2 hammocks
2 hammocks
2 hammocks
Score $20 Off Metaphor: ReFantazio for PS5 or Xbox in Cyber Monday Sales - IGN
Luxembourg – 11 December 2024 - Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Børs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) today announced that Seaway7, part of the Subsea7 Group, has signed a vessel reservation agreement with Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farm 1 for the transportation and installation of turbines for the Dogger Bank project, offshore the UK. Offshore works are expected to commence in 2026. This represents additional work for Seaway7 at this development, where it is currently installing monopile foundations and transition pieces. The value related to this substantial 2 agreement will be recognised in backlog in the fourth quarter. Dogger Bank Offshore Wwind Farm is a joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables (40%), Equinor (40%) and Vårgrønn (20%). Subsea7 defines a substantial contract as being between $150 million and $300 million ******************************************************************************* Subsea7 is a global leader in the delivery of offshore projects and services for the evolving energy industry, creating sustainable value by being the industry’s partner and employer of choice in delivering the efficient offshore solutions the world needs. Subsea7 is listed on the Oslo Børs (SUBC), ISIN LU0075646355, LEI 222100AIF0CBCY80AH62. ******************************************************************************* Contact for investment community enquiries: Katherine Tonks Investor Relations Director Tel +44 20 8210 5568 ir@subsea7.com Contact for media enquiries: Nikki Beales Communications Manager, Seaway7 Tel +44 (0)7843895292 nikki.beales@seaway7.com www.seaway7.com Forward-Looking Statements: This document may contain ‘forward-looking statements’ (within the meaning of the safe harbour provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements relate to our current expectations, beliefs, intentions, assumptions or strategies regarding the future and are subject to known and unknown risks that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘future’, ‘goal’, ‘intend’, ‘likely’ ‘may’, ‘plan’, ‘project’, ‘seek’, ‘should’, ‘strategy’ ‘will’, and similar expressions. The principal risks which could affect future operations of the Group are described in the ‘Risk Management’ section of the Group’s Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements. Factors that may cause actual and future results and trends to differ materially from our forward-looking statements include (but are not limited to): (i) our ability to deliver fixed price projects in accordance with client expectations and within the parameters of our bids, and to avoid cost overruns; (ii) our ability to collect receivables, negotiate variation orders and collect the related revenue; (iii) our ability to recover costs on significant projects; (iv) capital expenditure by oil and gas companies, which is affected by fluctuations in the price of, and demand for, crude oil and natural gas; (v) unanticipated delays or cancellation of projects included in our backlog; (vi) competition and price fluctuations in the markets and businesses in which we operate; (vii) the loss of, or deterioration in our relationship with, any significant clients; (viii) the outcome of legal proceedings or governmental inquiries; (ix) uncertainties inherent in operating internationally, including economic, political and social instability, boycotts or embargoes, labour unrest, changes in foreign governmental regulations, corruption and currency fluctuations; (x) the effects of a pandemic or epidemic or a natural disaster; (xi) liability to third parties for the failure of our joint venture partners to fulfil their obligations; (xii) changes in, or our failure to comply with, applicable laws and regulations (including regulatory measures addressing climate change); (xiii) operating hazards, including spills, environmental damage, personal or property damage and business interruptions caused by adverse weather; (xiv) equipment or mechanical failures, which could increase costs, impair revenue and result in penalties for failure to meet project completion requirements; (xv) the timely delivery of vessels on order and the timely completion of ship conversion programmes; (xvi) our ability to keep pace with technological changes and the impact of potential information technology, cyber security or data security breaches; (xvii) global availability at scale and commercially viability of suitable alternative vessel fuels; and (xviii) the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this document. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This information is considered to be inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This stock exchange release was published by Katherine Tonks, Investor Relations, Subsea7, on 12 December 2024 at 07:00 CET. Attachment SUBC Dogger BankTrudeau told Trump Americans would also suffer if tariffs are imposed, a Canadian minister says
By Tom Hals and Jonathan Stempel WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) - A Delaware judge ruled on Monday that Tesla CEO Elon Musk still is not entitled to receive a $56 billion compensation package despite shareholders of the electric vehicle company voting in June to reinstate it. The ruling by the judge, Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick of the Court of Chancery, follows her January decision that called the pay package excessive and rescinded it, surprising investors, and cast uncertainty over Musk's future at the world's most valuable carmaker. Musk did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Tesla in a statement on X said, "The ruling is wrong, and we're going to appeal," saying that the judge had overruled a supermajority of shareholders. Musk and Tesla can appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court as soon as McCormick enters a final order, which could come as soon as this week. The appeal could take a year to play out. Tesla has said in court filings that the judge should recognize a subsequent June vote by its shareholders in favor of the pay package for Musk, the company's driving force who is responsible for many of its advances, and reinstate his compensation. McCormick said Tesla’s board was not entitled to hit “reset” to restore Musk’s pay package. “Were the court to condone the practice of allowing defeated parties to create new facts for the purpose of revising judgments, lawsuits would become interminable,” she said in her 101-page opinion. She said a ratification vote like the one used by Tesla had to be conducted before the trial and a company cannot ratify a transaction involving a conflicted controller. She had determined Musk controlled the pay negotiations. She also said Tesla made multiple material misstatements in its proxy statement regarding the vote, and could not claim the vote was a “cure-all” to justify restoring Musk’s pay. Tesla shares fell 1.4% in after hours trade, after the ruling. Gary Black, managing partner of The Future Fund, which owns Tesla stock, said on X that he believed the Delaware Supreme Court was more pragmatic than McCormick. "I doubt this ruling will be resolved anytime soon, and it will likely be overturned by a more moderate court along the way," he wrote. The pay package had awarded Musk stock options if the company hit performance and valuation goals. While the award originally was valued at up to $56 billion, Tesla's shares have surged 42% since Nov. 5, when Republican candidate Donald Trump, supported by Musk, won the U.S. presidential election. Following that rally, the pay package is worth about $101 billion. The ruling comes as Musk has been