intangible assets that relate to past acquisitions will recur in future periods until such intangible assets have been fully amortized. Investors should note that the use of intangible assets contributed to Marvell's revenues earned during the periods presented and are expected to contribute to Marvell's future period revenues as well. Marvell uses a non-GAAP tax rate to compute the non-GAAP tax provision. This non-GAAP tax rate is based on Marvell's estimated annual GAAP income tax forecast, adjusted to account for items excluded from Marvell's non-GAAP income, as well as the effects of significant non-recurring and period specific tax items which vary in size and frequency, and excludes tax deductions and benefits from acquired tax loss and credit carryforwards and changes in valuation allowance on acquired deferred tax assets. Marvell's non-GAAP tax rate is determined on an annual basis and may be adjusted during the year to take into account events that may materially affect the non-GAAP tax rate such as tax law changes; acquisitions; significant changes in Marvell's geographic mix of revenue and expenses; or changes to Marvell's corporate structure. For the third quarter of fiscal 2025, a non-GAAP tax rate of 7.0% has been applied to the non-GAAP financial results. Marvell believes that the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures provides important supplemental information to management and investors regarding financial and business trends relating to Marvell's financial condition and results of operations. While Marvell uses non-GAAP financial measures as a tool to enhance its understanding of certain aspects of its financial performance, Marvell does not consider these measures to be a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Consistent with this approach, Marvell believes that disclosing non-GAAP financial measures to the readers of its financial statements provides such readers with useful supplemental data that, while not a substitute for GAAP financial measures, allows for greater transparency in the review of its financial and operational performance. Externally, management believes that investors may find Marvell's non-GAAP financial measures useful in their assessment of Marvell's operating performance and the valuation of Marvell. Internally, Marvell's non-GAAP financial measures are used in the following areas: Management's evaluation of Marvell's operating performance; Management's establishment of internal operating budgets; Management's performance comparisons with internal forecasts and targeted business models; and Management's determination of the achievement and measurement of certain types of compensation including Marvell's annual incentive plan and certain performance-based equity awards (adjustments may vary from award to award). Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations in that they do not reflect all of the costs associated with the operations of Marvell's business as determined in accordance with GAAP. As a result, you should not consider these measures in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of Marvell's results as reported under GAAP. The exclusion of the above items from our GAAP financial metrics does not necessarily mean that these costs are unusual or infrequent. Forward-Looking Statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), which are subject to the "safe harbor" created by those sections. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause our actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking statements. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "forecasts," "targets," "may," "can," "will," "would" and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, but are not limited to, the statements describing our financial outlook and future period revenues. These statements are not guarantees of results and should not be considered as an indication of future activity or future performance. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: risks related to changes in general macroeconomic conditions, or expectations of such conditions, such as high or rising interest rates, macroeconomic slowdowns, recessions, inflation, and stagflation; risks related to our ability to estimate customer demand and future sales accurately; our ability to define, design, develop and market products for the Cloud, 5G markets, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) markets; risks related to our dependence on a few customers for a significant portion of our revenue, particularly as our major customers comprise an increasing percentage of our revenue, as well as risks related to a significant portion of our sales being concentrated in the data center end market; risks related to higher inventory levels; risks related to cancellations, rescheduling or deferrals of significant customer orders or shipments, as well as the ability of our customers to manage inventory; our ability to realize the expected benefits from restructuring activities; the risk of downturns in the semiconductor industry or our customer end markets; the impact of international conflict (such as the current armed conflicts in the Ukraine and in Israel and the Gaza Strip ) and economic volatility in either domestic or foreign markets including risks related to trade conflicts or tensions, regulations, and tariffs, including but not limited to, trade restrictions imposed on our Chinese customers; our ability to retain and hire key personnel; our ability to limit costs related to defective products; risks related to our debt obligations; risks related to the rapid growth of the Company; delays or increased costs related to completing the design, development, production and introduction of our new products due to a variety of issues, including supply chain cross-dependencies, dependencies on EDA and similar tools, dependencies on the use of third-party, business partner or customer intellectual property, collaboration and synchronization requirements with business partners and customers, requirements to establish new manufacturing, testing, assembly and packing processes, and other issues; our reliance on our manufacturing partners for the manufacture, assembly, testing and packaging of our products; risks related to the ASIC business model which requires us to use third-party IP including the risk that we may lose business or experience reputational harm if third parties, including customers, lose confidence in our ability to