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bet 0 ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill., Dec. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SigmaTron International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SGMA), an electronic manufacturing services company (the “Company”), today reported revenues and earnings for the fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2024. For the three month period ended October 31, 2024, revenues decreased $24 million, or 24 percent, to $74.7 million compared to $98.7 million for the same quarter in the prior year. Net income/(loss) for the three month period ended October 31, 2024 was a loss of $9.5 million compared to break even for the same period in the prior year. Approximately $3.3 million of expenses were recorded during the second quarter related to debt modification, expensing of deferred financing costs and lender warrants after remeasurement. Basic and diluted income/(loss) per share for the three month period ended October 31, 2024 was a loss of $1.55, compared to $0.00 income per share for the same period in the prior year. For the six month period ended October 31, 2024, revenues decreased $37.3 million, or 19 percent, to $159.5 million, compared to $196.8 million for the same period in the prior year. Net income/(loss) for the six month period ended October 31, 2024, was a net loss of $12.8 million, compared to net income of $0.3 million for the same period in the prior year. Approximately $3.3 million of expenses were recorded during the second quarter related to debt modification, expensing of deferred financing costs and lender warrants after remeasurement. Basic and diluted income/(loss) per share for the six month period ended October 31, 2024 was a loss of $2.08, compared to $0.05 income per share for the same period in the prior year. Commenting on SigmaTron International Inc.’s second quarter fiscal 2025 results, Gary R. Fairhead, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, said “Unfortunately the softness we’ve seen in our revenue stream has continued during the second quarter. Sequentially, our first quarter for fiscal 2025 revenue was $84.8 million and for the second quarter, our revenue was $74.7 million. We currently expect the depressed revenue levels to continue for our third fiscal quarter, in part because of the holidays in December for North America and at the end of January in Asia. As you would expect, this level of revenue resulted in another loss for the second quarter, which included a non-cash charge for deferred financing and warrant expenses that totaled approximately $3.3 million. On a positive note, the Company reported an operating profit in October, demonstrating that our restructuring efforts are now showing a significant impact. We continue to right-size our Company offering significant upside for the operations. The softness we continue to encounter was tied to the general economy and exacerbated by the supply chain volatility in the electronic component marketplace, with customers having overordered in the recent past because of the uncertainty related to acquiring certain components for the electronic assemblies. We believe that the excess inventory that was the result of this behavior has in large part been consumed, which should lead to overall demand increasing in 2025. “In the short term, we continue to see soft revenue in terms of our backlog. However, most of our customers are starting to indicate that they view calendar 2025 as a stronger and growing economy and expect the current trend to have bottomed out. We have seen this with several customers where some modest orders have been pulled in and there has been increased activity with new opportunities. It will still take a while to get to where we want to be but at least the current trend appears to be positive after the third quarter. In addition to right-sizing the Company, we have continued to remain focused on reducing inventory further. We made modest progress in that area in the second quarter, but we fully expect to see significant gains in our reduction efforts during the third quarter. “In our first quarter press release, I also mentioned that we were focused on activities to de-lever our balance sheet. I’m pleased to announce that on December 13, 2024, SigmaTron entered into a sale/leaseback of our Elk Grove Village property. We have signed a three-year lease with two one-year options on the property. From an accounting perspective, not only have we reduced our bank debt, but we will have a one-time capital gain of approximately $7 million to report in our third quarter results. We continue to look at other options for the Company strategically, with the assistance of Lincoln International. We continue to enjoy good relationships with our customers and supply chain and expect that to continue as we continue to go through the process.” About SigmaTron International, Inc. Headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, SigmaTron International, Inc. operates in one reportable segment as an independent provider of electronic manufacturing services (“EMS”). The EMS segment includes printed circuit board assemblies, electro-mechanical subassemblies and completely assembled (box-build) electronic products. The Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries operate manufacturing facilities in Elk Grove Village, Illinois; Acuna, Chihuahua, and Tijuana Mexico; Union City, California; Suzhou, China; and Biên Hòa City, Vietnam. In addition, the Company maintains an International Procurement Office and Compliance and Sustainability Center in Taipei, Taiwan. The Company also provides design services in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, U.S. Forward-Looking Statements Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Words such as “continue,” “anticipate,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of the Company. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, the Company’s plans, actions and actual results could differ materially. Such statements should be evaluated in the context of the direct and indirect risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company’s business including, but not necessarily limited to, the Company’s continued dependence on certain significant customers; the continued market acceptance of products and services offered by the Company and its customers; pricing pressures from the Company’s customers, suppliers and the market; the activities of competitors, some of which may have greater financial or other resources than the Company; the variability of the Company’s operating results; the impact of material weaknesses in internal controls over financial reporting; the results of long-lived assets and goodwill impairment testing; the risks inherent in any merger, acquisition or business combination, including the ability to achieve the expected benefits of acquisitions as well as the expenses of acquisitions; the collectability of aged account receivables; the variability of the Company’s customers’ requirements; the impact of inflation on the Company’s operating results; the availability and cost of necessary components and materials; the impact acts of war may have to the supply chain; the ability of the Company and its customers to keep current with technological changes within its industries; regulatory compliance, including conflict minerals; the continued availability and sufficiency of the Company’s credit arrangements; the costs of borrowing under the Company’s senior and subordinated credit facilities, including under the rate indices that replaced LIBOR; increasing interest rates; the ability to meet the Company’s financial and restrictive covenants under its loan agreements; changes in U.S., Mexican, Chinese, Vietnamese or Taiwanese regulations affecting the Company’s business; the turmoil in the global economy and financial markets; public health crises, including COVID-19 and variants; the continued availability of scarce raw materials, exacerbated by global supply chain disruptions, necessary for the manufacture of products by the Company; the stability of the U.S., Mexican, Chinese, Vietnamese and Taiwanese economic, labor and political systems and conditions; global business disruption caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and related sanctions and the Israel-Hamas conflict; currency exchange fluctuations; and the ability of the Company to manage its growth. These and other factors which may affect the Company’s future business and results of operations are identified throughout the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, and as risk factors, may be detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements speak as of the date of such filings, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements in light of future events or otherwise unless otherwise required by law. For Further Information Contact: SigmaTron International, Inc. Frank Cesario 1-800-700-9095