tasked by Trump with creating a more efficient government by slashing spending. The role as co-lead of the new Department of Government Efficiency would be informal rather than a government position, allowing Musk to keep his job at Tesla as well as leading other companies including rocket maker SpaceX. Musk threw himself behind Trump's election campaign and has become a close adviser in the process. PAY DAY FOR PLAINTIFF'S LAWYERS McCormick also ordered Tesla to pay the attorneys who brought the case $345 million, well short of the $6 billion they initially requested, but still one of the largest fee awards ever in securities litigation. She said the fee could be paid in cash or Tesla stock. “We are pleased with Chancellor McCormick’s ruling, which declined Tesla’s invitation to inject continued uncertainty into Court proceedings," said a statement from Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossmann, one of the three law firms for the plaintiff. The law firm also said it looked forward to defending the court's opinion if Musk and Tesla appealed. After the January ruling, Tesla shareholders flooded the court with thousands of letters arguing that rescinding Musk's pay increased the possibility he would leave Tesla or develop some products like artificial intelligence at ventures other than Tesla. Mom-and-pop investors and Musk's influential fans helped Tesla and Musk win the June shareholder vote and many were speaking up on social media against Monday's decision. "Beyond the pedantic details of legal procedure, the bigger issue here is that the voice of shareholders is being overruled," Omar Qazi said in a post on X from the handle @WholeMarsBlog after Monday's ruling. "If they can't consider the vote in this case, hopefully they'll consider it on appeal," said Qazi who has more than 551,000 followers. McCormick in January found that Musk improperly controlled the 2018 board process to negotiate the pay package. The board had said that Musk deserved the package because he hit all the ambitious targets on market value, revenue and profitability. After the January ruling, Musk criticized the judge on his social media platform X and encouraged other companies to follow the lead of Tesla and reincorporate in Texas from Delaware, although it is unclear if any companies did so. The judge in her January ruling called the pay package the "biggest compensation plan ever - an unfathomable sum." It was 33 times larger than the next biggest executive compensation package, which was Musk's 2012 pay plan. Musk's 2018 pay package gave him stock grants worth around 1% of Tesla's equity each time the company achieved one of 12 tranches of escalating operational and financial goals. Musk did not receive any guaranteed salary. Tornetta argued that shareholders were not told how easily the goals would be achieved when they voted on the package. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; additional reporting by Abhirup Roy and Noel Randewich in San Francisco; Editing by Bill Berkrot, Amy Stevens, Peter Henderson and Sonali Paul) Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .USC QB Miller Moss enters transfer portal after losing starting job to Jayden Maiava
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Jacksen Moni's 25 points helped North Dakota State defeat Wisconsin-Stout 91-62 on Friday for its sixth straight win. Moni shot 9 for 13 (4 for 6 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Bison (9-4). Treyson Anderson scored eight points and added seven rebounds. Darik Dissette shot 3 of 3 from the field to finish with eight points. Carson Hoffman led the Blue Devils in scoring, finishing with 11 points. Justin Nelson added nine points and Dominic Croci recorded eight points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Nauticus Robotics Completes Aquanaut Mark 2 Evaluation Agreement with a Global Supermajor Oil & Gas CustomerNauticus Robotics Completes Aquanaut Mark 2 Evaluation Agreement with a Global Supermajor Oil & Gas Customer
BSD Builders, Inc. Partners with 2G Energy Inc. to Develop Advanced Microgrid SolutionsNew Jersey Republican uses AI to generate opponent’s voice in new ad
MK Dons will be aiming to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat in all competitions when they host Crewe Alexandra in a League Two fixture at Stadium MK on Sunday. The two sides are separated by six places, with the Dons sitting fourth in the table having amassed 35 points, while the visitors are further down in 11th place with 30 points. © Imago MK Dons continued their unimpressive showing in December, with their latest match ending in a 2-0 loss against Notts County on Boxing Day. The defeat, their third in a row in the league, is in contrast to the form they consistently showed since Scott Lindsey was appointed head coach in late September. The former Crawley Town manager rallied his troops to record a string of good results in his first 10 matches in charge - a run that included seven victories, two draws and just one defeat. In that period, the Milton Keynes-based team plundered 17 goals; while the goals have not dried up, the Dons have not done a good job of shutting out opponents - a weakness exemplified by the 38 goals conceded so far. In their latest three-game winless streak, the home side have shipped nine goals — only one fewer than the total number of goals conceded during Lindsey's tenure before the dip in form. However, the Dons have one of the best home records in the league, with six wins, two draws and four losses, racking up 20 points on their turf. Lindsey's men will be confident of claiming all three points, having beaten the visitors in their last two trips to Stadium MK. Should the Dons emerge victorious on Sunday, they could move to ninth position in the table, but that is contingent on Salford City and Bradford City losing their respective matches. Elsewhere, Crewe Alexandra are winless in their last two league matches, drawing one and losing the other, and they will be aiming to avoid back-to-back league defeats for the first time since their first two games of the season. In their last outing, the Railwaymen were edged 2-1 by Cheltenham Town at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium on Thursday. With that loss, the automatic promotion bid of Lee Bell 's team suffered another setback; however, their charge for a League One spot is still alive, as the away side are only a point behind Doncaster Rovers, who occupy the final automatic spot with 36 points. Although Bell's team have a solitary victory in their last five away exertions in the league, the Cheshire-based team have recorded decent results on their travels this campaign. In 11 fixtures away from the Mornflake Stadium, Bell's team have claimed four wins, four draws and only three losses. A win in this fixture will give the visitors their first victory at Stadium MK since April 2021. Although MK Dons have a fully fit squad with no suspensions, Lindsey could make some changes to the starting XI in light of their current dismal run. Nevertheless, top marksman Alex Gilbey , who has scored nine goals this season, is expected to feature from the first blast of the whistle. Similarly, Luke Offord , Nico Lawrence and Laurence Maguire are expected to form the back three, while Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Joe Tomlinson should both be named in the starting XI as wing-backs. As for the visitors, Shilow Tracey and Jack Lankester should form the attacking partnership up front — the pair have 10 goals between them this season. Filip Marschall is the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper and he is expected to keep his place between the sticks. Jack Powell , who is back in action after a year on the sidelines due to a ruptured ACL, should also make the cut. MK Dons possible starting lineup: McGil; Maguire, Offord, Lawrence; Tomlison, Robson, Grant, Lemonheigh-Evans; Gilbey, Holland; Grigg Crewe Alexandra possible starting lineup: Marschall; Connolly, Demetriou, Williams; Cooney, Holicek, Powell, Tabiner, Conway; Tracey, Lankester Although the visitors have fared better than the hosts this season, their inability to secure a victory at Stadium MK since April 2021 could be the impetus the home team needs to go all out for an outright win. However, the decent away results of the visiting team cannot be overlooked. Thus, we reckon this match will end in a 1-1 draw. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .Drink Like A Pro: These Are The Best Bourbons At Every Price PointIt’s looking more and more likely the Vikings will be without veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore for a second straight game. He hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury against the Arizona Cardinals a couple of weeks ago. Though he has an extra 24 hours to prepare this week with the Vikings set to host the Chicago Bears on Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium, the fact that Gilmore still hasn’t practiced in any capacity isn’t a good sign. After not participating in the walkthrough on Thursday afternoon at TCO Performance Center, Gilmore was listed as a non participant in practice on Friday afternoon. It would make sense for the Vikings to be cautious with Gilmore considering how important he’s been to the secondary this season. They want to make sure he’s back at 100 percent for the playoffs. In the absence of Gilmore, veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau has logged more playing time. There also has been more responsibility placed on fellow cornerbacks Byron Murphy Jr. and Shaq Griffin, with safety Josh Metellus also mixing in at nickel. It appears that edge rusher Pat Jones II is getting closer to making his return given that he was listed as a full participant in practice on Friday afternoon. He has been working through a knee injury and missed last Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Having Jones back would be a major boost for the Vikings on defense, as he has found a role as a situational pass rusher. He has a career high 7.0 sacks this season while showcasing the ability to apply pressure off the edge or up the middle. In response to his philanthropy near and far, safety Cam Bynum has been named the NFLPA Community MVP for Week 15. Not only has Bynum regularly used his platform in the NFL to help with natural disaster relief in the Philippines, he has continued to spread joy in and around the Twin Cities through charitable events hosted by his Bynum Faith Foundation. The NFLPA will donate $10,000 to his foundation or charity of choice. In turn, Bynum will take part in a special visit to a local school, children’s hospital, or community center. The recognition also makes Bynum eligible for the Alan Page Community Award, the NFLPA’s highest player honor, which includes an additional $100,000 donation to the winner’s charities. The rest of the injury report was good news for the Vikings as running back Aaron Jones (back), tight end Josh Oliver (wrist/ankle), and edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel (hip) were all listed as full participants.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell in morning trading Friday as Wall Street closes out a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 fell 1.4%, with more than 80% of stocks in the benchmark index losing ground. Still, the index is managing to hold onto a modest gain for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 402 points, or 0.9%, to 42,945 as of 10:41 a.m. Eastern time. The Nasdaq composite fell 2%. Both the Dow and the Nasdaq are also holding on to weekly gains. Technology stocks were the biggest drag on the market Friday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia slumped 3.2%. Its enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes. Other Big Tech stocks losing ground included Microsoft, with a 2.2% decline. A wide range of retailers also fell. Amazon fell 2.2% and Best Buy slipped 1.9%. The sector is being closely watched for clues on how it performed during the holiday shopping season. Energy was the only sector within the S&P 500 rising. It gained 0.5% as crude oil prices rose 0.8%. Investors don't have much in the way of corporate or economic updates to review as the market moves closer to another standout annual finish. The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing. A report on Friday showed that sales and inventory estimates for the wholesales trade industry fell 0.2% in November, following a slight gain in October. That weaker-than-expected report follows an update on the labor market Thursday that showed unemployment benefits held steady last week. In Asia, Japan’s benchmark index surged as the yen remained weak against the dollar. Stocks in South Korea fell after the main opposition party voted to impeach the country’s acting leader. Markets in Europe gained ground. Bond yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury remained at 4.59% from late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury slipped to 4.32% from 4.33% late Thursday. Wall Street will have more economic updates to look forward to next week, including reports on pending home sales and home prices. There will also be reports on U.S. construction spending and snapshots of manufacturing activity.
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A renowned entertainer and disc jockey, Deejay Nani has won big at the recently concluded first-ever Nigerian Deejays Award which took place in Abuja. Deejay Nani who was crowned with the prestigious honour of Professional Deejay Of The Year Award joined the list of others who were honoured for their contribution in raising the bar of entertainment in the country. He is one of the most popular deejays in the city of Abuja who has over the years paid his dues in the industry. DJ Nani has played in high profile events within and outside the nation’s capital and brings a new aura that will spur enthusiasm among guests. His skills and ability to read the mood of guests at every event and give them suitable tunes is his key strength among his peers in the industry. Speaking at the event, the National President of Deejay Association of of Nigeria (DJAN), Mr. Christian Onyebuchi Mwatuegbe known by the stage name, DJ Perfect expressed satisfaction that the ceremony, despite being the first edition, turned out extremely successful and in the lifetime of his administration as the president. He expressed gratitude to his colleagues in the industry across the country for their support which culminated into the success recorded. Highlighting the role of deejays in our social life, he said, “DJ’s are the most essential part of any occasion as their absence will make any occasion boring and unenjoyable. “The DJs through their music add so much substance and vigour to any occasion no matter the events. Hence, we thought it wise to gather here today to give honour to whom honour is due and to celebrate ourselves in special dimension,” DJ Perfect said. For his own part, the Project Consultant and the CEO of Leadership Scorecard Magazine, Mr. Humphrey Onyima expressed happiness that deejays have come to recognise their crucial roles in the society which necessitated the award of recognition. He said, “Today is indeed a great day in the lives of members of Djan nationwide. Today’s awardees are men and women of caliber who have contributed immeasurably towards the growth of Deejaying in Nigeria.” Notable DJs at event include DJs Neptune, the legendary American DJ Dona Dee, cool, Humility, grande fingers,symptoms, Vicky