protect their IP rights; the risks associated with manufacturing and selling products and customers' products outside of the United States ; our ability to secure design wins from our customers and prospective customers; our ability to complete and realize the anticipated benefits of any acquisitions, divestitures and investments; decreases in gross margin and results of operations in the future due to a number of factors, including high or increasing interest rates and volatility in foreign exchange rates; severe financial hardship or bankruptcy of one or more of our major customers; the effects of transitioning to smaller geometry process technologies; risks related to use of a hybrid work model; the impact of any change in the income tax laws in jurisdictions where we operate and the loss of any beneficial tax treatment that we currently enjoy; the outcome of pending or future litigation and legal and regulatory proceedings; risk related to our Sustainability program; the impact and costs associated with changes in international financial and regulatory conditions; our ability and the ability of our customers to successfully compete in the markets in which we serve; our ability and our customers' ability to develop new and enhanced products and the adoption of those products in the market; supply chain disruptions or component shortages that may impact the production of our products including our kitting process or may impact the price of components which in turn may impact our margins on any impacted products and any constrained availability from other electronic suppliers impacting our customers' ability to ship their products, which in turn may adversely impact our sales to those customers; our ability to scale our operations in response to changes in demand for existing or new products and services; risks associated with acquisition and consolidation activity in the semiconductor industry, including any consolidation of our manufacturing partners; our ability to protect our intellectual property; risks related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (or future pandemics) which have impacted, and for which lingering effects may continue to impact our business, employees and operations, the transportation and manufacturing of our products, and the operations of our customers, distributors, vendors, suppliers, and partners; our maintenance of an effective system of internal controls; financial institution instability; and other risks detailed in our SEC filings from time to time. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that affect our business described in the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed by us from time to time with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and we assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Marvell To deliver the data infrastructure technology that connects the world, we're building solutions on the most powerful foundation: our partnerships with our customers. Trusted by the world's leading technology companies for over 25 years, we move, store, process and secure the world's data with semiconductor solutions designed for our customers' current needs and future ambitions. Through a process of deep collaboration and transparency, we're ultimately changing the way tomorrow's enterprise, cloud, automotive, and carrier architectures transform—for the better. Marvell ® and the Marvell logo are registered trademarks of Marvell and/or its affiliates. Marvell Technology, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) (In millions, except per share amounts) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended November 2, 2024 August 3, 2024 October 28, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 Net revenue $ 1,516.1 $ 1,272.9 $ 1,418.6 $ 3,949.9 $ 4,081.2 Cost of goods sold 1,166.7 685.3 867.4 2,485.1 2,451.7 Gross profit 349.4 587.6 551.2 1,464.8 1,629.5 Operating expenses: Research and development 488.6 486.7 481.1 1,451.4 1,436.6 Selling, general and administrative 205.3 197.3 213.0 602.5 622.0 Restructuring related charges 358.3 4.0 3.4 366.4 105.3 Total operating expenses 1,052.2 688.0 697.5 2,420.3 2,163.9 Operating loss (702.8) (100.4) (146.3) (955.5) (534.4) Interest expense (47.2) (48.4) (52.6) (144.4) (159.1) Interest income and other, net (0.5) 2.6 11.4 5.4 22.1 Interest and other loss, net (47.7) (45.8) (41.2) (139.0) (137.0) Loss before income taxes (750.5) (146.2) (187.5) (1,094.5) (671.4) Provision (benefit) for income taxes (74.2) 47.1 (23.2) (9.3) (130.7) Net loss $ (676.3) $ (193.3) $ (164.3) $ (1,085.2) $ (540.7) Net loss per share — basic $ (0.78) $ (0.22) $ (0.19) $ (1.25) $ (0.63) Net loss per share — diluted $ (0.78) $ (0.22) $ (0.19) $ (1.25) $ (0.63) Weighted-average shares: Basic 865.7 865.7 862.6 865.5 860.1 Diluted 865.7 865.7 862.6 865.5 860.1 Marvell Technology, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (In millions) November 2, 2024 February 3, 2024 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 868.1 $ 950.8 Accounts receivable, net 997.9 1,121.6 Inventories 859.4 864.4 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 91.4 125.9 Total current assets 2,816.8 3,062.7 Property and equipment, net 781.9 756.0 Goodwill 11,586.9 11,586.9 Acquired intangible assets, net 2,957.7 4,004.1 Deferred tax assets 406.5 311.9 Other non-current assets 1,165.8 1,506.9 Total assets $ 19,715.6 $ 21,228.5 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 538.1 $ 411.3 Accrued liabilities 825.2 1,032.9 Accrued employee compensation 270.9 262.7 Short-term debt 129.4 107.3 Total current liabilities 1,763.6 1,814.2 Long-term debt 3,965.5 4,058.6 Other non-current liabilities 613.6 524.3 Total liabilities 6,342.7 6,397.1 Stockholders' equity: Common stock 1.7 1.7 Additional paid-in capital 14,629.0 14,845.3 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (0.3) 1.1 Accumulated deficit (1,257.5) (16.7) Total stockholders' equity 13,372.9 14,831.4 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 19,715.6 $ 21,228.5 Marvell Technology, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (In millions) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss $ (676.3) $ (164.3) $ (1,085.2) $ (540.7) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 76.6 72.1 225.5 226.0 Stock-based compensation 158.4 158.5 449.8 454.5 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 264.9 269.8 805.5 811.6 Restructuring related impairment charges 521.8 0.8 524.1 32.2 Deferred income