Our valley’s lovely towns are full of wisdom. According to the last census , the average age in the United States is 39. Eagle is a shade below the national average at 36, compared to Edwards at 38 and Avon at a young 35. In Vail, the average age is 49. Vail’s second-highest age group by population is 60-64 , with the 25-29 group coming in first. Our towns are also delightfully multi-lingual — 76.8% of Eagle households only speak English at home compared to 70% in Edwards, 70% in Edwards, and 87.4% in Vail. Why am I sharing census demographics with you and what does it have to do with cybercrime? Within our community, we have two groups who are particularly susceptible to cybercrime: older adults and non-English speakers. The Vail Daily has covered many aspects of scams and technology-facilitated crime, from AI-driven crime and investment scams to phone scams and even rental scams . This column focuses specifically on cybercrime and serves as a call to action. To steal an old line from Smokey Bear, you too can prevent your friends, neighbors and family members from becoming victims of cyber-crime. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center , in 2023, scams targeting individuals aged 60 and older caused over $3.4 billion in losses, and those are only the crimes that the FBI knows about. The Internet Crime Complaint Center noted that while investment scams were by far the most lucrative for scammers targeting the 60-plus population, tech support cybercrime and business email compromise came in second and third. Tech support cybercrime occurs when a cybercriminal tricks someone into installing a program onto that person’s computer, which then allows the criminal to access highly sensitive information, including from banking websites. The criminal then walks that person through transactions that unknowingly send money from that user to the criminal. Business email compromise occurs when someone receives an email that looks exactly like a legitimate email from a company with which that person has regular dealings, but it is a spoofed email or it has minor changes in the sender’s email that are imperceptible to the average customer. It also occurs when a business is “hacked” and the person sending and receiving actual emails is not an employee but a criminal who gained access to that email system. Foreign language speakers in the United States also experience higher than average cybercrime due to what Ahmad Sultan from the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity calls the “digital divide.” According to Sultan, foreign language speakers may be “less likely to know whether they have been victimized by a cyber-attack, and they have a lower awareness of cybersecurity risks.” In his study, Sultan notes that these individuals reported being “more likely to refer to friends and relatives for advice on cybersecurity issues than any other resource.” While many of us take a break from work during the holidays, it’s high season for cybercriminals. The Department of Treasury’s Office of the Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection recently published a holiday alert with 10 tips to protect yourself online, including never clicking on email links, calling the bank or business yourself and not using the phone number in an email, never sharing sensitive information, and being aware of “urgent account notifications.” These tips will be old hat for most Vail Daily readers. But how about your elderly neighbor? Grandma and grandpa? The sweet widow down the street? The non-English speaking family around the corner? This holiday season, give them the gift of knowledge and remind them to be alert. Give them your contact information and be their trusted source if something seems fishy to them. I recently reminded my septuagenarian parents in Cleveland to immediately call me if someone emails them seeking information or remote access to their computer. They took that offer of help with grace and love. Let’s keep our community safe this holiday season.San Joaquin General Hospital (SJGH) has acquired two groundbreaking medical technologies, including the Intuitive da Vinci 5 surgical robot and Abbott’s Total Lab Automation. SJGH is the first teaching facility in Northern California to offer the da Vinci 5 technology. The da Vinci 5 succeeds the da Vinci Xi, which has performed over 1,000 non-invasive surgeries at SJGH since its acquisition in 2017. Robotic surgery is minimally invasive and has a track record indicating improved outcomes and better patient experience in specific procedures compared to traditional open surgeries or minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures. “We believe that minimally invasive surgery offers the best patient outcomes, and acquiring the da Vinci 5 enables us to continue expanding our state-of-the-art surgical capabilities,” said general and colorectal surgeon Dr. Bassem Ghobrial. “With features such as force feedback technology, enhanced visualization, and increased precision, the da Vinci 5 allows our surgical teams to provide patients with the highest quality care and an improved overall experience.” Adding Abbott’s Total Lab Automation will ensure that the downtime is kept to a minimum so clinicians will receive the laboratory results they need to make informed decisions. The automation system is the first in the U.S. for clinical labs featuring this smart CAR technology, which allows samples in self-propelled cars to travel throughout the track without a belt. The smart CAR technology streamlines operations so labs can provide quick, accurate results and deliver the best care to patients. Lab worker safety is improved by minimizing contact with patients’ blood samples and preventing exposure to biomedical waste. “The acquisition of both da Vinci 5 and Abbott’s Total Lab Automation guarantees that the patients of SJGH will have access to the most advanced medicine available,” said SJGH Chief Executive Officer Rick Castro. “Our commitment to health equity means that every patient in the San Joaquin community, regardless of socioeconomic status, has equal access to these cutting-edge technologies.”Arsenal, Manchester City and Bayern Munich all advanced to the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals with with two games to spare on Thursday. Late substitute Lina Hurtig scored the winner in Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Juventus in London. Khadija Shaw scored twice for City in a 2-1 win at Swedish club Hammarby. City stayed perfect in Group D with four victories and reached the last eight for the first time since 2021. Bayern Munich was held 1-1 at Vålerenga in Norway and still earned a quarterfinal berth after Juventus’ loss. Arsenal, Bayern and City join Chelsea, Lyon and Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. Two-time defending champion Barcelona routed Austrian champion St. Pölten 4-1. The Catalan club trails City by three points in their group and is in a strong position to advance. Bayern tops Group C with 10 