Lee, Benny G, Stan, Valakan, Burna , Scratch, Baby gold, Ceekk, John, Matrix, DJ Trish and so much more.FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots are focused on the future following their 25-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts . The Patriots (3-10) were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss Sunday, meaning that this week’s bye in many ways will begin the process of the coaching staff and front office evaluating the roster for 2025. The good news is that this group has shown plenty of grit this season, playing seven games that were decided by one score. The bad news is that the Patriots are just 2-5 in those games. Though New England’s bye comes late in the season, coach Jerod Mayo said the timing is perfect for a team that is feeling the effects of its shortcomings . “A much-needed bye week, not only physically for the players but also mentally, just being able to hit the reset button and come back, put some good games together and continue to build for the future,” Mayo said. “That has to be our goal.” Tight end Austin Hooper said the seed that needs to be planted over the final four games is finding a way to limit the mistakes — namely penalties and trouble finishing drives — that have hampered the offense throughout the season. “We’ve got to execute at a higher level. We can’t beat a team before you stop hurting yourself,” Hooper said. “It’s not for lack of effort, just things that happen out there that get you scars in this league.” This was the most balanced performance by the offense this season, with 222 passing yards and a season-high 200 yards rushing. It shows progress under new coordinator Alex Van Pelt, which is something to build on over the final four games. Red zone efficiency. It continues to be the most glaring deficiency for the Patriots’ offense. They were 2 of 6 on Sunday and rank 30th in the NFL, scoring a touchdown only 44.7% (17 of 38) of the time inside the 20-yard line. TE Hunter Henry. He finished with seven catches for 75 yards, which is his seventh game this season with five or more receptions. He leads the team this season with 58 catches for 610 yards and continues to be a dependable option for quarterback Drake May as he navigates his rookie season. K Joey Slye. He made 3 of his 5 field-goal attempts, including a 54-yarder in the second quarter. Most of the conversation following the game was about his NFL record-long 68-yard attempt that came up short as time expired. But because of the 1-point loss, he was lamenting the 25-yard attempt he missed wide left just before halftime. “I take full responsibility for this,” Slye said. “Every point for this team matters with how we play complementary football with offense, defense and special teams. So, whenever I am out there, I have got to score points.” Henry left the game in the first quarter after a helmet-to-helmet hit. He was able to return in the second quarter and finished the game. 7 — Number of penalties called on the Patriots, costing them 88 yards. Five penalties (four accepted) were called on the offensive line. That included one for holding on Mike Onwenu that nullified a touchdown run by Rhamondre Stevenson in the first quarter and forced New England to settle for a field goal. The Patriots have a bye this week. They visit the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 15. AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
If the Covid era marked a boom time for digital health companies, 2024 was the reckoning. In a year that saw the Nasdaq jump 32%, surpassing 20,000 for the first time this month, health tech providers largely suffered. Of 39 public digital health companies analyzed by CNBC, roughly two-thirds are down for the year. Others are now out of business. There were some breakout stars, like Hims & Hers Health , which was buoyed by the success of its popular new weight loss offering and its position in the GLP-1 craze. But that was an exception. While there were some company-specific challenges in the industry, overall it was a “year of inflection,” according to Scott Schoenhaus, an analyst at KeyBanc Capital Markets covering health-care IT companies. Business models that appeared poised to break out during the pandemic haven’t all worked as planned, and companies have had to refocus on profitability and a more muted growth environment. “The pandemic was a huge pull forward in demand, and we’re facing those tough, challenging comps,” Schoenhaus told CNBC in an interview. “Growth clearly slowed for most of my names, and I think employers, payers, providers and even pharma are more selective and more discerning on digital health companies that they partnered with.” In 2021, digital health startups raised $29.1 billion, blowing past all previous funding records, according to a report from Rock Health . Almost two dozen digital health companies went public through an initial public offering or special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, that year, up from the previous record of eight in 2020. Money was pouring into themes that played into remote work and remote health as investors looked for growth with interest rates stuck near zero. But as the worst waves of the pandemic subsided, so did the insatiable demand for new digital health tools. It’s been a rude awakening for the sector. “What we’re still going through is an understanding of the best ways to address digital health needs and capabilities, and the push and pull of the current business models and how successful they may be,” Michael Cherny , an analyst at Leerink Partners, told CNBC. “We’re in a settling out period post Covid.” Progyny , which offers benefits solutions for fertility and family planning, is down more than 60% year to date. Teladoc Health , which once dominated the virtual-care space, has dropped 58% and is 96% off its 2021 high. When Teladoc acquired Livongo in 2020, the companies had a combined enterprise value of $37 billion . Teladoc’s market cap now sits at under $1.6 billion. GoodRx , which offers price transparency tools for medications, is down 33% year to date. Schoenhaus says many companies’ estimates were too high this year. Progyny cut its full-year revenue guidance in every earnings report in 2024. In February, Progyny was predicting $1.29 billion to $1.32 billion in annual revenue. By November, the range was down to $1.14 billion to $1.15 billion. GoodRx also repeatedly slashed its full-year guidance for 2024. What was $800 million to $810 million in May shrank to $794 million by the November . In Teladoc’s first-quarter report , the company said it expected full-year revenue of $2.64 billion to $2.74 billion. The company withdrew its outlook in its second quarter, and reported consecutive year-over year declines. “This has been a year of coming to terms with the growth outlook for many of my companies, and so I think we can finally look at 2025 as maybe a better year in terms of the setups,” Schoenhaus said. While overzealous forecasting tells part of the digital health story this year, there were some notable stumbles at particular companies. Dexcom , which makes devices for diabetes and glucose management, is down more than 35% year to date. The stock tumbled more than 40% in July — its steepest decline ever — after the company reported disappointing second-quarter results and issued weak full-year guidance. CEO Kevin Sayer attributed the challenges to a restructuring of the sales team, fewer new customers than expected and lower revenue per user. Following the report, JPMorgan Chase analysts marveled at “the magnitude of the downside” and the fact that it “appears to mostly be self-inflicted.” Genetic testing company 23andMe had a particularly rough year. The company went public via a SPAC in 2021, valuing the business at $3.5 billion, after its at-home DNA testing kits skyrocketed in popularity. The company is now worth less than $100 million and CEO Anne Wojcicki is trying to keep it afloat. In September, all seven independent directors resigned from 23andMe’s board, citing disagreements with Wojcicki about the “strategic direction for the company.” Two months later, 23andMe said it planned to cut 40% of its workforce and shutter its therapeutics business as part of a restructuring plan. Wojcicki has repeatedly said she intends to take 23andMe private. The stock is down more than 80% year to date. Digital health's bright spots Investors in Hims & Hers had a much better year. Shares of the direct-to-consumer marketplace are up more than 200% year to date, pushing the company’s market cap to $6 billion, thanks to soaring demand for GLP-1s. Hims & Hers began prescribing compounded semaglutide through its platform in May after launching a new weight loss program late last year. Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk ’s blockbuster medications Ozempic and Wegovy, which can cost around $1,000 a month without insurance. Compounded semaglutide is a cheaper, custom-made alternative to the brand drugs and can be produced when the brand-name treatments are in shortage . Hims & Hers will likely have to contend with dynamic supply and regulatory environments next year, but even before adding compounded GLP-1s to its portfolio, the company said in its February earnings call that it expects its weight loss program to bring in more than $100 million in revenue by the end of 2025. Doximity , a digital platform for medical professionals, also had a strong 2024, with its stock price more than doubling. The company’s platform, which for years has been likened to a LinkedIn for doctors , allows clinicians to stay current on medical news, manage paperwork, find referrals and carry out telehealth appointments with patients. Doximity primarily generates revenue through its hiring solutions, telehealth tools and marketing offerings for clients like pharmaceutical companies. Leerink’s Cherny said Doximity’s success can be attributed to its lean operating model, as well as the “differentiated mousetrap” it’s created because of its reach into the physician network. “DOCS is a rare company in healthcare IT as it is already profitable, generates strong incremental margins, and is a steady grower,” Leerink analysts, including Cherny, wrote in a November note. The firm raised its price target on the stock to $60 from $35. Another standout this year was Oscar Health , the tech-enabled insurance company co-founded by Thrive Capital Management’s Joshua Kushner. Its shares are up nearly 50% year to date. The company supports roughly 1.65 million members and plans to expand to around 4 million by 2027. Oscar showed strong revenue growth in its third-quarter report in November. Sales climbed 68% from a year earlier to $2.4 billion. Additionally, two digital health companies, Waystar and Tempus AI , took the leap and went public in 2024. The IPO market has been largely dormant since late 2021, when soaring inflation and rising interest rates pushed investors out of risk. Few technology companies have gone public since then, and no digital health companies held IPOs in 2023, according to a report from Rock Health. Waystar, a health-care payment software vendor, has seen its stock jump to $36.93 from its IPO price of $21.50 in June. Tempus, a precision medicine company, hasn’t fared as well. It’s stock has slipped to $34.91 from its IPO price of $37 , also in June. “Hopefully, the valuations are more supportive of opportunities for other companies that have been lingering in the background as private companies for the last several years.” Schoenhaus said. Out with the old Several digital health companies exited the public markets entirely this year. Cue Health , which made Covid tests and counted Google as an early customer , and Better Therapeutics, which used digital therapeutics to treat cardiometabolic conditions, both shuttered operations and delisted from the Nasdaq. Revenue cycle management company R1 RCM was acquired by TowerBrook Capital Partners and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in an $8.9 billion deal. Similarly, Altaris bought Sharecare , which runs a virtual health platform, for roughly $540 million. Commure, a private company that offers tools for simplifying clinicians’ workflows, acquired medical AI scribing company Augmedix for about $139 million. “There was a lot of competition that entered the marketplace during the pandemic years, and we’ve seen some of that being flushed out of the markets, which is a good thing,” Schoenhaus said. Cherny said the sector is adjusting to a post-pandemic period, and digital health companies are figuring out their role. “We’re still cycling through what could be almost termed digital health 1.1 business models,” he said. “It’s great to say we do things digitally, but it only matters if it has some approach toward impacting the ‘triple aim’ of health care: better care, more convenient, lower cost.”
On verge of 500 career wins, Jay Flanagan’s success ‘goes far beyond the victories’Delaware judge rejects Musk's $56 billion Tesla pay - againHeavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights
EXCLUSIVE Inside chilling case of 'The Man of Many Faces' as victim breaks her silence with six haunting words READ MORE: U.S. Fugitive Nicholas Rossi appears in court on rape charges By RUTH BASHINSKY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 16:52 EST, 13 December 2024 | Updated: 16:52 EST, 13 December 2024 e-mail 11 shares View comments A woman who was sexually abused by a notorious fugitive who allegedly faked his own death has broken her silence. Nicholas Rossi, 37, who also known as Nicholas Alahverdian , which is his legal surname, and an 'alias' Arthur Knight, is facing two rape charges dating back to 2008. Now another woman Mary Grebinski, 36, has spoken out about how Rossi sexually abused her when she was a college student in Ohio in 2008. In her first-ever television interview, which is scheduled to air at 9pm tonight on NBC Dateline special 'The Man of Many Faces', she told reporter Andrea Canning six haunting words: 'I should have been the last one'. In exclusive clip shared with DailyMail.com, Grebrinski became emotional as she continued: 'There shouldn't have been Utah women - it should have ended with me'. Rossi allegedly fled to Scotland to avoid rape charges and faked his own death. He was extradited back to the US following a lengthy process in early 2022. He is accused of raping a 21-year-old woman and his 26-year-old ex-girlfriend in Utah. He also faces charges of sexual assault in Rhode Island , Ohio and Massachusetts . He pleaded not guilty to the two rape charges in October 2024. Mary Grebinski, 34, was sexually abused by Rossi in 2008. She told reporter Andrea Canning during the Dateline NBC segment that airs Friday: 'I should have been the last one' Nicholas Rossi pictured after his extradition hearing in Scotland. Scottish minister signed an extradition order to enable him to be extradited to the United States In the Dateline segment, Grebinski is pictured standing outside the Scott M. Matheson courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah , ready to see her attacker face the judge. She told Canning: 'He's in custody. I've waited for years to see him in custody... so it is very sweet for me.' Grebinski was 19 when she met Rossi on MySpace in 2008. The two exchanged text messages while both attending Sinclair College in Ohio . Though she had never met Rossi in-person, he approached her on campus and insisted on walking her to class. She said he then forced himself on her in a vacant stairwell. Shaken, Grebinski immediately filed