taxes (47.9) (57.0) (106.2) (283.7) Other expense, net 9.0 18.2 42.1 39.9 Changes in assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable 62.2 (5.5) 123.7 (22.4) Prepaid expenses and other assets (45.5) 53.7 176.2 14.4 Inventories (108.2) 70.6 (60.2) 123.1 Accounts payable 75.0 (0.7) 109.8 (87.5) Accrued employee compensation 71.1 59.7 11.9 0.7 Accrued liabilities and other non-current liabilities 175.2 27.1 (49.8) 55.8 Net cash provided by operating activities 536.3 503.0 1,167.2 823.9 Cash flows from investing activities: Purchases of technology licenses (0.5) (0.3) (6.2) (3.3) Purchases of property and equipment (75.0) (54.4) (214.7) (265.3) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired — — (10.4) (5.5) Other, net — 0.1 0.9 (0.2) Net cash used in investing activities (75.5) (54.6) (230.4) (274.3) Cash flows from financing activities: Repurchases of common stock (200.0) (50.0) (525.0) (50.0) Proceeds from employee stock plans 0.8 0.7 52.4 61.1 Tax withholding paid on behalf of employees for net share settlement (58.6) (44.9) (190.3) (168.7) Dividend payments to stockholders (51.9) (51.8) (155.6) (154.9) Payments on technology license obligations (58.9) (31.6) (124.4) (110.2) Proceeds from borrowings — 1,045.3 — 1,295.3 Principal payments of debt (32.8) (1,006.9) (76.6) (1,600.6) Other, net — (7.0) — (7.0) Net cash used in financing activities (401.4) (146.2) (1,019.5) (735.0) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 59.4 302.2 (82.7) (185.4) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 808.7 423.4 950.8 911.0 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 868.1 $ 725.6 $ 868.1 $ 725.6 Marvell Technology, Inc. Reconciliations from GAAP to Non-GAAP (Unaudited) (In millions, except per share amounts) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended November 2, 2024 August 3, 2024 October 28, 2023 November 2, 2024 October 28, 2023 GAAP gross profit $ 349.4 $ 587.6 $ 551.2 $ 1,464.8 $ 1,629.5 Special items: Stock-based compensation 16.3 11.2 15.7 37.2 38.7 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 180.4 191.3 184.3 552.2 553.8 Restructuring related charges (a) 356.8 — — 356.8 — Other cost of goods sold (b) 14.2 (2.6) 108.0 17.6 237.8 Total special items 567.7 199.9 308.0 963.8 830.3 Non-GAAP gross profit $ 917.1 $ 787.5 $ 859.2 $ 2,428.6 $ 2,459.8 GAAP gross margin 23.0 % 46.2 % 38.9 % 37.1 % 39.9 % Stock-based compensation 1.1 % 0.9 % 1.1 % 0.9 % 0.9 % Amortization of acquired intangible assets 11.9 % 15.0 % 13.0 % 14.0 % 13.6 % Restructuring related charges (a) 23.5 % — % — % 9.0 % — % Other cost of goods sold (b) 1.0 % (0.2) % 7.6 % 0.5 % 5.9 % Non-GAAP gross margin 60.5 % 61.9 % 60.6 % 61.5 % 60.3 % Total GAAP operating expenses $ 1,052.2 $ 688.0 $ 697.5 $ 2,420.3 $ 2,163.9 Special items: Stock-based compensation (142.1) (143.7) (142.8) (412.6) (415.8) Amortization of acquired intangible assets (84.5) (84.4) (85.5) (253.3) (257.8) Restructuring related charges (a) (358.3) (4.0) (3.4) (366.4) (105.3) Other (c) (0.4) (0.1) (28.7) (11.5) (41.3) Total special items (585.3) (232.2) (260.4) (1,043.8) (820.2) Total non-GAAP operating expenses $ 466.9 $ 455.8 $ 437.1 $ 1,376.5 $ 1,343.7 GAAP operating margin (46.4) % (7.9) % (10.3) % (24.2) % (13.1) % Stock-based compensation 10.5 % 12.2 % 11.2 % 11.4 % 11.1 % Amortization of acquired intangible assets 17.5 % 21.7 % 19.0 % 20.4 % 19.9 % Restructuring related charges (a) 47.2 % 0.3 % 0.2 % 18.3 % 2.6 % Other cost of goods sold (b) 0.9 % (0.2) % 7.6 % 0.4 % 5.8 % Other (c) — % — % 2.1 % 0.3 % 1.0 % Non-GAAP operating margin 29.7 % 26.1 % 29.8 % 26.6 % 27.3 % GAAP interest and other loss, net $ (47.7) $ (45.8) $ (41.2) $ (139.0) $ (137.0) Special items: Other (c) (1.4) 0.3 (4.2) (3.5) (12.6) Total special items (1.4) 0.3 (4.2) (3.5) (12.6) Total non-GAAP interest and other loss, net $ (49.1) $ (45.5) $ (45.4) $ (142.5) $ (149.6) GAAP net loss $ (676.3) $ (193.3) $ (164.3) $ (1,085.2) $ (540.7) Special items: Stock-based compensation 158.4 154.9 158.5 449.8 454.5 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 264.9 275.7 269.8 805.5 811.6 Restructuring related charges (a) 715.1 4.0 3.4 723.2 105.3 Other cost of goods sold (b) 14.2 (2.6) 108.0 17.6 237.8 Other (c) (1.0) 0.4 24.5 8.0 28.7 Pre-tax total special items 1,151.6 432.4 564.2 2,004.1 1,637.9 Other income tax effects and adjustments (d) (102.3) 27.1 (45.8) (73.0) (188.7) Non-GAAP net income $ 373.0 $ 266.2 $ 354.1 $ 845.9 $ 908.5 GAAP weighted-average shares — basic 865.7 865.7 862.6 865.5 860.1 GAAP weighted-average shares — diluted 865.7 865.7 862.6 865.5 860.1 Non-GAAP weighted-average shares — diluted (e) 875.5 875.7 872.2 875.8 867.6 GAAP diluted net loss per share $ (0.78) $ (0.22) $ (0.19) $ (1.25) $ (0.63) Non-GAAP diluted net income per share $ 0.43 $ 0.30 $ 0.41 $ 0.97 $ 1.05 (a) Restructuring and other related items include asset impairment charges, recognition of future contractual obligations, employee severance costs, facilities related charges, and other. (b) Other cost of goods sold includes charges for an intellectual property licensing claim, product claim related matters that were fully resolved in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, and acquisition integration related inventory costs. (c) Other costs in operating expenses and interest and other loss, net include gain or loss on investments and asset acquisition related costs. (d) Other income tax effects and adjustments relate to tax provision based on a non-GAAP income tax rate of 7.0% for the three and nine months ended November 2, 2024 and three months ended August 3, 2024. Other income tax effects and adjustments relate to tax provision based on a non-GAAP income tax rate of 6% for the three and nine months ended October 28, 2023. (e) Non-GAAP diluted weighted-average shares differs from GAAP diluted weighted-average shares due to the non-GAAP net income reported. Marvell Technology, Inc. Outlook for the Fourth Quarter of Fiscal Year 2025 Reconciliations from GAAP to Non-GAAP (Unaudited) (In millions, except per share amounts) Outlook for Three Months Ended February 1, 2025 GAAP net revenue $1,800 +/- 5% Special items: — Non-GAAP net revenue $1,800 +/- 5% GAAP gross margin ~ 50% Special items: Stock-based compensation 0.7 % Amortization of acquired intangible assets 9.3 % Non-GAAP gross margin ~ 60% Total GAAP operating expenses ~ $710 Special items: Stock-based compensation 142 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 78 Restructuring related