points, Arsenal has nine followed by Juventus (3) and Vålerenga (1). Back to winning Man City responded to its first loss of the season, 2-0 at Chelsea in the Women’s Super League on Saturday. Still without injured star Vivianne Miedema , Shaw took charge, proving her scoring instincts after half an hour. The forward scored from inside the penalty area with a deflected shot that flew over goalkeeper Anna Tamminen to frustrate more than 20,000 noisy fans at the Stockholm Arena in the Swedish capital. Ellen Wangerheim equalized soon after the interval from close range to rejuvenate the crowd but Shaw struck again to restore the lead just minutes later. This time, she delivered a powerful right-footed finish from the edge of the area. Bayern and Harder contained Bayern dominated possession but could not translate it into goals until the 75th minute. It had to rely on substitute Jovana Damnjanović, who gave the visitors a late lead after connecting on a pass from Giulia Gwinn. The Norwegians, who have retained their domestic title, equalized in the 88th on Elise Thorsnes’ header following a corner. Pernille Harder, who found the back of the net five times for Bayern in the previous three games, could not do it again on Thursday and was substituted. Hurtig’s night Hurtig came on with 10 minutes remaining and made her presence immediately felt with several headers. She finally made the breakthrough with a minute remaining in regulation, tapping in from close range after Juventus’ poor clearance of a low cross by Stina Blackstenius. Hurtig won the Italian title with Juventus in 2021 and 2022 before joining the Gunners. Juventus seemed to learn a lesson from its 4-0 loss to Arsenal last week as its defense held firm till Hurtig’s arrival. Putellas scores her 200th Barcelona goal In an 11-minute span in the first half, Francisca Nazareth netted twice and 18-year-old Vicky Lopez scored once to put Barcelona in control. Nazareth’s double was followed by Lopez hitting the third with a shot high into the net for her first Champions League goal. Alexia Putellas made it 4-0 in the second half, finishing a fast attack that tore apart the defense in Vienna. It was her 200th goal for Barcelona and the 100th the club scored in the Champions League’s group stage. Valentina Mädl, an 18-year-old forward, netted a consolation goal for the hosts. Barcelona has scored 20 goals in its past three games and can still become the first club to win its group in all four years since the introduction of the format. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's administration is urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. A senior Biden administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private consultations, said Wednesday that the outgoing Democratic administration wants Ukraine to lower the mobilization age to 18 from the current age of 25 to help expand the pool of fighting-age men available to help a badly outnumbered Ukraine in its nearly three-year-old war with Russia. The official said “the pure math” of Ukraine's situation now is that it needs more troops in the fight. Currently Ukraine is not mobilizing or training enough soldiers to replace its battlefield losses while keeping pace with Russia's growing military, the official added. The White House has pushed more than $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia's February 2022 invasion and expects to send billions more to Kyiv before Biden leaves office in less than months. But with time running out, the Biden White House is also sharpening its viewpoint that Ukraine has the weaponry it needs and now must dramatically increase its troop levels if it's going to stay in the fight with Russia. The official said the Ukrainians believe they need about 160,000 additional troops, but the U.S. administration believes they probably will need more than that. More than 1 million Ukrainians are now in uniform, including the National Guard and other units. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been hearing concerns from allies in other Western capitals as well that Ukraine has a troop level problem and not an arms problem, according to European officials who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomatic conversations. The European allies have stressed that the lack of depth means that it may soon become untenable for Ukraine to continue to operate in Russia’s Kursk border region . The situation in Kursk has become further complicated by the arrival of thousands of North Korean troops , who have come to help Moscow try to claw back the land seized in a Ukrainian incursion this year. The stepped-up push on Ukraine to strengthen its fighting ranks comes as Ukraine braces for President-elect Donald Trump to take office on Jan. 20. The Republican said he would bring about a swift end to the war and has raised uncertainty about whether his administration would continue the vital U.S. military support for Ukraine. “There are no easy answers to Ukraine’s serious manpower shortage, but lowering the draft age would help,” said Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "These are obviously difficult decisions for a government and society that has already endured so much due to Russia’s invasion.” Ukraine has taken steps to broaden the pool of draft-eligible men, but the efforts have only scratched the surface against a much larger Russian military. In April, Ukraine’s parliament passed a series of laws, including one lowering its draft-eligible age for men from 27 to 25, aimed at broadening the universe of men who could be called on to join the grinding war. Those laws also did away with some draft exemptions and created an online registry for recruits. They were expected to add about 50,000 troops, far short of what Zelenskyy said at the time was needed. Zelenskyy has consistently stated that he has no plans to lower the mobilization age. A senior Ukrainian official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ukraine does not have enough equipment to match the scale of its ongoing mobilization efforts. The official said Ukrainian officials see the push to the lower the draft age as part of an effort by some Western partners to deflect attention from their own delays in providing equipment or belated decisions. The official cited as an example the delay in giving Ukraine permission to use longer-range weapons to strike deeper into Russian territory. The Ukrainians do not see lowering the draft age to recruit more soldiers as a substitute for countering Russia’s advantage in equipment and weaponry, the official said. Conscription has been a sensitive matter in Ukraine throughout the war. Russia’s own problems with adequate troop levels and planning early in the war prevented Moscow from taking full advantage of its edge. But the tide has shifted and the U.S. says the Ukrainian shortage can no longer be overlooked. Some Ukrainians have expressed worry that further lowering the minimum conscription age and taking more young adults out of the workforce could backfire by further harming the war-ravaged economy. The senior Biden administration official added that the administration believes that Ukraine can also optimize its current force by more aggressively dealing with soldiers who desert or go absent without leave. AP White House correspondent Zeke Miller and AP writer Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv contributed to this report.Bombay HC Welcomes State Govt's Setup Of Safe Houses And Special Cells For Interfaith, Inter-Caste Couples Facing Threats

