LINCOLN — Whether there are torrential downpours, devastating winds from a tornado or bone-chilling temperatures with piles of snow, the National Weather Service is there to ensure that residents are prepared and protected. "We are primarily here for hazardous weather information," said Ed Shimon, warning coordination meteorologist at the NWS' Central Illinois Weather Forecast Office in Lincoln. "When the weather turns hazardous, where people can be affected in their travel, their daily lives, possibly even loss of life and injury, we want to make sure that that information is disseminated as quickly as possible." The NWS' Lincoln office, located just off Illinois Route 10 next to the Logan County Airport, has been operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, since opening there in 1995. Ed Shimon, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Central Illinois Weather Forecast Office in Lincoln, looks at data from an advanced weather information processing system. Shimon, who has been at the Lincoln site since April 2005, said the office replaced existing locations in Springfield and Peoria and now comprises 23 staff members, including meteorologists, electric technicians and other support specialists. Lincoln's Doppler radar sits just outside the office, on top of a 100-foot-high platform and covered by a fiberglass bubble. It runs 24 hours a day and is programmed with specific scan strategies that allow for quick updates during severe weather, and a slower scan during calmer weather, Shimon said. The radar is one of 158 across the United States, Guam and Puerto Rico. Illinois' other radar is in Chicago; other nearby radars are in St. Louis; Davenport, Iowa; Paducah, Kentucky; and Indianapolis and Evansville, Indiana. The National Weather Service's Central Illinois Weather Forecast Office is just off Illinois Route 10 next to the Logan County Airport in Lincoln. Lincoln's radar also been upgraded with dual polarization, which allows for three-dimensional visualizations of storm systems and objects that might be within them, like hail stones or debris that's been lofted into the air, Shimon said. Doppler radar data is compiled into a processing system where meteorologists can view computer models, satellite information, weather observations and more, Shimon said. The Doppler radar at the National Weather Service's Central Illinois Weather Forecast Office in Lincoln sits on top of a 100-foot-high platform and is covered by a fiberglass bubble. Meteorologists also can sample the atmospheric air remotely via weather balloons launched twice a day, at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. Instruments attached to the balloons measure temperature and relative humidity, with the data being input to computer forecast models, Shimon explained. "We're dedicated to making sure we utilize all the technology we can, and we train up on how to do that and leverage the models and the number of models that we have available, in what we call ensembling," Shimon said. "We're really focused into the future — if the weather is kind of in a lull, we're always looking for the next big storm." This winter, the office is expecting a high variability of temperature swings, with La Niña playing into the jet stream patterns and causing more moisture and warmer weather. Still, they do expect one or two highly impactful winter storms in the coming months, Shimon said. James Auten, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Central Illinois Weather Forecast Office in Lincoln, has been at the office since it opened in 1995. He is seen in this photo reviewing data on an advanced weather information processing system. Meteorologist James Auten, who has worked at the Lincoln office since it opened in 1995, said he has seen the NWS' impact on public safety when they put out severe thunderstorm warnings and tornado warnings, which are more frequent in the summertime. He said one misconception the public has of the NWS is that they work at television stations. However, he explained, the NWS is actually part of the United States government and is one government agency that is regarded highly from all sides of the political spectrum. "That's our job, putting out that information and keeping the public safe," Auten said. "When you find a job that you love, then you're not really working. ... There's been some rough times and some hard times, but we're still doing it to keep the public safe." Twenty-three employees work at the National Weather Service's Central Illinois Weather Forecast Office in Lincoln. Meteorologist Daryl Onton, who has worked at the Lincoln office since 2014, encourages the public to keep an eye on the NWS' website and social media, including the " US National Weather Service Central Illinois" page on Facebook , where they keep people updated on what is happening and what they can expect in the days to come. "The most important factor in the National Weather Service is protection of life and property, so we urge people to always stay safe out in the weather whenever possible," Onton said. "Just keep an eye on severe weather, severe winds, severe thunderstorms, severe flash flooding, severe winter storms, and make sure to heed some of those slogans we have, like, 'When thunder roars, go indoors,' and 'Turn around, don't drown.'" Meteorologist and science officer Andrew Taylor, who has been at the Lincoln office for over three years, said he loves learning about new technology and sharing it with his colleagues, making sure they can use all the tools necessary to do their jobs, and in some instances, make their jobs easier. Taylor said another aspect of the job is how the NWS interacts with partners at the local level, including municipalities, counties and state departments. It's important to make sure they all are receiving the most up-to-date information to keep people safe. The National Weather Service's Central Illinois Weather Forecast is just off Illinois Route 10 next to the Logan County Airport in Lincoln. The office has been operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, since opening there in 1995. "Something that I wasn't looking as much into when I was going into the weather service was the people aspect of the job, and I'd say that over time I've become just as interested in that as anything else," Taylor said. "The National Weather Service is a trusted source for information — our meteorologists live in the local