charges and other 10 Total non-GAAP operating expenses ~ $480 GAAP diluted net income per share $0.16 +/- $0.05 Special items: Stock-based compensation 0.18 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 0.28 Restructuring related charges and other 0.01 Other income tax effects and adjustments (0.04) Non-GAAP diluted net income per share $0.59 +/- $0.05 Quarterly Revenue Trend (Unaudited) Our product solutions serve five large end markets where our technology is essential: (i) data center, (ii) enterprise networking, (iii) carrier infrastructure, (iv) consumer, and (v) automotive/industrial. These markets and their corresponding customer products and applications are noted in the table below: End market Customer products and applications Data center • Cloud and on-premise Artificial intelligence (AI) systems • Cloud and on-premise ethernet switching • Cloud and on-premise network-attached storage (NAS) • Cloud and on-premise AI servers • Cloud and on-premise general-purpose servers • Cloud and on-premise storage area networks • Cloud and on-premise storage systems • Data center interconnect (DCI) Enterprise networking • Campus and small medium enterprise routers • Campus and small medium enterprise ethernet switches • Campus and small medium enterprise wireless access points (WAPs) • Network appliances (firewalls, and load balancers) • Workstations Carrier infrastructure • Broadband access systems • Ethernet switches • Optical transport systems • Routers • Wireless radio access network (RAN) systems Consumer • Broadband gateways and routers • Gaming consoles • Home data storage • Home wireless access points (WAPs) • Personal Computers (PCs) • Printers • Set-top boxes Automotive/industrial • Advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) • Autonomous vehicles (AV) • In-vehicle networking • Industrial ethernet switches • United States military and government solutions • Video surveillance Quarterly Revenue Trend (Unaudited) (Continued) Three Months Ended % Change Revenue by End Market (In millions) November 2, 2024 August 3, 2024 October 28, 2023 YoY QoQ Data center $ 1,101.1 $ 880.9 $ 555.8 98 % 25 % Enterprise networking 150.9 151.0 271.1 (44) % — % Carrier infrastructure 84.7 75.9 316.5 (73) % 12 % Consumer 96.5 88.9 168.7 (43) % 9 % Automotive/industrial 82.9 76.2 106.5 (22) % 9 % Total Net Revenue $ 1,516.1 $ 1,272.9 $ 1,418.6 7 % 19 % Three Months Ended Revenue by End Market % of Total November 2, 2024 August 3, 2024 October 28, 2023 Data center 73 % 69 % 39 % Enterprise networking 10 % 12 % 19 % Carrier infrastructure 6 % 6 % 22 % Consumer 6 % 7 % 12 % Automotive/industrial 5 % 6 % 8 % Total Net Revenue 100 % 100 % 100 % For further information, contact: Ashish Saran Senior Vice President, Investor Relations 408-222-0777 ir@marvell.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/marvell-technology-inc-reports-third-quarter-of-fiscal-year-2025-financial-results-302321507.html SOURCE Marvell © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Kingsview Wealth Management LLC Invests $233,000 in GoDaddy Inc. (NYSE:GDDY)
I had a few merry evenings playing Escape Simulator back in 2022. Of the co-op escape room games I've played, it was the best, both in terms of its relatively neutral framing (with little heavyhanded storytelling) and its pretty solid puzzle design. The game was expanded in the time since with a versus mode and several crossover DLC, and now there comes a sequel. Escape Simulator 2 will explore "darker escape room themes", looks visually more detailed, and comes with a new editor for those who wish to design their own escape rooms. Why a sequel, when the original was already being so regularly updated? "A sequel gives us a fresh start and lets us push the limits of the genre further," says the Steam page . "We were inspired to explore darker escape room themes and experiment with new gameplay and puzzle ideas. Splitting from the original game let us focus on improving key features like rendering, networking, physics, and animations." I'm not really sure what "darker" means in the context of solving silly pattern matching puzzles with my pals, but Pine Studio also clarify that although "darker and has a more mysterious vibe, it's not a horror game." It does not feature "any jump scares or gore." Good! That's not what I play these games for. I play them for the feeling of inferiority that comes from having my co-op mates solve all the puzzles faster than I can. The original Escape Simulator came with a toolkit with which community members made many, many escape rooms of their own. The sequel follows suit, but promises that Room Editor 2.0 will be "more powerful and intuitive", with fewer restrictions when compared the way they make the official rooms. There's no release date yet, but some of the locations at launch include Dracula's castle, a starship stranded after a collision, and a pirate ship. Until you can escape those you might like to try the original, and it's currently 50% reduced on Steam - and it ain't exactly pricey to begin with.South Africa-The Zimbabwe Exemption Permit (ZEP), a critical document enabling thousands of Zimbabweans to live and work in South Africa, was set to expire on Friday, 28 November 2024. However, South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber, intervened at the eleventh hour to extend the permits’validity by another year, pushing the expiration date to 28 November 2025. This decision, announced via a government gazette on 29 November, follows a Gauteng High Court ruling compelling the Department of Home Affairs to consult affected ZEP holders and other stakeholders on the future of the permits. Minister Schreiber emphasized that during this extension period, no ZEP holder would face arrest, deportation, or detention for not having a valid exemption certificate. Additionally, permit holders would be allowed to travel in and out of South Africa, provided they meet other entry and departure requirements. Zimbabweans are one of the largest migrant groups in South Africa, having moved in significant numbers during Zimbabwe’s economic and political crises in the early 2000s. The ZEP, introduced as a temporary measure, allowed these migrants to regularize their stay without transitioning to permanent residency. Over the years, the ZEP has provided access to work, education, and healthcare, serving as a lifeline for many. However, its temporary nature has kept thousands in limbo, creating uncertainty about their future in South