Can you shoot down a drone? Common misconceptions, regulations and rightsCHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 20, 2024-- Delta Capital Partners Management, an SEC registered investment adviser specializing in litigation and legal finance, is pleased to announce as additions to the firm Jason Searfoss as Chief Financial Officer, Elinoar Sofer as Chief Operations Officer, and Michael Ouliel as Chief Intelligence Officer. Mr. Searfoss will be responsible for Delta’s finance, accounting, and administrative functions and will oversee all capital market activities, tax and valuation matters. Ms. Sofer will oversee the day-to-day operations and management of Delta, while Mr. Ouliel will assist with business intelligence activities in the firm’s management and monitoring of the cases in its portfolio or under consideration for investment. Mr. Searfoss, an advisor to numerous startup and growth-stage technology companies, is a Cofounder of and served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Boomtown, a leading technology startup accelerator with more than 200 portfolio companies. A veteran of the litigation finance industry, Mr. Searfoss was also the founding Chief Financial Officer, a General Partner, and member of the Investment Committee of Longford Capital, a leading litigation funder. “I have known and worked closely with Chris DeLise and the Delta team for well over a decade and I am excited about the future of the organization. Litigation finance is an attractive and evolving asset class, and Delta’s strengths stand out in the industry,” said Searfoss. Prior to joining Delta, Ms. Sofer previously served as the Chief Operating Officer of BlackSwan Technologies, a leading global technology AI startup. In this capacity, she scaled the company across six subsidiaries within the US, EMEA and Asia and successfully raised capital and secured valuable commercial partnerships with leading Fintech companies. “I am thrilled to be joining the very talented team at Delta and I am looking forward to collaborating with Chris DeLise and the senior team in building on their ongoing success and executing Delta’s ambitious growth plans,” said Ms. Sofer. Before his tenure at Delta, Mr. Ouliel founded and acted as the CEO of Ripples Homeland Security Group. Ripples was a global technology company with a focus on building large and complex intelligence and investigation systems for governments and large multinational enterprises globally. Mr. Ouliel was also the founder and CEO of BlackSwan Technologies, where he was named among the Top 50 AI CEOs of 2021 by Technology Innovators magazine. In recent years, Mr. Ouliel has been acting as a special advisor to multiple governments and federal agencies in the area of technology, primarily focused on intelligence, counter terror, HUMINT, and extremism. Mr. Ouliel expressed that he is “thrilled and excited to join the excellent team at Delta” and that the opportunity presented an “outstanding value proposition and business model” for which his “skills and expertise will bring unique opportunities to the litigation funding market.” Christopher DeLise, Delta’s founder, CEO and Co-CIO stated that he is “very proud to have such esteemed professionals join Delta as it is continues its growth and development in dynamic markets and verticals. The litigation finance industry has significantly changed over the past 14 years, which necessitates bringing on board very seasoned professionals to best enable the firm to adapt and profit from these developments. I have known each of Jason, Michael and Elinoar for over a decade, frequently collaborating on one-off projects, and therefore it made great sense to have them join the Delta team on a permanent basis as we embark on our latest set of growth initiatives and new product offerings.” About Delta Delta Capital Partners Management LLC is a US-based, global asset management firm specializing exclusively in litigation and legal finance, judgment and award enforcement, and asset recovery. Delta creates bespoke financing solutions for professional service firms, businesses, governments, financial institutions, investment firms, and individual claimants to enable them to investigate claims, pursue litigation or arbitration, recover assets, enforce judgments or awards, and more effectively manage their risks, cash flow, and capital expenditures. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241213205216/en/ For media inquiries, please contact David Temporal, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer, Delta Capital Partners Management,DTemporal@deltacph.com. KEYWORD: ILLINOIS EUROPE UNITED STATES UNITED KINGDOM NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LEGAL FINANCE ASSET MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SOURCE: Delta Capital Partners Management Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/20/2024 03:27 PM/DISC: 12/20/2024 03:27 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241213205216/enLOS ANGELES — Right when the Los Angeles Rams' offense has dropped into a disconcerting slump, their defense has held three straight opponents under 10 points for the first time in decades. Although the Rams (10-6) are closing in on an NFC West title and another playoff berth with a five-game winning streak, the way they're doing it makes their postseason prospects quite unpredictable. The methodology has been strange, but the results are not: After holding off Arizona 13-9 on Saturday night, Los Angeles has won nine of 11 and is very close to claiming its fourth division title and sixth playoff berth in coach Sean McVay's eight seasons. “I’m proud of this group and the way they battled back,” Matthew Stafford said. “A lot of people doubted us, and a lot of people wrote us off at 1-4. To be able to sit here with our record what it is right now, I feel proud of this group.” The Rams hadn't held three straight opponents to single-digit scoring since 1975, but rookie coordinator Chris Shula's defense has done it with a strong front and a little luck on the back end, including the last-minute interception by Ahkello Witherspoon on a pass that deflected off star Arizona tight end Trey McBride's head at the goal line. Kyler Murray threw it before McBride was probably ready because Shula had called a zero blitz on first down at the Los Angeles 5. “I want to make more plays to make sure they don’t have to do as much as they did (against Arizona), but I’m proud of them,” Stafford said of the Rams' defense. "It’s awesome to watch where they were in training camp to where they are now. Shula is doing a hell of a job. We all knew he would. Those guys are playing hard for him.” But the Rams have scored more than 21 points just once during their five-game winning streak, their longest since their Super Bowl championship season in 2021. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws under pressure from Arizona Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins (25) during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. Credit: AP/Alex Gallardo They’ve managed only three touchdowns in their last three games while scoring fewer than 20 points each time out, although that stretch includes games played in the rain (San Francisco) and in subfreezing temperatures (New York Jets). Against the Cardinals in Inglewood's ideal weather, the Rams’ offense still produced one TD, a season-worst 12 first downs and only 257 total yards — 139 fewer than Arizona. The running game struggled again, as it often does when all five starting offensive linemen aren't healthy, while the entire roster aside from Puka Nacua combined for just seven receptions for 60 yards — a surprising number for a McVay offense. “I don’t think there’s one thing I can point to,” McVay said Sunday. “I could go on and on about some of the things, starting with me, but then also about our execution in terms of getting connected in the run game, targeting the right way, making sure that the ball is going where it should go, and guys that I know are capable of playing the way that we’ve seen. If they do that, then I know that it’s not as far as sometimes it can feel like. But ultimately, we’ve got to do it.” What's working The young front four remains the strength of the defense. Jared Verse had a tremendous game on the edge against Murray and Arizona's running game, while fellow rookie Braden Fiske and second-year pros Kobie Turner and Byron Young all recorded sacks. Los Angeles Rams safety