area, and they interact with our partners in the communities." Christopher Hogan, a student volunteer and graduate student studying geographic information science at Western Illinois University, said since starting at the NWS in late July, he's been able to shadow everyone at the office, which has helped him gain a better understanding and hands-on experience with meteorology. Hogan said his master's thesis will focus on the distance of storm events like tornadoes, and if there is a correlation between the distance and timing of supercell tornados. He is working in collaboration with scientist and storm chaser Cameron Nixon's research, which looked at storm interactions and the correlation between where they are positioned. Nixon is well known for his storm chasing coverage on social media and works at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma. Hogan said he is grateful for the opportunity to work at the NWS in Lincoln, and he hopes people realize that the work being done there is not as easy as just looking at a weather model for a forecast. "The models are getting much better and we rely on those, but you have to understand statistics, physical science, how to use these computers and technology," Hogan said. "If people got to experience what we do, they'd understand that it's a lot more than just looking at a model and saying that's going to happen, because you have to look at multiple different models and see which one has biases and make your own forecast from there." Visit facebook.com/NWSLincoln or weather.gov/ilx to stay updated on the National Weather Service's Central Illinois office. To learn more about tours and job shadowing opportunities, visit weather.gov/ilx/contactus Contact Mateusz Janik at (309) 820-3234. Follow Mateusz on Twitter:@mjanik99 Local Weather Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox! Government Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- NCAA president Charlie Baker and an NFLPA representative urged Congress to rein in the sports betting industry at a Senate hearing Tuesday, calling for federal legislation to combat gambling addiction and abuse of athletes . At the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Baker and NFLPA representative Johnson Bademosi, who played for Stanford and spent nine seasons in the NFL, spoke about the increasing harassment athletes face from bettors in the stands and on social media. Bademosi noted the "insidious effect" that sports betting has on the mental health of players and fans. He mentioned a Buffalo Bills player who received death threats earlier this year because he missed a field goal, as well as a Minnesota Vikings player who deleted his social media because he received so much harassment about fantasy football. "For most athletes, there is no gated community, no private security, and yet we, alone, are exposed to the threats associated with problematic gambling," he said. Editor's Picks Study: 'Angry bettors' drive NCAA athlete abuse 70d David Purdum A growing concern for college athletes? Social media abuse from gamblers 2y David Purdum Lawmakers proposing sports betting overhaul 88d John Barr Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who introduced two pieces of sports betting legislation in the Senate this year, said the U.S. is "in the midst of a sports betting boom that is one of the most severe public health problems today." He said the techniques sportsbooks use to target losing bettors and prevent winners from playing is "staggering." "[It] makes Wall Street look like child's play," he said. He asked for backing for the Supporting Affordability and Fairness with Every Bet Act, or SAFE Bet Act, which would create minimum federal standards to regulate gambling companies, including a ban on prop bets, or bets on an individual athlete's performance, and prohibiting sports betting companies from advertising during live sporting events. He also sponsored the Gambling Addiction Recovery, Investment and Treatment Act, which would create a federal tax on gambling to fund addiction treatment. Baker said that an NCAA championship team received 24/7 police protection because of a threat from a sports bettor. He urged Congress to pass legislation to eliminate prop bets on college athletes, which are currently legal in 20 states. He said student-athletes have told him hundreds of times that classmates and friends ask them to change their performance in small ways to help them win their bets. After the hearing, Baker said that while prop bets account for less than 1% of the total amount wagered on college sports, they are popular in parlays, a big revenue driver for sportsbooks. "They can get rid of it; they did with the NBA," Baker said. "I'm telling you, a lot of this stuff that gets directed at young people is all driven by prop bets." Former Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter pleaded guilty in July to altering his performance to help bettors win wagers on the under on his statistics in multiple games last season. The NBA has since asked sportsbooks not to offer bets on players on two-way contracts, such as Porter. Harry Levant, the director of gambling policy with the Public Health Advocacy Institute at Northeastern University, said that the SAFE Bet Act, which he helped write, would also address the use of AI in sports betting. He pointed to DraftKings' recent acquisition of Simplebet, a company that uses AI to create live odds, as an example of how sportsbooks can use technology to target vulnerable customers. "What Congress can deal with is which forms of these bets should actually be permitted and which are simply too dangerous from a public health perspective," he said. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) raised concerns about match-fixing, especially as the U.S. prepares to host the World Cup in 2026 and the Summer Olympics in 2028. The American Gaming Association, which represents the casino industry in the U.S., told ESPN it was not invited to testify at the hearing. "Today's hearing notably lacked an industry witness," said Joe Maloney, the AGA's senior vice president of strategic communications. "This unfortunate exclusion leaves the Committee and the overall proceeding bereft of testimony on how legal gaming protects consumers from the predatory illegal market and its leadership in promoting responsible gaming and safeguarding integrity." Baker faced intense questioning from Senators John Kennedy (R-La.) and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) about why the NCAA allows transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. Baker cited several federal court cases allowing transgender athletes to participate. He also said that out of 510,000 college athletes, he knew of fewer than 10 who are transgender. In his closing statement, Senate Judiciary Committee chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), said that Congress would continue to consider the issue of sports betting. "This is not the end of this discussion, but only the beginning, and as we see many aspects to this whole issue in terms of the future of sports, treatment of athletes, colleges and basically [the] gaming industry nationwide."TikTok ’s future in the United States is in serious jeopardy, and Donald Trump may be the only person who can save it. The president-elect told reporters at Mar-a-Lago on Monday that he would “take a look” at the situation surrounding the platform’s future, before meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew a few hours later. It’s unclear what Trump could or would do to stop the law that will ban TikTok in the U.S. if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance , doesn’t sell it. The law is currently slated to go into effect Jan. 19, one day before Trump takes office. President Joe Biden signed the legislation in April, citing national security concerns related to China ’s control over the data of the estimated 170 million Americans who use the platform. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this month upheld the law in the face of challenges from TikTok and a group of creators on the platform. On Friday, lawmakers told Apple and Google that they need to be ready to remove the platform from their app stores on Jan. 19. Americans will still be able to use TikTok if and when this happens, but as the Justice Department put it in a filing last week, the move would ultimately “render the application unworkable.” TikTok’s options for staving off a ban are dwindling. The platform on Monday made an emergency request to the Supreme Court, asking it to delay the ban while reiterating its argument that the ban violates the First Amendment. TikTok noted that if the law goes into effect as scheduled it “will shutter one of America’s most popular speech platforms the day before a presidential inauguration.” TikTok asked the Supreme Court to act by Jan. 6. The Supreme Court could be interested in the case given its unique and high-profile nature, but legal experts are skeptical the justices would overturn the D.C. Circuit’s unanimous decision to uphold the ban. TikTok’s emergency appeal to the nation’s highest court comes a week after the platform asked the D.C. Circuit Court to block the ban from taking effect, arguing Trump should have a chance to save the platform once he takes office. Editor’s picks The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time Trump’s position has been a little hard to pin down. He pushed for a ban while he was in office, but seemed to cozy up to the app this year. He said during the campaign that he opposed the ban and promised to save the app — but he didn’t seem as enthusiastic during an interview with Meet the Press earlier this month. “If you do do that, something else is going to come along and take its place — and maybe that’s not fair,” he said when asked about the D.C. Circuit Court’s decision to uphold the ban. He only offered that he’s “going to try and make it so that other companies don’t become an even bigger monopoly” when pressed about whether he would take action to save the app. Trump was pressed about what he’ll do to prevent the ban from taking effect again while speaking with reporters at Mar-a-Lago on Monday. “We’ll take a look at TikTok,” he said, adding that he has a “warm spot” in his heart for the platform because of how he outperformed expectations with young people in November. Trump’s promise to save TikTok may have been campaign bluster, but The Washington Post reported after he won in November that his advisers do indeed expect him to intervene. It may not be easy, as halting bipartisan legislation intended to crack down on Chinese influence wouldn’t be a great look. ByteDance could also sell TikTok to a U.S. entity, and Trump could potentially help facilitate such a transaction, but this route also presents complications. ByteDance has already said they aren’t going to sell , and companies like Google or a Meta would likely run into antitrust trouble if they were to acquire the platform. So, what’s left? Related Content Possible Trump FEMA Pick Made Millions After Florida Disaster-Response Gig The Battle Against Trump 2.0 Begins in the States Trump Sues Iowa Newspaper Over Poll That Had Harris Winning State Trump’s Felony Conviction Stands, Judge Rules Frank McCourt , the billionaire former owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, believes ByteDance selling TikTok to him is the most viable way the platform can continue to exist in the United States. “Like President-elect Trump and like the creators, we don’t want to see this ban,” he recently told Rolling Stone . “We think this could be an awesome platform, and be a catalyst for a new, upgraded internet.” McCourt believes he and his team are the “frontrunners” to acquire the app. ByteDance says it doesn’t want to sell, but McCourt thinks he may be able to pry it from them given that he’s not interested in TikTok’s algorithm. “We don’t want the algorithm,” he says plainly, adding that he believes the $20 billion he says he’s raised should be enough to bring TikTok, sans algorithm, and its user base into American hands. McCourt isn’t interested in the algorithm in part because he has aspirations for the platform that go far beyond ensuring it continues to exist in the United States. Five years ago, he launched an initiative called Project Liberty in service of fixing what he deems to be a “fundamentally broken” internet by ensuring users can control their own data. Project Liberty has since been developing the technological framework for a decentralized social networking apparatus. The missing ingredient is a sizable user base, and McCourt believes the 170 million Americans on TikTok would do just fine. TikTok users could control and even profit from their data, in McCourt’s vision, while curating and owning their online communities. “If they decide to leave TikTok and