Africa. The recent announcement of the permits’ expiration had sparked widespread panic, exacerbated by administrative challenges and fears of deportation. As the deadline loomed, thousands of ZEP holders scrambled to secure waivers or alternative visas through VFS Global, the service provider for the Department of Home Affairs. Reports from Cape Town and Gqeberha revealed long queues outside VFS offices, with some individuals spending days waiting for assistance. At the Cape Town office, lines began forming as early as 6 a.m., with many expressing frustration over the online appointment booking system’s inefficiency. A mother of three, who traveled from Cradock to Gqeberha, described her ordeal, saying, “I live far away and have no friends here. I am in limbo because I have to ensure I stay legally in this country given the constant arrests by immigration officials.” Others, like a mother and son from Cleary Park, recounted their repeated attempts to book appointments online, only to face persistent technical difficulties. “We even sought help from an internet café, but the system remained unresponsive,” the mother lamented. Chris Mapingure, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Migrants Support Network, criticized the Department of Home Affairs for its handling of the ZEP renewal process. “We’re not happy with the way Home Affairs has been treating people wanting to extend their permits through VFS. Desperate people approached us for assistance because they had difficulty booking appointments,” he said, adding that his organization had urged the department to extend the grace period. Despite the extension, questions remain about how Home Affairs plans to address the systemic issues faced by ZEP holders. While the reprieve offers temporary relief, the long-term future of Zimbabweans in South Africa remains uncertain. The Department of Home Affairs and VFS Global were unavailable for comment at the time of publication.
Is that a chill in the air? Perhaps your boots are starting to feel colder and damper with each passing day. Maybe your cheeks are turning pink every time you step outside. Whether we like it or not, winter is here, which means it’s the perfect time to avoid the cold and hurry to your nice, warm movie house. With the holidays right around the corner, repertory theaters are stocking up on Christmas classics and seasonal favorites. For those looking for something more traditional than Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” and Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu,” which release December 20 and December 25, respectively, cinemas in New York and Los Angeles have plenty of options for the whole family, as well as more festive adult fare for those looking to spice things up. Selections this month come from the Metrograph located on the Lower East Side in New York City and Village East by Angelika, as well as American Cinematheque in Los Angeles, which is responsible for the programming at The Egyptian Theater, the Aero Theater, and the Los Feliz 3, and Quentin Tarantino’s theater, the New Beverly Cinema. December has a wide array of choices dating back to 1944, with some film ‘s having been released within the last 10 years and even within the last few months. Keep reading to find out IndieWire’s picks for the last month of 2024. The holidays are a time of romance, celebration and, let’s face it, inebriation. And what better way to celebrate all three than with a viewing of Federico Fellini’s epic satire of Roman life, “La Dolce Vita.” The film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1960 and stars one of Fellini’s muses, Marcello Mastroianni, as a tabloid journalist on a week-long bacchanalia through the ancient, yet modern city in search of love and happiness. Running at nearly three hours, “La Dolce Vita” offers plenty of time to kick back and live as the Romans do, with multiple screenings happening across the month on December 6, 8, 11, 18, and 26, all of which will be shown in 35mm. In need of a little romance this time of year? Metrograph has you covered with its 2024 installment of “The Holidays at Metrograph,” featuring three films that are sure to set your heart aflutter. First up is Paul Thomas Anderson’s cheeky peek behind the curtain of the 1950s London fashion world starring Daniel Day-Lewis, “Phantom Thread,” screening in 35mm on December 20, 24, and 26. Are the 1950s not far enough back for your taste in period romances? Try Greta Gerwig’s take on Louisa May Alcott’s classic family tale, “Little Women,” featuring performances from Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, and Chris Cooper. There are many opportunities to catch the film, starting on December 21 and playing every day up to Christmas. Last on the list is another 1950s affair, this time starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as a housewife and department store clerk drawn to each other by some magic magnetic force at a time where falling in love with one another could put them both at great risk. Todd Haynes’ “Carol” may be a holiday film for adults, but it still feeds the soul in the same way films like “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Carol” do. It can be seen in DCP on December 21 and 26 and in 35mm on December 23 and 25. On its own, Vincente Minelli’s “Meet Me in St. Louis” is a trite, unsubstantial musical filled with catchy but forgettable standards and a wasted Judy Garland pushing her talent across every inch of the frame as best she can. However, as one of the films that fueled the relationship between Minelli and Garland and led to the birth of their daughter, Liza Minelli, one can’t help but bask in its mediocre glory. Following a year in the life of a family at the turn of the 20th century, “Meet Me in St. Louis” would cement Minelli’s talents as a musical film director, leading to a long career at MGM helming projects like “An American in Paris” and “The Band Wagon.” To see where it all started, catch “Meet Me in St. Louis” at the Village East on Monday, December 23. Tired of seeing Hugh Grant plays villains and creeps? Go back to a time when the handsome Brit charmed and romanced with a viewing of the 2003 seminal classic, “Love Actually.” Comprised of an all-star cast that includes Grant, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley, and many more, the Richard Curtis film follows a string of Londoners experiencing the highs and lows of love around Christmas time and cemented Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” as