Kamren Kinchens, left, intercepts a pass intended for Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, left, during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. Credit: AP/Alex Gallardo What needs help The Rams again failed to establish the running game despite never trailing Arizona. Kyren Williams got his second-fewest carries of the season (13, with just five in the second half), while rookie Blake Corum was barely involved. Los Angeles' 3.9 yards per rush is the second-lowest mark in the NFL even though Williams began Sunday third in the league with 1,299 yards. Stock up Witherspoon not only made the game-saving interception, but the eight-year veteran who went unsigned until September also has seized the starting cornerback job from Cobie Durant, who didn't play on defense against the Cards despite being healthy again. McVay said Witherspoon's play during Durant's brief injury absence resulted in the change. Stock down Cooper Kupp had one catch against Arizona, and he has just 12 receptions in the past five games, matching the least productive five-game stretch of his eight-year career. Stafford has said the Rams need to get their Super Bowl 56 MVP more involved, and Kupp says he's healthy — yet it isn't happening. Injuries McVay believes the Rams stayed healthy outside of a stinger for rookie safety Kam Kinchens, but they felt the absence of RT Rob Havenstein, who injured his shoulder last week during an unpadded practice. Backup Joe Noteboom committed three holding penalties and got beaten repeatedly. Key number 4 — Stafford's consecutive games without taking a sack. That's the longest streak of his 16-year career, yet he has only one 200-yard passing game in that stretch. Next steps The Rams began Sunday preparing as if they'll play the Seahawks (9-7) next Saturday, although the game could happen a day later. McVay won't show his cards, but if the Rams have clinched, they seem likely to rest several regulars for the playoffs.Some quotations from Jimmy Carter: We have a tendency to exalt ourselves and to dwell on the weaknesses and mistakes of others. I have come to realize that in every person there is something fine and pure and noble, along with a desire for self-fulfillment. Political and religious leaders must attempt to provide a society within which these human attributes can be nurtured and enhanced. — from 1975 book “Why Not the Best?” Our government can express the highest common ideals of human beings — if we demand of government true standards of excellence. At this Bicentennial time of introspection and concern, we must demand such standards. — “Why Not the Best?” I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry. — “Why Not the Best?” Christ said, “I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.” I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do — and I have done it — and God forgives me for it. But that doesn’t mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock. — Interview, November 1976 Playboy. This inauguration ceremony marks a new beginning, a new dedication within our Government, and a new spirit among us all. A President may sense and proclaim that new spirit, but only a people can provide it. — Inaugural address, January 1977. It’s clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper — deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages, deeper even than inflation and recession. ... All the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America. ... It is a crisis of confidence. — So-called “malaise” speech, July 1979. But we know that democracy is always an unfinished creation. Each generation must renew its foundations. Each generation must rediscover the meaning of this hallowed vision in the light of its own modern challenges. For this generation, ours, life is nuclear survival; liberty is human rights; the pursuit of happiness is a planet whose resources are devoted to the physical and spiritual nourishment of its inhabitants. — Farewell Address, January 1981. We appreciate the past. We are grateful for the present and we’re looking forward to the future with great anticipation and commitment. — October 1986, at the dedication of the Carter Presidential Library and Museum. War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children. — December 2002, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Fundamentalists have become increasingly influential in both religion and government, and have managed to change the nuances and subtleties of historic debate into black-and-white rigidities and the personal derogation of those who dare to disagree. ... The influence of these various trends poses a threat to many of our nation’s historic customs and moral commitments, both in government and in houses of worship. — From 2005 book “Our Endangered Values.” I think that this breakthrough by Barack Obama has been remarkable. When he made his speech (on race) a few months ago in Philadelphia, I wept. I sat in front of the television and cried, because I saw that as the most enlightening and transforming analysis of racism and a potential end of it that I ever saw in my life. — August 2008, commenting on then-Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy. I think it’s based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president. ... No matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect. — September 2009, reacting to Rep. Joe Wilson’s shout of “You lie!” during a speech to Congress by President Barack Obama. I’m still determined to outlive the last guinea worm. — 2010, on The Carter Center’s work to eradicate guinea worm disease. You know how much I raised to run against Gerald Ford? Zero. You know how much I raised to run against Ronald Reagan? Zero. You know how much will be raised this year by all presidential, Senate and House campaigns? $6 billion. That’s 6,000 millions. — September 2012, reacting to the 2010 “Citizens United” U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting unlimited third-party political spending. I have become convinced that the most serious and unaddressed worldwide challenge is the deprivation and abuse of women and girls, largely caused by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing tolerance of violence and warfare, unfortunately following the example set during my lifetime by the United States. — From 2014 book “A Call to Action.” I don’t think there’s any doubt now that the NSA or other agencies monitor or record almost every telephone call made in the United States, including cellphones, and I presume email as well. We’ve gone a long way down the road of violating Americans’ basic civil rights, as far as privacy is concerned. — March 2014, commenting on U.S. intelligence monitoring after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks We accept self-congratulations about the wonderful 50th anniversary – which is wonderful – but we feel like Lyndon Johnson did it and we don’t have to do anything anymore. — April 2014, commenting on racial inequality during a celebration of the Civil Rights Act’s 40th anniversary. I had a very challenging question at Emory (University) the other night: “How would you describe the United States of America today in one word?” And I didn’t know what to say for a few moments, but I finally said, “Searching.” I think the country in which we live is still searching for what it ought to be, and what it can be, and I’m not sure we’re making much progress right at this moment. — October 2014 during a celebration of his 90th birthday. The life we have now is the best of all. We have an expanding and harmonious family, a rich life in our church and the Plains community, and a diversity of projects at The Carter Center that is adventurous and exciting. Rosalynn and I have visited more than 145 countries, and both of us are as active as we have ever been. We are blessed with good health and look to the future with eagerness and confidence, but are prepared for inevitable adversity when it comes. — From 2015 book, “A Full Life.”