go to some other platform, they can take their relationships with them,” he explains. “That’s very powerful. That’s liberty, that’s agency, that’s being able to own something. ... We’re not talking about owning an inanimate piece of property or a thing. We’re talking about regaining ownership of ourselves.” McCourt has lofty ideas for remaking the internet to serve users rather than users serving Big Tech. He referenced Thomas Paine on two separate occasions over the course of our conversation, essentially drawing a through line from the dawn of American democracy to his endeavor to correct an “out of whack” internet. His bid to keep TikTok up and running in the U.S. is in service of these ideas, not necessarily of preserving the platform as its 170 million users have come to know it. When Rolling Stone spoke with the eight TikTok creators who sued the government over the ban earlier this year, they spoke of how integral the platform’s algorithm is to its value. It’s the secret sauce, and the platform simply wouldn’t be the same without it. “It really does boil down to the algorithm,” Chloe Joy Sexton, a creator on the lawsuit, told us. “[On TikTok] my content is going to hit people who care about it, and it’s not doing that through whatever algorithm is used by Instagram or Facebook.” McCourt isn’t worried. “There are a lot of people who really understand how to create fabulous algorithms,” he says, adding that he’d work to develop an algorithm that operates similarly to how TikTok’s algorithm does currently. McCourt’s plans for TikTok are ambitious and retaining the platform’s massive audience is anything but a given, but the entire reason he’s interested in this is to shake things up and change how users consider social media. “I think it’s naive for any of us to think that there’s not a better version of TikTok available,” he says. McCourt could be TikTok’s best hope for survival in the United States, but he also may not be. The billionaire’s conversation with Rolling Stone was part of a media tour meant to bolster his profile as a buyer, but other suitors could still emerge. ByteDance could also be committed to its vow not to sell the platform under any circumstances — which would render McCourt’s quixotic quest to use TikTok to unleash a new internet utopia moot. Trump could soon be in a position to do something about all of this, but as is always the case with the former and future president, there’s no way to predict which course he’d take. Alan Rozenshtein, an associate professor at University of Minnesota Law School who has long been skeptical of the viability of the effort to overturn the ban, theorized last month that the most likely way Trump could save the platform would be to take advantage of the degree to which the law empowers the president to determine what constitutes a “qualified divestiture.” ByteDance could “go through the motions of reshuffling some details of its ownership stake in TikTok,” as Rozenshtein puts it, which Trump could use as a basis to deem the Chinese company sufficiently divested. Why would Trump do this? Possibly because he’s not really as tough on China as he claims. Possibly to further endear himself to the young Americans he falsely claimed on Monday voted for him by 34 points. Possibly for the same reason many suspected he announced his opposition to the ban in the first place: Jeff Yass, a billionaire MAGA megadonor, has a heavy stake in ByteDance and TikTok through his investment firm Susquehanna International. Trump allowing TikTok to skirt a ban by deeming ByteDance divested after a few nominal nips and tucks could lead to outrage from the China hawks who passed the ban in the first place, and maybe even a few lawsuits. Such obstacles haven’t stopped Trump in the past, of course, and giving ByteDance his blessing may be easier than helping push a sale to a third party like McCourt over the finish line. Trending Stories Dems Choose 74-Year-Old Gerry Connolly Over AOC for Key Committee Role What the ‘I Slept With 100 Men in One Day’ Doc Gets Right About Sex Work Trump’s Felony Conviction Stands, Judge Rules Big-Band Leader Glenn Miller Vanished 80 Years Ago. His Death Started the 'Legacy' Band Trend TikTok is currently slated to be banned from app stores on Jan. 19, but Rozenshtein believes the Supreme Court will ultimately decide to stay the law and take up the case themselves. “Even if they simply reaffirm the D.C. Circuit opinion, having a Supreme Court version of that is extremely valuable for the development of the law,” he tells Rolling Stone . “Given that the Supreme Court has taken a lot of these digital First Amendment cases in the last couple of years, I think that’s a signal that they care about this body of law and they want to develop it.” If the Supreme Court takes action before Jan. 19, it would clear the floor for Trump to take action of his own, and McCourt or another interested party would have more time to try to convince China to sell them the platform. Given the uncertainties surrounding such a sale, many view the president-elect as the best hope to preserve the platform as its users know it. “Do I feel like this would be the only possible reason that I would ever agree with [Trump] being in office again?” Steven King, another TikTok creator who sued the government over the ban, said speaking with Rolling Stone last week. “If it saves my career, then, hey, he’s done something for me.”

AUSTIN, Texas , Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) today announced fiscal 2025 Q2 results. Total quarterly revenues were up 9% year-over-year, in both USD and constant currency, to $14.1 billion . Cloud services and license support revenues were up 12% year-over-year, in both USD and constant currency, to $10.8 billion . Cloud license and on-premise license revenues were up 1% in USD and up 3% in constant currency, to $1.2 billion . Q2 GAAP operating income was $4.2 billion . Non-GAAP operating income was $6.1 billion , up 10% in both USD and constant currency. GAAP operating margin was 30%, and non-GAAP operating margin was 43%. GAAP net income was $3.2 billion . Non-GAAP net income was $4.2 billion , up 12% in both USD and constant currency. Q2 GAAP earnings per share was $1.10 , up 24% in USD and up 23% in constant currency, while non-GAAP earnings per share was $1.47 , up 10% in both USD and constant currency. Short-term deferred revenues were $9.4 billion . Over the last twelve months, operating