one of the greatest holiday tunes of all time. Catch it with your favorite loved ones on Wednesday, December 18 at 7pm. And of course, no Christmas would be complete without a viewing of Frank Capra’s touching drama, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” starring Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, and Lionel Barrymore. Following building and loan manager George Bailey on an odyssey of rediscovery, the film continues to hold a place in the hearts of multiple generations with its message of value and appreciation for the everyman in America just trying to help his fellow neighbor get by. It screens twice on Wednesday, December 11. It may still be reaching 70 degrees and higher here in Los Angeles, but with lights strung up and preparations underway for Jeremy Renner to serve as Grand Marshal of the 92nd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, it’s hard not to feel in a festive mood. If you’re wanting to feed that spirit, take your pick of two holiday gems screening on December 21 through American Cinematheque. The television version of Ingmar Bergman’s childhood tale “Fanny and Alexander” screens in all its glorious 312 minutes at The Egyptian Theater in Hollywood starting at 12pm and follows a pair of siblings during turn of the 20th century Sweden as they have their first experiences with familial strife. At 4pm , Tyler Taormina’s loving ode to family and community, “Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point,” screens at the Los Feliz 3. Featuring Maria Dizzia, Francesca Scorsese, Ben Shankman, Elsie Fisher, and a host of unknown, yet terrific talent, the film premiered at Cannes this year and hit theaters in November, but if you missed it, there’s no better opportunity to catch this soon-to-be-holiday-classic than later this month. Another modern favorite returns to the screen for the holiday season and in glorious 35mm. Starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Ed Asner, Peter Dinklage, and Mary Steenburgen, Jon Favreau’s “Elf” is a classic fish-out-of-water tale with a healthy dose of silly winter cheer. It plays at the Egyptian on Christmas Eve at 7:30pm . Need a shift from all the candy canes and holly jolly after Christmas? Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” has you covered. Screening in 70mm at the Aero Theater on December 27, Kubrick’s dark journey through the cosmos is a visual feast that defies description and the perfect film to cap off a year that truly showed us the horrors technology can bring forth. Run, don’t walk to tonight’s screening of “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” at New Beverly Cinema, shown in glorious 70mm from an IB Tech Print and featuring the only performance from then-model George Lazenby as James Bond. Set mostly in a chilly research institute in the Swiss Alps, Lazenby’s Bond is as debonair as he is deadly, courting multiple women at the same time as he’s trying to stop the spread of a biological weapon. If you can’t make it tonight, there’s another showing tomorrow night, December 7 , as well. Later in the month, for those adults seeking out some mature, yet festive fare, Kubrick’s dizzying erotic epic “Eyes Wide Shut,” starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, plays on December 19 and 20 , while the action thriller “Die Hard,” starring Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman, screens December 23 and 24 . For our last selection, something the entire family can enjoy: “The Muppets Christmas Carol.” While the film does follow all of the beats and much of the traditional dialogue from Charles Dickens’ holiday classic, by surrounding Michael Caine’s forceful, yet grounded performance as Ebenezer Scrooge with the Muppet players, the story is given a new buoyancy that pulls audiences into the fantastical journey more than ever before. There are two matinee showings of the film this month, on Saturday, December 21 and Sunday, December 22 .
PLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Newly married and sworn as a Naval officer, Jimmy Carter left his tiny hometown in 1946 hoping to climb the ranks and see the world. Less than a decade later, the death of his father and namesake, a merchant farmer and local politician who went by “Mr. Earl,” prompted the submariner and his wife, Rosalynn, to return to the rural life of Plains, Georgia, they thought they’d escaped. The lieutenant never would be an admiral. Instead, he became commander in chief. Years after his presidency ended in humbling defeat, he would add a Nobel Peace Prize, awarded not for his White House accomplishments but “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The life of James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, ended Sunday at the age of 100 where it began: Plains, the town of 600 that fueled his political rise, welcomed him after his fall and sustained him during 40 years of service that redefined what it means to be a former president. With the stubborn confidence of an engineer and an optimism rooted in his Baptist faith, Carter described his motivations in politics and beyond in the same way: an almost missionary zeal to solve problems and improve lives. Carter was raised amid racism, abject poverty and hard rural living — realities that shaped both his deliberate politics and emphasis on human rights. “He always felt a responsibility to help people,” said Jill Stuckey, a longtime friend of Carter's in Plains. “And when he couldn’t make change wherever he was, he decided he had to go higher.” Carter's path, a mix of happenstance and calculation , pitted moral imperatives against political pragmatism; and it defied typical labels of American politics, especially caricatures of one-term presidents as failures. “We shouldn’t judge presidents by how popular they are in their day. That's a very narrow way of assessing them," Carter biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. “We should judge them by how they changed the country and the world for the better. On that score, Jimmy Carter is not in the first rank of American presidents, but he stands up quite well.” Later in life, Carter conceded that many Americans, even those too young to remember his tenure, judged him ineffective for failing to contain inflation or interest rates, end the energy crisis or quickly bring home American hostages in Iran. He gained admirers instead for his work at The Carter Center — advocating globally for public