Wagner takes down Springfield (Mass.) 81-46

Wagner takes down Springfield (Mass.) 81-46First-ever athlete and fan-owned network boasts 2,200 Fan Owners and 70+ superstar athlete investors and partners by the likes of Chris Paul , Travis Kelce , Dwayne Wade , Chiney Ogwumike, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard , Natasha Cloud , Alysha Clark , Carmelo Anthony , and many more LOS ANGELES , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PlayersTV , the first athlete and fan-owned media company, today announced the acquisition of Cloud Media Center , an AI-driven sports adtech and media distribution company. This strategic year-end move boosts PlayersTV's reach to a total of 500 million monthly ad impressions, solidifying its position as a trailblazer in athlete-driven lifestyle entertainment while broadening its ability to connect with advertiser and inventory networks. PlayersTV empowers athletes to control their narratives while giving brands access to engagement opportunities with an expansive global audience. It is known for its groundbreaking athlete-fan ownership model, supported by more than 70 high-profile athlete investors and partners across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, and MLB, and a community of more than 2,200 Fan Owners (shareholders in the company). The network features high-profile athletes, including Travis Kelce , Chris Paul , Damian Lillard , Dwyane Wade , Chiney Ogwumike, Carmelo Anthony , Allen Iverson , Natasha Cloud , Kyrie Irving, Ken Griffey, Jr. , Vernon Davis , Austin Ekeler , DeAndre Jordan , CJ McCollum, AJ Andrews, Angel McCoughtry , Alysha Clark , and more. PlayersTV currently reaches more than 300 million households via OTT and CTV via DirecTV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Philo . Its proprietary ad network called Players360 generates an additional 500 million monthly ad impressions. Through the acquisition of Cloud Media Center, PlayersTV now owns technologies responsible for more than 1 billion combined monthly ad impressions. "This is a transformative moment for PlayersTV and the future of sports media," said Deron Guidrey , co-founder of PlayersTV. "The acquisition of Cloud Media Center catapults us into a new era of innovation, expanding our reach to an astounding 500 million monthly ad impressions. With cutting-edge AI technology now at the core of our operations, we are setting the gold standard for athlete-driven media, revolutionizing how athletes connect with fans and how brands engage with audiences worldwide. This is more than an acquisition, it's a declaration of our vision to lead the global sports media industry." PlayersTV Co-founder Collin Castellaw added, "This acquisition is a monumental step forward for our organization. By integrating Cloud Media Center's AI-driven tech we're significantly expanding our reach while revolutionizing how athletes and sports content is created, distributed and consumed. This is an exciting time for our company and the future of athlete media and sports media." Cloud Media Center's innovative platform brings state-of-the-art AI technology to PlayersTV, enabling more precise audience targeting, dynamic content distribution, and scalable adtech. With this acquisition, PlayersTV is poised to deliver highly personalized and impactful content experiences, meeting the growing demand for athlete-centered stories and authentic fan connections. About PlayersTV PlayersTV is the first-ever athlete-owned media network and content provider. As the premier athlete lifestyle content destination, PlayersTV empowers athletes to own their stories while engaging fans with authentic and meaningful connections, bridging the worlds of sports, lifestyle, and entertainment. PlayersTV's 24/7 channel can be found on DirecTV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Philo . See more at https://playerstv.com/ . About Cloud Media Center Cloud Media Center (CMC), based in Ponte Vedra, FL , sells digital advertising inventory through a cloud-based, analytically driven distribution platform that seamlessly connects advertisers with content providers and publishers. The result maximizes collaboration — unleashing next-level ad campaign synergies. CMC's next-gen platform and best-in-class dashboards — built by next-generation premier developers — provide AI-based microtargeting on the frontend, and real-time, easy-to-understand analytics on the back end. Content producers, advertisers, and publishers will have all the tools and data needed to optimize campaigns — and do it with speed and granular accuracy. Visit the CMC website at https://cloudmc.us/ . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/playerstv-acquires-cloud-media-center-integrates-sports-ai-ad-technology-to-surpass-1b-monthly-impressions-302337699.html SOURCE PlayersTV

Sports on TV for Friday, Dec. 20

Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 20.12.2024

Outlook for Bank of Nova Scotia Stock in 2025Elko council releases $500K for hospital's behavioral health unitLuke Williams feels Swansea ‘lost grip’ on game despite sealing victory at DerbySwiftFlow Duct Care Launches Reliable Air Duct Repair Services in Cicero, IL

In the wake of Donald Trump’s election, after a campaign in which Trump threatened the press, the left and “the enemy within,” 204 Republicans and 15 Democrats in the House of Representatives decided to hand a gift to his incoming administration — one that could be used to squash any kind of dissent. The dangerous gift, HR 9495, is known as the “nonprofit killer bill” because it would unilaterally give the Treasury secretary the power to strip the tax-exempt status from any nonprofit they decide is a “terrorist-supporting organization,” all without due process for the organization in question. Truthout has been covering this legislation in its many iterations since last spring , when its predecessor, HR 6408, passed the House with overwhelming support but stalled in the Senate. We’ve also covered the landscape from which this bill emerged . While the threat of its use under a Donald Trump presidency is particularly alarming for a broad range of groups, this bill has to be understood as part of a bipartisan (and transnational) push to stifle the Palestine solidarity movement. The newer version that the House passed on November 21 includes an add-on that might help move it more quickly through the Senate, postponing tax deadlines for American citizens detained abroad. While a separate bill to do just that has already cleared the Senate, a spokesperson for the body’s majority leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer, told The New York Times that he’s opposed to the nonprofit portion of the bill. While it likely won’t come up in this legislative session, Republicans may raise the bill again next year when they hold both bodies of Congress. A wide coalition of nonprofits was able to persuade some House Democrats who previously supported the legislation to vote against it this time around. That coalition will continue to advocate against the bill as it goes forward. Regardless of what happens with this particular piece of legislation, nonprofits, including independent media, can’t rest easy. The Trump administration, and the right more broadly, still have plenty of tools at their disposal to attack organizers. And while Palestine solidarity activists may have a wider target on their backs, organizers for any causes even remotely associated with the left should be paying attention. We already know what will come next: we can expect to see more racketeering charges, otherwise known as RICO charges , thrown at organizers — charges historically used to attack fraudulent money-making schemes from groups like the Mafia. Immigrants who engage in any kind of activism may be more likely to see their legal immigration status threatened. Corporations could work with right-wing interest groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to target protesters at “critical infrastructure” sites like weapons manufacturers. Groups doing any kind of meaningful