cash flow was $20.3 billion and free cash flow was $9.5 billion . "Record level AI demand drove Oracle Cloud Infrastructure revenue up 52% in Q2, a much higher growth rate than any of our hyperscale cloud infrastructure competitors," said Oracle CEO, Safra Catz . "Growth in the AI segment of our Infrastructure business was extraordinary—GPU consumption was up 336% in the quarter—and we delivered the world's largest and fastest AI SuperComputer scaling up to 65,000 NVIDIA H200 GPUs. With our remaining performance obligation (RPO) up 50% to $97 billion , we believe our already impressive growth rates will continue to climb even higher. This fiscal year, total Oracle Cloud revenue should top $25 billion ." "Oracle Cloud Infrastructure trains several of the world's most important generative AI models because we are faster and less expensive than other clouds," said Oracle Chairman and CTO, Larry Ellison . "And we just signed an agreement with Meta—for them to use Oracle's AI Cloud Infrastructure—and collaborate with Oracle on the development of AI Agents based on Meta's Llama models. The Oracle Cloud trains dozens of specialized AI models and embeds hundreds of AI Agents in cloud applications. For example, Oracle's AI Agents automate drug design, image and genomic analysis for cancer diagnostics, audio updates to electronic health records for patient care, satellite image analysis to predict and improve agricultural output, fraud and money laundering detection, dual-factor biometric computer logins, and real time video weapons detection in schools. Oracle trained AI models and AI Agents will improve the rate of scientific discovery, economic development and corporate growth throughout the world. The scale of the opportunity is unimaginable." The board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.40 per share of outstanding common stock. This dividend will be paid to stockholders of record as of the close of business on January 9, 2025 , with a payment date of January 23, 2025 . Earnings Conference Call and Webcast Oracle will hold a conference call and webcast today to discuss these results at 4:00 p.m. Central. A live and replay webcast will be available on the Oracle Investor Relations website at www.oracle.com/investor/ . About Oracle Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com . Trademarks Oracle, Java, MySQL, and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud company—ushering in the new era of cloud computing. "Safe Harbor" Statement: Statements in this press release relating to future plans, expectations, beliefs, intentions and prospects, including the expectations for converting the Remaining Performance Obligations to revenue, future total Oracle Cloud revenue this fiscal year and the scale of opportunity for Oracle trained AI models and AI Agents, are "forward-looking statements" and are subject to material risks and uncertainties. Risks and uncertainties that could affect our current expectations and our actual results, include, among others: our ability to develop new products and services, integrate acquired products and services and enhance our existing products and services, including our AI products; our management of complex cloud and hardware offerings, including the sourcing of technologies and technology components; our ability to secure data center capacity; significant coding, manufacturing or configuration errors in our offerings; risks associated with acquisitions; economic, political and market conditions; information technology system failures, privacy and data security concerns; cybersecurity breaches; unfavorable legal proceedings, government investigations, and complex and changing laws and regulations. A detailed discussion of these factors and other risks that affect our business is contained in our SEC filings, including our most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, particularly under the heading "Risk Factors." Copies of these filings are available online from the SEC or by contacting Oracle's Investor Relations Department at (650) 506-4073 or by clicking on SEC Filings on the Oracle Investor Relations website at www.oracle.com/investor/ . All information set forth in this press release is current as of December 9, 2024 . Oracle undertakes no duty to update any statement in light of new information or future events. ORACLE CORPORATION Q2 FISCAL 2025 FINANCIAL RESULTS CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS ($ in millions, except per share data) Three Months Ended November 30, % Increase % Increase (Decrease) % of % of (Decrease) in Constant 2024 Revenues 2023 Revenues in US $ Currency (1) REVENUES Cloud services and license support $ 10,806 77 % $ 9,639 74 % 12 % 12 % Cloud license and on-premise license 1,195 9 % 1,178 9 % 1 % 3 % Hardware 728 5 % 756 6 % (4 %) (3 %) Services 1,330 9 % 1,368 11 % (3 %) (3 %) Total revenues 14,059 100 % 12,941 100 % 9 % 9 % OPERATING EXPENSES Cloud services and license support 2,746 19 % 2,274 17 % 21 % 21 % Hardware 172 1 % 213 2 % (20 %) (19 %) Services 1,167 8 % 1,253 10 % (7 %) (7 %) Sales and marketing 2,190 16 % 2,093 16 % 5 % 5 % Research and development 2,471 18 % 2,226 17 % 11 % 11 % General and administrative 387 3 % 375 3 % 3 % 3 % Amortization of intangible assets 591 4 % 755 6 % (22 %) (22 %) Acquisition related and other 31 0 % 47 0 % (34 %) (33 %) Restructuring 84 1 % 83 1 % 0 % 1 % Total operating expenses 9,839 70 % 9,319 72 % 6 % 6 % OPERATING INCOME 4,220 30 % 3,622 28 % 17 % 16 % Interest expense (866) (6 %) (888) (7 %) (3 %) (3 %) Non-operating income (expenses), net 36 0 % (14) 0 % * * INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES 3,390 24 % 2,720 21 % 25 % 24 % Provision for income taxes 239 2 % 217 2 % 11 % 10 % NET INCOME $ 3,151 22 % $ 2,503 19 % 26 % 26 % EARNINGS PER SHARE: Basic $ 1.13 $ 0.91 Diluted $ 1.10 $ 0.89 WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING: Basic 2,790 2,746 Diluted 2,869 2,817 (1) We compare the percent change in the results from one period to another period using constant currency disclosure. We present constant currency information to provide a framework for assessing how our underlying businesses performed excluding the effect of foreign currency rate fluctuations. To present this information, current and comparative prior period results for entities reporting in currencies other than United States dollars are converted into United States dollars at the