a report with campus police. When Rossi was interviewed about the assault, he made it seem as if she had initiated it. She later told Dayton Daily News that Rossi pushed her up against a wall, started kissing her, groped her, exposed his genitals and then sexually pleasured himself. A year later he was found guilty and convicted of sexual imposition, public indecency, and required to register as a sex offender. The evidence gathered in Grebinski's case helped prosecutors investigate other reports, including the alleged rape that took place in Utah in September 2008. Rossi filed two civil suits against Grebinski in 2009 and 2013 for slander and defamation that he claimed caused him 'humiliation and emotional stress. He lost. Nicholas Rossi, aka 'the man of many faces', pictured in a mugshot Rossi is pictured departing Edinburgh Sheriff Court after his extradition hearing in July 2023 in Edinburgh, Scotland Another mugshot of Rossi from the Pawtuck Police Department Rossi pictured with his wife that he wed while in the UK Once Rossi was back in the US, he attended a series of court hearings and once asked to be addressed as Arthur Knight. He was wheelchair bound and donned an oxygen mask for the proceedings. Rossi testified that he discovered there were credible threats against his life in 2020 that prompted him to move overseas, the Associated Press reported. He claimed the threats were related to his work to reform the Rhode Island’s Department of Children, Youth and Families. During the testimony, he alleged that he suffered abuse and negligence in the Department of Children Youth and Families, Rhode Island's social service system, when he was a child in foster care. Last October, a judge ruled that prosecutors had presented adequate evidence for him to be tried for first-degree rape, days after another Utah judge came to the same conclusion for the second rape charge. He is currently being held in a Utah prison with his bail set at $250,000. His attorney asked for a lower bond because his client was unable to pay it but Utah County prosecutors maintained that he was a flight risk, ksl.com reported. Grebinski speaking with Dateline NBC Andrea Canning outside Salt Lake City Utah courthouse Grebinski was one of the victims to come forward in the case of Nicholas Rossi Sinclair College in Ohio is where Rossi met Grebinski Read More American fugitive Nicholas Rossi to face no further action over claims of sex attack in the UK Rossi, who has been dubbed 'the man of many faces ', is accused of carrying out a wild scheme to take on a new identity while a worldwide manhunt was underway. He allegedly claimed he had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, before an obituary ran two months later. He then ended up in the UK under the alias Arthur Brown. Once there, he reportedly professed he was an Irish orphan and spoke in a faux British accent. He also adopted different looks. At times he appeared clean-shaven and boyish. At others he had a bead, glasses and dark cloak and hat. On other occasions he has appeared in a wheelchair with an oxygen mask. In July, Peacock produced a docuseries on the imposter titled: 'Rossi: A Fugitive Faking Death.' Rossi who allegedly used up to sixteen different names, was described as a 'master of disguise, and deception,' by a reporter in docuseries, as per Oxygen. During his time in the UK, Rossi met a woman by the name of Miranda Knight who would later become his wife. He took her surname, calling himself Arthur Knight. In 2021, the couple moved to Glasgow. When Rossi contracted Covid he was hospitalized at the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. While there, his distinctive tattoos and fingerprints matched the American man being hunted by police - but was reported dead. Alleged rapist Nicholas Rossi was wheeled into court in Utah where he was ordered to stand trial for a 2008 rape charge in Utah Rossi told the authorities he was a UK citizen and that his name was Arthur Knight. He c laimed he had never been to the United States and that it was a case of mistaken identity. He said in court that he did not know how he got his tattoos and did not have them when he went into a COVID coma. He also claimed someone was trying to frame him, as per Datyon Daily News. Later he was described as 'dishonest and deceitful as he is evasive and manipulative,' the BBC reported. The Dateline NBC segment also features exclusive interviews with Prosecutor David O. Leavitt, Michael Alahverdian and State Police Detective Conor O’Donnell. Share or comment on this article: Inside chilling case of 'The Man of Many Faces' as victim breaks her silence with six haunting words e-mail 11 shares Add comment
Sportscaster Greg Gumbel dead from cancer at 78
By JILL COLVIN NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time. In a post on his social media site Friday, Trump said his party would try to end the practice when he returns to office. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,” he wrote. Setting clocks forward one hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall is intended to maximize daylight during summer months, but has long been subject to scrutiny. Daylight saving time was first adopted as a wartime measure in 1942. Lawmakers have occasionally proposed getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act , had proposed making daylight saving time permanent. The measure was sponsored by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , whom Trump has tapped to helm the State Department. Related Articles National Politics | Trump’s lawyers rebuff DA’s idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it ‘absurd’ National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg National Politics | Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump’s suite at football game “Changing the clock twice a year is outdated and unnecessary,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said as the Senate voted in favor of the measure. Health experts have said that lawmakers have it backward and that standard time should be made permanent. Some health groups , including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said that it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do, the date that clocks are changed varies, creating a complicated tapestry of changing time differences. Arizona and Hawaii don’t change their clocks at all.NoneDonald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the YearEmmanuel Kufre from Nigeria awarded $15,000 in BTC Nairobi, Kenya [11th December 2024] – Block, Inc, the global technology company with a focus on financial services, today announced the winners of the highly anticipated TBD Hackathon, a competition designed to foster innovation, creativity, and technological advancements in payments across Africa. The grand prize winner, Emmanuel Kufre, built Blink – a decentralized wallet application that acts as a payment processor for freelancers. The event, held in collaboration with the Africa Bitcoin Conference, challenged developers to create novel payment solutions leveraging tbDEX, TBD’s open-source money protocol. “The level of creativity and technical expertise showcased during the TBD Hackathon has been truly inspiring,” said Angie Jones, Global VP of Developer Relations at Block. “There is so much incredible talent and innovation taking place all over the continent, and the winning teams are truly representative of the future of financial solutions across Africa. They have all demonstrated a deep understanding of the challenges facing a pan-African payment system, and have developed solutions that have the potential to transform the way people transact. We look forward to seeing how these exceptional developers continue to drive innovation in payments and in technology