work, ranging from investigative journalism to campus protests, may get tied up with frivolous lawsuits from right-wing actors. We can anticipate these alarming steps because we have been watching the slow drip of repression for years now. These tactics are already being used on members of the left, whether on the dozens of Stop Cop City organizers indicted under RICO laws, or on the pro-Palestine protester who had to fight to keep his student visa, or on the members of the environmental movement who are charged under ALEC-orchestrated laws for their anti-pipeline protests. We also know this because the right is openly telegraphing its next moves for all of us to see. Members of the Heritage Foundation, notably the authors of Project 2025, have another playbook in their back pockets meant to crack down on the movement for Palestinian liberation. Known as Project Esther, their plan is to create “a national strategy to combat antisemitism.” Project Esther alleges that the pro-Palestine movement is part of a global “Hamas Support Network” with branches that operate as “Hamas Support Organizations,” which puts everyone from groups like Students for Justice in Palestine to the Open Society Foundations in their crosshairs. “Whether in the halls of academia or in the halls of power, HSN supporters and influence targets must be made to feel extreme discomfort,” the Project Esther authors write. “We will generate that discomfort.” They go on to suggest public relations campaigns against such groups, as well as legal attacks that draw on RICO and counterterrorism laws to take out the movement. The goal is to “organize and focus a broad coalition of willing and able partners to leverage existing — and, if required, work to establish additional — authorities, resources, capabilities, and activities.” As Dima Khalidi writes in Jewish Voice for Peace’s anthology, On Antisemitism , “The most prevalent tactic to intimidate advocates for Palestinian rights into silence is still to falsely accuse individuals, groups, and the movement for Palestinian rights as a whole of being motivated by antisemitism and support for terrorism. It’s no coincidence that the tactics overlap, and go hand in hand. It is, after all, much easier to sow the idea that those who promote Palestinian rights are antisemitic if they are also depicted as pro-terrorist.” In yet another blueprint for repression, another right-wing think tank, the Capital Research Center — whose founder also had ties to The Heritage Foundation — goes even further in depicting a wide variety of progressive activists, organizers and the groups that support them as “pro-terrorist.” The think tank’s 150-page document, titled “Marching Toward Violence: The Domestic Anti-Israeli Protest Movement” lays out a multistep plan for targeting a wide variety of progressive and left groups – including, everything from Black Lives Matter to the Democratic Socialists of America; legal defense organizations like the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Lawyers Guild; along with Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and many others. While the plan purports to focus narrowly on pro-Palestine organizing, it effectively lays out a method by which the right could attempt to use statements made on Palestine by a broad swath of groups to forcibly halt progressive organizing and resistance in the U.S. The fact that the Capital Research Center sprinkles a few white supremacist right-wing actors within its suggested list of targets should not distract us from the reality of its overwhelming focus on shutting down organs of the left. The plan proposes to target the groups in its crosshairs with a wide array of attacks, ranging from stripping organizations of their nonprofit status, to filing RICO charges, to deporting immigrants who protest, to filing class-action lawsuits against groups like Students for Justice in Palestine. The document creates a list of 159 organizations to target by explicitly naming them as “pro-terrorism” based on bunk “documentable evidence.” This kind of language is likely not too surprising for anyone familiar with the tactics used, both by the right and by the state, under the so-called “War on Terror.” Indeed, its author, Ryan Mauro, is a known figure in the anti-Muslim movement and formerly worked at the Clarion Project, a right-wing initiative fueling wildly Islamophobic conspiracy theories, including an infamous debunked one on Muslim “no-go zones” so extreme that the Southern Poverty Law Center took note . The organization itself features members on its staff and board that came from the George W. Bush administration as well as the Reagan one, and a former Heritage Foundation fellow as well. While these playbooks certainly are scarier in the hands of a Trump administration, it’s important to contextualize them in the larger movement from the right that spans back decades – one that has had its sights on Muslim and Arab communities in particular. Even for those familiar with these types of threats, there are still some points in the document from the Capital Research Center that might be helpful to think on as we prepare for the years ahead. One thing to consider is the breadth of “research”: the document has more than 700 footnotes documenting everything from action alerts to articles to a truly disturbing number of social media posts. It also boxes its targets into two categories — one is the “Islamists, communists/Marxists, and anarchists” — which we might take to mean the left. But interestingly enough, it also mentions white supremacists as potential targets — putting Nick Fuentes and the hate group Patriot Front side by side with organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace, which draws quite a bit of the author’s ire, along with Students for Justice in Palestine and American Muslims for Palestine. This kind of calculation on the part of the author is useful for us to note when some liberal groups suggest switching the focus of terrorism laws and rhetoric to include the amorphous right-wing “ domestic terrorism ” in their scope, a tactic that can only boomerang back to hurt the left. What might be most concerning is how this document tries to ensnare a broad range of actors. The document makes connections with groups centered around abolition, racial justice and the environment, in addition to the Palestine liberation movement. In what could be considered laughable if it weren’t so scary, the author has come up with four overlapping circles of the “pro-terrorism, anti-Israel movement,” which range from “political warfare” at the widest to “domestic terrorists” at the narrowest, with “supporters” and “inciters” in between. To give a more concrete sense of how these are applied, the think tank outrageously lists the San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center (also known as Indybay ) under the header of “domestic terrorists,” accuses Black Lives Matter Grassroots of being “inciters,” lists the Center for Constitutional Rights under “supporters” and charges the Democratic Socialists of America with “political warfare.” The blueprint for repression takes aim at everyone from fiscal sponsors to, crucially, the legal support organizations that usually come in to provide support once activists are targeted. It is clear that the authors of these types of playbooks are trying to take down the entire ecosystem of the left. We must acknowledge the stakes of these attacks: Most progressive and leftist nonprofit organizations are overwhelmingly supported by foundations and large donors who require tax-deductibility as a precursor to granting funds. For most, losing nonprofit status could easily mean a quick death. As problematic and imperfect as the nonprofit apparatus is — we deeply appreciate critiques of the nonprofit industrial complex — the difficult truth is that most medium-to-large left and progressive organizations rely on it. So, how can we resist, in the face of this existential threat amid widening repression? First of all, self-education is key. Right-wingers are drawing