exchange rates in effect on May 31, 2024, which was the last day of our prior fiscal year, rather than the actual exchange rates in effect during the respective periods. Movements in international currencies relative to the United States dollar during the three months ended November 30, 2024 compared with the corresponding prior year period increased our operating income by 1 percentage point. * Not meaningful ORACLE CORPORATION Q2 FISCAL 2025 FINANCIAL RESULTS RECONCILIATION OF SELECTED GAAP MEASURES TO NON-GAAP MEASURES (1) ($ in millions, except per share data) Three Months Ended November 30, % Increase (Decrease) in US $ % Increase (Decrease) in Constant Currency (2) 2024 2024 2023 2023 GAAP Non-GAAP GAAP Non-GAAP GAAP Adj. Non-GAAP GAAP Adj. Non-GAAP TOTAL REVENUES $ 14,059 $ - $ 14,059 $ 12,941 $ - $ 12,941 9 % 9 % 9 % 9 % TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES $ 9,839 $ (1,876) $ 7,963 $ 9,319 $ (1,914) $ 7,405 6 % 8 % 6 % 8 % Stock-based compensation (3)No secrets as Bucs visit Dave Canales, Panthers for NFC South showdownNew Complaint Contends 'Vaporware' Strategy and Systematic Anti-Competitive Practices Destroyed Competition for Internet Connectivity in Business Aviation CHARLOTTE, N.C. , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartSky Networks, LLC today filed a comprehensive antitrust lawsuit against Gogo, Inc. and Gogo Business Aviation, LLC ($GOGO) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina (Case 3:24-cv-01087), alleging illegal monopolistic practices in the air-to-ground (ATG) broadband inflight connectivity market for business aviation. The lawsuit alleges multiple violations of federal antitrust laws, including the Sherman Act and Clayton Act, as well as North Carolina state tort laws and the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, claiming that Gogo engaged in predatory pricing, misleading advertising, and exclusive dealing agreements to maintain its monopoly position in the ATG market. SmartSky is pursuing this case to protect innovation as well as to seek justice for unfair business practices. The company's complaint contends that a systematic campaign of misinformation and exclusive dealing arrangements effectively blocked SmartSky's access to critical distribution channels and created insurmountable barriers to market entry, stifling the innovation and competition customers depend on. The lawsuit seeks substantial damages potentially exceeding $1 billion . The legal action aims to address the alleged harm to competition and consumers in the aviation connectivity market. This new Complaint is separate and apart from the Intellectual Property case (Case 1:22-cv-00266-JLH) SmartSky previously filed against Gogo in Delaware . The trial of that case is scheduled to begin in April, 2025. SmartSky is represented by Rik Tozzi , of Burr & Forman, LLP. About SmartSky Until ceasing business operations in August, 2024, SmartSky Networks, LLC was an aviation technology company that developed and launched an innovative air-to-ground network for business aviation, offering superior connectivity solutions through advanced telecommunications technology and infrastructure. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/smartsky-files-1b-antitrust-lawsuit-alleging-gogo-business-aviation-acted-as-an-abusive-monopolist-302334142.html SOURCE SmartSky NetworksDialog Enterprise, the corporate ICT solutions arm of Dialog Axiata PLC, in collaboration with Dell Technologies and Pinnacle Distribution Lanka, unveiled an advanced AI-driven Video Surveillance and Analytics as a Service (VSaaS) solution at the ‘Sight Beyond Sight’ event held on October 30, in Colombo. The event was attended by key industry professionals from various sectors, marking a significant leap forward in transforming physical security operations across Sri Lanka. The ‘Sight Beyond Sight’ event highlighted the integration of Dialog’s AI-powered Video Surveillance and Analytics solution, powered by Dell Technologies’ reliable infrastructure. This collaboration brings together Dialog’s ICT expertise and Dell’s robust infrastructure, creating a secure and intelligent ecosystem for businesses to enhance physical security operations and streamline efficiency. The AI-driven solution offers businesses real-time threat intelligence and proactive security management, setting a new standard for the industry. A key highlight of the event was the live Proof of Concept (POC), where attendees had the unique opportunity to experience firsthand the power of AI-driven video analytics in real time. Presenters demonstrated how the solution effectively detects threats and accelerates investigations, revolutionising how businesses approach security management. The live demonstration showcased how AI can automate workflows, optimise resources, and enhance return on investment (ROI) on Video Surveillance, empowering businesses to enhance operational efficiency while strengthening security. “Dialog Enterprise is committed to empowering businesses with innovative solutions that redefine the future of security. Our collaboration with Dell Technologies enhances the capabilities of our video surveillance and analytics systems, offering businesses a proactive approach to managing security,” said Navin Pieris, Group Chief Officer Dialog Enterprise, Dialog Axiata PLC. “The event was a landmark moment for the industry. The integration of AI-powered video surveillance and video analytics opens new doors for businesses to revolutionise their security infrastructure. We are proud to be part of this journey with Dialog and Dell Technologies,” said Saman Perera, Managing Director, Pinnacle Distribution Lanka. As businesses face increasingly complex physical security challenges, the collaboration between Dialog Enterprise and Dell Technologies is paving the way for a comprehensive, scalable solution. This AI-powered video surveillance solution ensures real-time threat detection and enhanced operational efficiency, helping businesses stay ahead in the rapidly evolving security landscape. The event demonstrated the future of security, offering businesses in Sri Lanka a glimpse into the potential of intelligent, AI-powered video surveillance and analytics.