overall.” Participants in the hackathon tackled crucial challenges, including limited access to banking, high transaction fees, and inefficient cross-border payments. Each team, made up of 1-2 developers, used the tbDEX SDK to build their payment applications within a sandbox environment. Blink consisting of Emmanuel Kufre from Nigeria took the top prize of $15,000 in BTC with their innovative solution, a decentralized payment processor that allows freelancers to accept global payments for their services. Their project impressed the judges with its focus on the $28B African gig economy market. Blink is currently in beta testing within 5 countries. Farida Bemba Nabourema, Convener of the Africa Bitcoin Conference, also stated, “The Africa Bitcoin Conference is committed to building a thriving Bitcoin ecosystem in Africa, and we are thrilled to have served as a platform for the TBD Hackathon. This event has showcased the immense talent and creativity within our community and the innovative solutions presented have the potential to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our continent, such as financial inclusion, cross-border payments, and transparency.” tbDEX Go consisting of Andrew Glago and Eloke Ikiliagwu and Igbigi consisting of Achego Tamunobelema and Fabari Agbora also delivered impressive projects. tbDEX Go connects Africa with a local payment solution for travelers and tourists, while Igbigi impressed with its payment application that enables users to instantly make app-to-bank and app-to-app money transfers while preserving privacy. Both teams received $10,000 and $5,000 in BTC, respectively. Judges of the hackathon included Aaron Suplizio, Tech Partnerships, TBD; Adewale Abati, Staff Developer Advocate, TBD; Angie Jones, Head of Developer Relations, TBD; Ari Coleman, Product Manager, TBD; Chris Maurice, CEO, Yellow Card; Ebony Louis, Developer Advocate, TBD; Kirah Sapong, Senior Software Engineer, Square; Rizèl Scarlett, Staff Developer Advocate, TBD; Tania Chakraborty, Senior Technical Community Manager, TBD; Tony Tom, Head of Product, TBD; and Will Wilkinson, Head of Policy, TBD. Through this hackathon and initiative, Block reaffirms its commitment to open-source technologies and the developer community. Although the TBD business has now been wound down, its decentralized identity work lives on with the Decentralized Identity Foundation. To find out more or contribute to Block’s ongoing open source efforts, visit Block’s Open Source GitHub organization. –– ENDS –– About Block Block, Inc. (NYSE: SQ) (formerly, Square, Inc.) is a global technology company with a focus on financial services. Made up of Square, Cash App, TIDAL, and TBD, we build tools to help more people access the economy. Square makes commerce and financial services easy and accessible for sellers with its integrated ecosystem of technology solutions. With Cash App, anyone can easily send, spend, or invest their money in stocks or bitcoin. Afterpay brings Square and Cash App together, connecting consumers and businesses. Artists use TIDAL to help them succeed as entrepreneurs and connect more deeply with fans. About the Africa Bitcoin Conference The Africa Bitcoin Conference (ABC) is the continent’s leading event focused on Bitcoin adoption. ABC brings together experts, enthusiasts, and innovators to explore the potential of Bitcoin in driving economic growth and development across Africa. The conference serves as a platform for networking, learning, and collaboration, fostering a vibrant community of blockchain advocates.
Ministers will not set an arbitrary cap on the number of civil servants amid reports more than 10,000 jobs could be lost as the result of a spending squeeze. Sir Keir Starmer has been warned by a trade union not to impose “blunt headcount targets” for the size of the Civil Service but Government sources insisted there would be no set limit, although the number “cannot keep growing”. Departments have been ordered to find 5% “efficiency savings” as part of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spending review, potentially putting jobs at risk. The size of the Civil Service has increased from a low of around 384,000 in mid-2016, and the Tories went into the general election promising to reduce numbers by 70,000 to fund extra defence spending. Any reduction under Labour would be more modest, with the Guardian reporting more than 10,000 jobs could be lost. A Government spokesman said: “Under our plan for change, we are making sure every part of government is delivering on working people’s priorities — delivering growth, putting more money in people’s pockets, getting the NHS back on its feet, rebuilding Britain and securing our borders in a decade of national renewal. “We are committed to making the Civil Service more efficient and effective, with bold measures to improve skills and harness new technologies.” Mike Clancy, general secretary of the Prospect trade union said: “We need a clear plan for the future of the civil service that goes beyond the blunt headcount targets that have failed in the past. “This plan needs to be developed in partnership with civil servants and their unions, and we look forward to deeper engagement with the government in the coming months.” A Government source said: “The number of civil servants cannot keep growing. “But we will not set an arbitrary cap. “The last government tried that and ended up spending loads on more expensive consultants.” The Government is already risking a confrontation with unions over proposals to limit pay rises for more than a million public servants to 2.8%, a figure only just over the projected 2.6% rate of inflation next year. Unions representing teachers, doctors and nurses have condemned the proposals. In the face of the union backlash, Downing Street said the public sector must improve productivity to justify real-terms pay increases. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It’s vital that pay awards are fair for both taxpayers and workers.” Asked whether higher pay settlements to staff would mean departmental cuts elsewhere, the spokesman said: “Real-terms pay increases must be matched by productivity gains and departments will only be able to fund pay awards above inflation over the medium-term if they become more productive and workforces become more productive.” TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “It’s hard to see how you address the crisis in our services without meaningful pay rises. “And it’s hard to see how services cut to the bone by 14 years of Tory government will find significant cash savings. “The Government must now engage unions and the millions of public sector workers we represent in a serious conversation about public service reform and delivery.”GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Stacy Paul, the CEO of Grand Rapids-based Array of Engineers, has been appointed to the board of Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes , an organization that focuses on education, entrepreneurship and financial literacy for K-12 students. Paul has worked in the defense and aerospace industry since 2000, including the manned space program, commercial aircraft projects, and “planetary exploration programs” and “technical defense platforms,” according to a release. “Having someone of Stacy’s caliber in the STEM space that can offer insight on impacting students and their career paths is critical to our organization,” said Bill Coderre, the president and CEO of Junior Achievement. The Junior Achievement board has 34 members. The organization offers a host of programming for K-12 students centered around workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. That includes afterschool programming, classroom instruction, and virtual instruction, the group’s website says. Paul graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1999 with a degree in Aerospace, according to a release. Later, she worked for she worked for the United Space Alliance in Houston, Texas on the space shuttle and space station program for NASA. She moved back to Michigan in 2005, serving as an engineer and aerospace consultant until 2018, when she became CEO of Array of Engineers, her LinkedIn page shows. In addition to her work at Array of Engineers, Paul is a board member of the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan (AIAM), AIAM Foundation Chair, and STEM Greenhouse board member, a release says. She also chairs a technology advisory committee at The Right Place, a Grand Rapids-based economic development group.By JILL COLVIN NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time. In a post on his social media site Friday, Trump said his party would try to end the practice when he returns to office. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,” he wrote. Setting clocks forward one hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall is intended to maximize daylight during summer months, but has long been subject to scrutiny. Daylight saving time was first adopted as a wartime measure in 1942. Lawmakers have occasionally proposed getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act , had proposed making daylight saving time permanent. The measure was sponsored by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , whom Trump has tapped to helm the State Department. Related Articles National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg National Politics | Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump’s suite at football game National Politics | About 3 in 10 are highly confident in Trump on Cabinet, spending or military oversight: AP-NORC poll “Changing the clock twice a year is outdated and unnecessary,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said as the Senate voted in favor of the measure. Health experts have said that lawmakers have it backward and that standard time should be made permanent. Some health groups , including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said that it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do, the date that clocks are changed varies, creating a complicated tapestry of changing time differences. Arizona and Hawaii don’t change their clocks at all.A new year is only a few days away, and do you realize what that means? There’s still time for Chicago’s professional sports teams to kick yet another coach to the curb before 2024 is in the books. It probably won’t happen. Then again, this is a year whose final seconds one could spend counting down all the coaches and managers fired or otherwise replaced before the city lights up the downtown sky with fireworks over the river. “Ten ... nine ... Grifol ... Weatherspoon ... Eberflus ...” You get the idea. Indeed, Chicago sports dropped the ball like never before in 2024. Our teams partied like it was 1999 — probably the worst previous year on record — when, for the most part, they ranged in quality from terrible to, “Man, don’t you wish these guys were merely terrible?” But helmsmen such as the Bears’ Dick Jauron, the Bulls’ Tim Floyd and the White Sox’ Jerry Manuel were still in the early going, so at least pink slips didn’t drive the news cycle. Cheating just a little, we can flip the 2024 calendar back to October of 2023, when, after a last-place finish, the Red Stars fired Chris Petrucelli, who would be replaced by Lorne Donaldson. Of greater note, in November, the Cubs fired David Ross — “He’s our guy,” chairman Tom Ricketts had said at season’s end — and replaced him with Craig Counsell, enticing Counsell with a record-setting $8 million-a-year contract. In June of this year, the Wolves hired Cam Abbott to replace Bob Nardella, who six months earlier had been suspended by the AHL for using a homophobic slur during a game, a charge Nardella denied. Nardella, a former championship player with the Wolves, no longer is with the organization. When baseball’s All-Star break arrived in July, the city had two last-place teams on its hands. The Sox were 27-71 — a major-league record for losses at the break — on the way to a record 121 for the season. The Cubs had followed a promising 24-17 start with an excruciating 15-31 stretch and reached the break 81⁄2 games behind the first-place Brewers, Counsell’s former team, in no discernible way, shape or form any better off than they’d been with Ross. By the time Grifol was relieved of his duties in August, his overall Sox winning percentage at an almost unfathomable .319, GM Chris Getz characterized things as “broken.” In firing Grifol, Getz cited “underperformance, some misalignments along the way, some different belief systems,” and those were some of the nicer things being said at the time about the beleaguered skipper. Counsell’s first Cubs team failed to make the playoffs and finished in third place, 10 games back. After the Brewers clinched, Counsell lamented the “big gap” between the teams and called it “daunting” — an urgent message to management, no doubt, but also a bitter concession speech. At least he’s far closer to winning than the Bulls’ Billy Donovan is. In his fifth season, which is heading nowhere, Donovan has one winning record and one playoff series to show for his time here. But he’s still clocking into work every day, which is saying something. In September, the Sky fired Teresa Weatherspoon, who hadn’t lasted a full calendar year in her first WNBA head-coaching post. Angel Reese, the rookie star to whom Weatherspoon had perhaps catered too much, posted on social media, “I’m heartbroken. I’m literally lost for words knowing what this woman means to me at such a pivotal point in my life.” They were lovely words, though little about the 13-27 Sky had been lovable. The Fire’s coaching turnstile never stops spinning. In October, they hired Gregg Berhalter, a fitting appointment given he’d been fired a few months before as coach of the U.S. men’s national team. That meant another passing of the whistle from Frank Klopas, who multiple times has stepped in on an interim basis. The Fire, who wouldn’t recognize success if it kissed them on the mouth, have had two first-round playoff appearances in 15 years. But now we’re into November, and that means — who else? — the coach who stood dumbfounded like a deer in headlights with a timeout in its back pocket as the clock melted to zeros in a humiliating Thanksgiving fiasco at Detroit. No, a pocketed deer makes no sense at all, but neither did Matt Eberflus during his run with the Bears, which ended at 14-32. “I like what we did there,” Eberflus said of the final Bears drive on his watch, unwittingly uttering an absolutely perfect epitaph. Ah, well, Eberflus and Grifol are free to make the world’s worst buddy movie together now. Not to miss its chance, December brought the firing of the Blackhawks’ Luke Richardson. The team’s record at the time — 8-16-2 — was almost exactly on par with Richardson’s full Hawks record of 57-118-15, one of the NHL’s worst of all time. Richardson never had much of a roster with which to work, but he failed to get young superstar Connor Bedard going and juggled lines worse than a bad improv comic. “The results did not match our expectations for a higher level of execution this season,” GM Kyle Davidson said. But the results sure fit the city’s year in sports. Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi might as well have been speaking for all of us when he said of the team’s historic loss No. 120, “Same as every other loss — they all suck.” The year is ending, and none too soon. Even if it’s too late to use the one in our collective back pocket, we all deserve a timeout.