health, human rights and democracy since 1982 — and the decades he and Rosalynn wore hardhats and swung hammers with Habitat for Humanity. Yet the common view that he was better after the Oval Office than in it annoyed Carter, and his allies relished him living long enough to see historians reassess his presidency. “He doesn’t quite fit in today’s terms” of a left-right, red-blue scoreboard, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited the former president multiple times during his own White House bid. At various points in his political career, Carter labeled himself “progressive” or “conservative” — sometimes both at once. His most ambitious health care bill failed — perhaps one of his biggest legislative disappointments — because it didn’t go far enough to suit liberals. Republicans, especially after his 1980 defeat, cast him as a left-wing cartoon. It would be easiest to classify Carter as a centrist, Buttigieg said, “but there’s also something radical about the depth of his commitment to looking after those who are left out of society and out of the economy.” Indeed, Carter’s legacy is stitched with complexities, contradictions and evolutions — personal and political. The self-styled peacemaker was a war-trained Naval Academy graduate who promised Democratic challenger Ted Kennedy that he’d “kick his ass.” But he campaigned with a call to treat everyone with “respect and compassion and with love.” Carter vowed to restore America’s virtue after the shame of Vietnam and Watergate, and his technocratic, good-government approach didn't suit Republicans who tagged government itself as the problem. It also sometimes put Carter at odds with fellow Democrats. The result still was a notable legislative record, with wins on the environment, education, and mental health care. He dramatically expanded federally protected lands, began deregulating air travel, railroads and trucking, and he put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy. As a fiscal hawk, Carter added a relative pittance to the national debt, unlike successors from both parties. Carter nonetheless struggled to make his achievements resonate with the electorate he charmed in 1976. Quoting Bob Dylan and grinning enthusiastically, he had promised voters he would “never tell a lie.” Once in Washington, though, he led like a joyless engineer, insisting his ideas would become reality and he'd be rewarded politically if only he could convince enough people with facts and logic. This served him well at Camp David, where he brokered peace between Israel’s Menachem Begin and Epypt’s Anwar Sadat, an experience that later sparked the idea of The Carter Center in Atlanta. Carter's tenacity helped the center grow to a global force that monitored elections across five continents, enabled his freelance diplomacy and sent public health experts across the developing world. The center’s wins were personal for Carter, who hoped to outlive the last Guinea worm parasite, and nearly did. As president, though, the approach fell short when he urged consumers beleaguered by energy costs to turn down their thermostats. Or when he tried to be the nation’s cheerleader, beseeching Americans to overcome a collective “crisis of confidence.” Republican Ronald Reagan exploited Carter's lecturing tone with a belittling quip in their lone 1980 debate. “There you go again,” the former Hollywood actor said in response to a wonky answer from the sitting president. “The Great Communicator” outpaced Carter in all but six states. Carter later suggested he “tried to do too much, too soon” and mused that he was incompatible with Washington culture: media figures, lobbyists and Georgetown social elites who looked down on the Georgians and their inner circle as “country come to town.” Carter carefully navigated divides on race and class on his way to the Oval Office. Born Oct. 1, 1924 , Carter was raised in the mostly Black community of Archery, just outside Plains, by a progressive mother and white supremacist father. Their home had no running water or electricity but the future president still grew up with the relative advantages of a locally prominent, land-owning family in a system of Jim Crow segregation. He wrote of President Franklin Roosevelt’s towering presence and his family’s Democratic Party roots, but his father soured on FDR, and Jimmy Carter never campaigned or governed as a New Deal liberal. He offered himself as a small-town peanut farmer with an understated style, carrying his own luggage, bunking with supporters during his first presidential campaign and always using his nickname. And he began his political career in a whites-only Democratic Party. As private citizens, he and Rosalynn supported integration as early as the 1950s and believed it inevitable. Carter refused to join the White Citizens Council in Plains and spoke out in his Baptist church against denying Black people access to worship services. “This is not my house; this is not your house,” he said in a churchwide meeting, reminding fellow parishioners their sanctuary belonged to God. Yet as the appointed chairman of Sumter County schools he never pushed to desegregate, thinking it impractical after the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board decision. And while presidential candidate Carter would hail the 1965 Voting Rights Act, signed by fellow Democrat Lyndon Johnson when Carter was a state senator, there is no record of Carter publicly supporting it at the time. Carter overcame a ballot-stuffing opponent to win his legislative seat, then lost the 1966 governor's race to an arch-segregationist. He won four years later by avoiding explicit mentions of race and campaigning to the right of his rival, who he mocked as “Cufflinks Carl” — the insult of an ascendant politician who never saw himself as part the establishment. Carter’s rural and small-town coalition in 1970 would match any victorious Republican electoral map in 2024. Once elected, though, Carter shocked his white conservative supporters — and landed on the cover of Time magazine — by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Before making the jump to Washington, Carter befriended the family of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., whom he’d never sought out as he eyed the governor’s office. Carter lamented his foot-dragging on school integration as a “mistake.” But he also met, conspicuously, with Alabama's segregationist Gov. George Wallace to accept his primary rival's endorsement ahead of the 