Drexel defeats Howard 68-65It feels like it’s been Black Friday for weeks already, but the best deals on popular products are likely still to come. The official Black Friday is Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving, and some big sales begin this week. “Mid-month of November is when you start to see prices really start to pick up, and then Black Friday is when everything is going to really get discounted,” says Samantha Gordon, deals editor at Consumer Reports. According to Adobe’s 2024 U.S. Holiday Shopping Forecast, the strongest discounts of the season are expected to come between Nov. 22 (a week before Black Friday) and Dec. 2 (Cyber Monday). Amazon’s official Black Friday sale event runs Nov. 21 through Nov. 29. Best Buy’s big sale starts on Nov. 21, too, and Walmart’s event starts Nov. 25 for online shoppers and Nov. 29 for in-store shoppers. As peak-season approaches, here’s a list of the best and “worst” Black Friday deals. Look for Black Friday deals on TVs, music gear and even major appliances. These categories can help you narrow down your list. Gordon says the best day to buy a TV is on Black Friday. TVs can go for hundreds of dollars off on Black Friday. The biggest doobusters tend to be reserved for special models made specifically for Black Friday. These sale-specific models are known as derivatives and may feature cheaper components and fewer features than more expensive versions. Still, Gordon says overall quality can be comparable enough to go for it. Just make sure you know how many HDMI ports you need. If money is tight right now, Super Bowl season — end of January/early February — is the next best time to buy a TV . Do you have a budding musician in the family, or are you a gearhead yourself? Black Friday is a great time to grab deals on instruments. Guitar Center, for example, is advertising up to 50% off on a range of equipment now through Dec. 4. Popular guitar brand PRS is knocking 15% off SE series guitar models during its holiday sales event. This deal started early and goes long, running from Oct. 17 to Dec. 31. You can also look for Black Friday price drops on musical instruments at marketplace and resale site Reverb. Save more by getting a deal on something secondhand. Here’s an interesting prediction from the Adobe forecast. The deepest discounts of the season on toys and sporting goods are expected to come on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. Adobe says you can expect discounts of 27% and 20% off, respectively. Some major stores like Target and Dick’s Sporting Goods will be closed on Thanksgiving, but you can browse for deals online before or after the big meal. Headphones and earbuds are popular gadgets that make great Christmas gifts. Gordon says you can count on good deals from reputable brands like Bose, Sony and Apple on and around Black Friday. NerdWallet watched the price of popular headphones models Apple AirPods Pro and Bose QuietComfort 45 through all the major holiday sales last year. Both sets dipped to a lowest-observed price on Black Friday 2023. Gordon says vacuums, which tend to be discounted all year long, feature more worthwhile deals this time of year. “Vacuums get really good discounts around Black Friday,” she says. Consumer Reports reviews and rates top picks for vacuums. Gordon expects popular brands like Dyson, iRobot and Miele to be discounted on and around Black Friday. If you’re in the market, you can use a price-tracking site to check the price history and confirm the quality of the deal. Gordon recommends the Keepa browser extension, an Amazon price tracker that runs in the background while you shop. Honey and Capital One Shopping are other useful shopping browser extensions . Smart home devices, personal gadgets, laptops, tablets and even major appliances are all fair game on Black Friday, says Andrea Woroch, a personal finance writer and consumer savings expert. You’re probably not going to give your mom or dad a new refrigerator or dishwasher for Christmas, but you may need one for your own house. Gordon says it’s a really good time to look because there are a lot of large appliances sales this time of year and the deals tend to be slightly better than at other times of the year. Look for sales at Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s and local appliance stores. It’s difficult to give any products a hard pass on Black Friday, but here’s a hard and fast rule from Woroch: A discount of 10% to 20% probably isn’t worth it. Here are a few possible skips. Of course you’re going to find discounts on coffee makers, air fryers, toasters and stand mixers on Black Friday, but wait out the week and you may do better on Cyber Monday , which is Dec. 2 this year. NerdWallet’s price-tracking data shows prices on popular items like KitchenAid mixers, Instant Pot air fryers and Nespresso coffee makers have historically gone lower on Cyber Monday than Black Friday. It’s not January yet, so wait to buy bedding. Woroch says you can expect stores like Macy’s, Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel to host traditional white sale events at the beginning of the new year. That said, there’s always a chance for a good brand-name find at stores like HomeGoods, T.J. Maxx and Marshalls any time of year, she adds. It may be hard to hold back on these fun buys, but Woroch says to wait for Cyber Monday to get shoes, beauty products and clothing. “That’s when stores like Old Navy, Gap, Athleta and even Lululemon have sitewide sales,” she says. This is a good reminder that the “cyber” in Cyber Monday doesn’t stand for electronics. Cyber Monday isn’t necessarily tech-heavy, according to Gordon. “It's meant to be on an online shopping day. And there are more online deals than in-store deals,” she says. You don’t have to put all your eggs in one Black Friday basket, especially if you find your budget tapped out. Woroch says retailers will be hosting more sale events in December, featuring deal drops and doing what they can to keep people shopping. “The Saturday before Christmas is big,” she adds. It’s called Super Saturday and is a last-ditch effort to get consumers to spend. Woroch also suggests asking yourself this important question as you shop: “Are you racking up a balance that’s going to be too high for you to pay off?” Because carrying credit card debt and paying interest can turn even the best Black Friday deal into a bad one. More From NerdWallet Tommy Tindall writes for NerdWallet. Email: ttindall@nerdwallet.com . The article Best Black Friday Deals: When to Shop, What to Buy and What to Skip originally appeared on NerdWallet. 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Daily Horoscope for Thursday, November 28, 2024, for all zodiac signs by astrologer Vinayak Vishwas KarandikarMicrosoft has now partially lifted a compatibility hold blocking the Windows 24H2 update on systems with some Ubisoft games after the French video game publisher has fixed bugs causing crashes, freezes, and audio issues. The company blocked Windows 24H2 upgrades on PCs with Assassin's Creed, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora games more than two weeks ago, following a stream of user reports on Reddit [ 1 , 2 ] and the Microsoft Answers forums [ 1 , 2 , 3 ] that these games were no longer working correctly. Windows users affected by this known issue were particularly frustrated as they reported these issues in the Windows Insider Feedback Hub, on Reddit , and other online platforms since Windows 11 24H2 was still in preview. According to the complaints, the issues are erratic, with some saying the games immediately crash after launch while others said they crash, freeze, or display a black screen a few minutes after loading a saved game. To prevent these issues from impacting more customers, Redmond applied a safeguard hold (tagged with IDs 54318776 and 54580160 in Windows Update for Business reports). Microsoft now says it lifted the upgrade blocks for devices with Star Wars Outlaws and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora last Thursday after Ubisoft released temporary hotfixes that mitigate the crashes (although those affected might still experience some performance issues). Ubisoft recommends using Task Manager to close the app as a temporary workaround for those who cannot exit the game as usual. Redmond also advises gamers not to upgrade affected PCs using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or the Media Creation Tool until the issue is resolved. "Note that, once these fixes are applied, it may take up to 48 hours for the Windows 11, version 24H2 update to be offered via Windows Update. Restarting your device might expedite the process," Microsoft said in an update to the Windows release health dashboard. Over the weekend, Microsoft announced it now blocks Windows 11 24H2 on systems with outdated Google Workspace Sync installs because they're causing Outlook launch issues with "Cannot Start Microsoft Outlook" errors. In recent weeks, the company has also added safeguard holds that block the Windows 11 24H2 update on devices with incompatible Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) audio drivers because they're triggering blue screen of death (BSOD) issues and with USB scanners supporting the eSCL protocol.

Govt laughs off PTI's deadline for 'logical conclusion' talksLONDON (AP) — West Ham beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 in the Premier League and heaped more pressure on beleaguered coach Gary O’Neil on Monday. Both sides came into the match under a cloud and the game was widely billed as a make-or-break match for O’Neill and West Ham counterpart Julen Lopetegui. Wolves started the night second to last while the London side was in 14th place, and the pressure and nerves were apparent in an edgy first half that was devoid of class or composure. Mohammed Kudus and Konstantinos Mavropanos had half chances for West Ham, while at the other end João Gomes shot over from a good position. Things improved after the break, and West Ham took the lead in the 53rd minutes from a corner kick. Wolves left Tomas Soucek unmarked at the back post and his looping header sailed into the far corner. Matt Doherty equalized for Wolves in the 69th. However, just three minute later West Ham’s talismanic captain Jarrod Bowen found time and space in the box to slot home with his left foot. West Ham was without Michail Antonio, its ever-present striker who broke a leg in a car crash on Saturday, and Bowen held up Antonio's No. 9 shirt to celebrate his goal. The West Ham players took the field in training tops with Antonio's name and number on them and the home fans gave him a warm round of applause in the ninth minute. “The goal and victory were for Michail," Soucek said. “I said to myself before the game that I wanted to score even more because he has been here since I came and he’s my favorite. It is difficult for me to play without him but I’m happy he is fine. "We had a video call with him before the game. He smiled at us and gave us all the best.” The result left the Hammers in 14th spot, one point behind Manchester United. It was the third defeat in a row for Wolves, who remain on nine points, equal with third-to-last Ipswich Town. “We were okay and solid and probably had the better chances," O'Neil said. “The lads gave everything but we came up short again, which is the story of the last few weeks.” AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Cyberbullying expert reveals the profile of typical online troll in new TV docu filmWASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump on Sunday pushed Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine, describing it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. “Zelensky and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness," Trump wrote on social media, referring to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.OTTAWA — The RCMP will create a new aerial intelligence task force to provide round-the-clock surveillance of Canada’s border using helicopters, drones and surveillance towers. The move is part of the federal government’s $1.3-billion upgrade to border security and monitoring to appease concerns of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump about the flow of migrants and illegal drugs. Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican exports to the U.S. as soon as he is inaugurated next month unless both countries move to improve border security. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he has discussed parts of the plan with American officials and that he is optimistic about its reception. Canada will also propose to the United States to create a North American “joint strike force” to target organized crime groups that work across borders. The government also intends to provide new technology, tools and resources to the Canada Border Services Agency to seek out fentanyl using chemical detection, artificial intelligence and canine teams. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 17, 2024. Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press