1976 Democratic convention. “He very shrewdly took advantage of his own Southerness,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor and expert on Carter’s campaigns. A coalition of Black voters and white moderate Democrats ultimately made Carter the last Democratic presidential nominee to sweep the Deep South. Then, just as he did in Georgia, he used his power in office to appoint more non-whites than all his predecessors had, combined. He once acknowledged “the secret shame” of white Americans who didn’t fight segregation. But he also told Alter that doing more would have sacrificed his political viability – and thus everything he accomplished in office and after. King's daughter, Bernice King, described Carter as wisely “strategic” in winning higher offices to enact change. “He was a leader of conscience,” she said in an interview. Rosalynn Carter, who died on Nov. 19 at the age of 96, was identified by both husband and wife as the “more political” of the pair; she sat in on Cabinet meetings and urged him to postpone certain priorities, like pressing the Senate to relinquish control of the Panama Canal. “Let that go until the second term,” she would sometimes say. The president, recalled her former aide Kathy Cade, retorted that he was “going to do what’s right” even if “it might cut short the time I have.” Rosalynn held firm, Cade said: “She’d remind him you have to win to govern.” Carter also was the first president to appoint multiple women as Cabinet officers. Yet by his own telling, his career sprouted from chauvinism in the Carters' early marriage: He did not consult Rosalynn when deciding to move back to Plains in 1953 or before launching his state Senate bid a decade later. Many years later, he called it “inconceivable” that he didn’t confer with the woman he described as his “full partner,” at home, in government and at The Carter Center. “We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics,” Rosalynn Carter told AP in 2021. So deep was their trust that when Carter remained tethered to the White House in 1980 as 52 Americans were held hostage in Tehran, it was Rosalynn who campaigned on her husband’s behalf. “I just loved it,” she said, despite the bitterness of defeat. Fair or not, the label of a disastrous presidency had leading Democrats keep their distance, at least publicly, for many years, but Carter managed to remain relevant, writing books and weighing in on societal challenges. He lamented widening wealth gaps and the influence of money in politics. He voted for democratic socialist Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and later declared that America had devolved from fully functioning democracy to “oligarchy.” Yet looking ahead to 2020, with Sanders running again, Carter warned Democrats not to “move to a very liberal program,” lest they help re-elect President Donald Trump. Carter scolded the Republican for his serial lies and threats to democracy, and chided the U.S. establishment for misunderstanding Trump’s populist appeal. He delighted in yearly convocations with Emory University freshmen, often asking them to guess how much he’d raised in his two general election campaigns. “Zero,” he’d gesture with a smile, explaining the public financing system candidates now avoid so they can raise billions. Carter still remained quite practical in partnering with wealthy corporations and foundations to advance Carter Center programs. Carter recognized that economic woes and the Iran crisis doomed his presidency, but offered no apologies for appointing Paul Volcker as the Federal Reserve chairman whose interest rate hikes would not curb inflation until Reagan's presidency. He was proud of getting all the hostages home without starting a shooting war, even though Tehran would not free them until Reagan's Inauguration Day. “Carter didn’t look at it” as a failure, Alter emphasized. “He said, ‘They came home safely.’ And that’s what he wanted.” Well into their 90s, the Carters greeted visitors at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday School and where he will have his last funeral before being buried on family property alongside Rosalynn . Carter, who made the congregation’s collection plates in his woodworking shop, still garnered headlines there, calling for women’s rights within religious institutions, many of which, he said, “subjugate” women in church and society. Carter was not one to dwell on regrets. “I am at peace with the accomplishments, regret the unrealized goals and utilize my former political position to enhance everything we do,” he wrote around his 90th birthday. The politician who had supposedly hated Washington politics also enjoyed hosting Democratic presidential contenders as public pilgrimages to Plains became advantageous again. Carter sat with Buttigieg for the final time March 1, 2020, hours before the Indiana mayor ended his campaign and endorsed eventual winner Joe Biden. “He asked me how I thought the campaign was going,” Buttigieg said, recalling that Carter flashed his signature grin and nodded along as the young candidate, born a year after Carter left office, “put the best face” on the walloping he endured the day before in South Carolina. Never breaking his smile, the 95-year-old host fired back, “I think you ought to drop out.” “So matter of fact,” Buttigieg said with a laugh. “It was somehow encouraging.” Carter had lived enough, won plenty and lost enough to take the long view. “He talked a lot about coming from nowhere,” Buttigieg said, not just to attain the presidency but to leverage “all of the instruments you have in life” and “make the world more peaceful.” In his farewell address as president, Carter said as much to the country that had embraced and rejected him. “The struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color, nation or language,” he declared. “Those who hunger for freedom, who thirst for human dignity and who suffer for the sake of justice — they are the patriots of this cause.” Carter pledged to remain engaged with and for them as he returned “home to the South where I was born and raised,” home to Plains, where that young lieutenant had indeed become “a fellow citizen of the world.” —- Bill Barrow, based in Atlanta, has covered national politics including multiple presidential campaigns for the AP since 2012.
US coach Emma Hayes admits to anthem uncertainty ahead of England stalemateUS coach Emma Hayes admits to anthem uncertainty ahead of England stalemateHow to Watch the NBA Today, December 8