upon history to formulate their playbook, which carries echoes of prior fascist movements, as well as, in the case of organizational targeting, the PATRIOT Act era and the Red Scare. We must read up, too! Let’s form study groups and involve our nonprofit organizations in conversations about past instances of institutional targeting and histories of resistance. For example, during the anti-communist fervor of the 1950s, the McCarran Internal Security Act allowed the attorney general to petition a “control board” to designate organizations as Communist and then require them to register with the Justice Department. The organizations resisted straightforwardly: None of the 25 groups labeled as Communist actually submitted to register with the Justice Department. During the post-9/11 Patriot Act period, the federal government targeted several Muslim nonprofits, including the Holy Land Foundation, the largest Muslim charity in the U.S. It accused these nonprofits of providing “material support” for terrorism and froze their assets, leading to shutdowns. Several of the organizations’ leaders were targeted and imprisoned. In response, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the asset freezes in court, and a wide range of human rights groups protested, issued statements, and launched campaigns and petitions. The Committee to Stop FBI Repression was formed to push back on the targeting of activists accused of links to “terrorist” organizations. These asset freezes and shutdowns, as well as resistance efforts, are reminders of the importance of building connections with aligned advocacy groups and legal aid organizations in the current moment (although, frighteningly, the right currently seems intent on targeting legal defense groups alongside grassroots activist efforts). The looming threats to left and progressive nonprofits may also pose a stark challenge to philanthropy in the coming months and years. That sector may need to shift its standard modes of operation to forestall mass chaos among left and progressive organizations. Will foundations and major donors, which have relied on tax-deductible 501(c)(3) status as a condition for funding, rise to the moment by breaking with their long-held set of rules? Will they forego the 501(c)(3) requirement in cases where that requirement is weaponized by fascist powers? Or will organizations stripped of their status be simply left to die? In the weeks prior to inauguration, will foundations help grassroots organizations build financial reserves to allow for flexibility in the face of legal and economic threats? Moreover, how will funders respond if nonprofit organizations’ assets are frozen and they’re suddenly left without the cash flow to pay out staff severance, let alone operate? These are all questions that philanthropic organizations and individual philanthropists might consider contending with now, before the worst consequences descend. The material survival of the grassroots and nonprofit groups being targeted will also hinge on the degree to which masses of individuals can rally grassroots support to buoy organizations that are targeted by baseless right-wing smear campaigns under the guise of “antiterrorism.” If a host of nonprofit organizations – including both smaller local groups and major mainstays of the national progressive activism infrastructure – suddenly lose their nonprofit status or face legal attack, will masses of supporters be able to mobilize sufficient grassroots support to sustain them? Going forward, our next steps must include a recognition that liberation movements are often impacted by periods of significant repression, which often includes extreme surveillance, dismantlement of core institutions, and criminalization of individual activists. We’ve witnessed this over the past half-century with the movements for labor and economic justice, Black, Puerto Rican, Chicanx and Indigenous liberation; peace and anti-imperialism; environmental justice and animal liberation; civil liberties; racial justice and police abolition; and of course, Palestinian liberation. Such repression requires us to build strong links with other targeted groups — recognizing repression as a common denominator that can unite us in the struggle against authoritarianism. As historian Dan Berger writes in The Struggle Within, “The ubiquity of state repression affords an opportunity to forge solidarity among multiple revolutionary movements. Seizing this opportunity does not mean ignoring contradictions. ... Instead, it offers a chance for people committed to radical social change to work with one another, addressing differences in ways that build alliances and strengthen the potential for revolutionary possibilities.” How can nonprofits from across multiple issue areas and multiple ends of the left/progressive tent find common ground in our real fears that our organizations will be shut down, our assets frozen, our bank access curtailed, and our work cut short at a time when it’s needed most? Working toward broader and deeper coalitions with similarly threatened organizations will be vital. In the movement journalism world, we’ve been laying that groundwork over the past year with our recently launched Movement Media Alliance , a coalition of 18 social justice-driven media organizations committed to supporting each other’s sustainability and defending each other in the face of existential threats. Many progressive and left organizations, more broadly, have been working to find common purpose since the election of Trump; for example, two days after the election, the Working Families Party hosted a mass call sponsored by 200 organizations — a rare coming-together moment that could form a seed for emerging solidarities as groups’ organizational infrastructure is endangered. Real efforts at coalition-building — resisting competition in favor of mutual uplift efforts — could serve to mitigate the secondary impacts of organizations being baselessly and instrumentally designated as “terrorist-supporting.” For example, if an organization is federally designated as “terrorist-supporting,” peer organizations could sound the alarm about the false allegations and affirm the accused group’s positive impact and importance to the social justice ecosystem so that donors and allies are less likely to back away. Meanwhile, all of us in — and proximate to — the nonprofit world would do well to wrestle with the potential implications of a mounting direct attack on our organizations and our people. How can we be nimble? How can we lean on each other? How can we fight back? Let’s get together and talk about it.Erie MetroParks Board of Park Commissioners recently approved to increase Local Park Capital Improvement Grant Program funds from $40,000 to $80,000, according to a news release. In a unanimous vote at a recent public meeting, the Board of Park Commissioners decided to double Erie MetroParks Local Park Capital Improvement Grant funding for 2025, the release said. Up until 2024 this contribution has been limited (to $40,000) and the increase will allow qualifying entities like cities, townships and villages within Erie County to receive more assistance for infrastructure improvements to their parks, according to Don Miears, board chairman, in the release. “The Board and I are excited to expand the reach of our grant program! Many of our local partners are doing good, hard work but lack the necessary funding to improve their ball fields or play structures,” said Melissa Price, executive director of Erie MetroParks, in the release. “That’s where we can help.” Funding for this Local Park Capital Improvement Grant Program comes from Erie MetroParks general operating fund. To date, Erie MetroParks has distributed $665,500 to grant recipients to maximize each county resident’s tax dollar by assuring accessibility to quality recreational areas in their own backyard, according to the release. Previous recipients who have received grant funding include organizations and municipalities such as the city of Sandusky, Margaretta Township, Oxford Township, Kelleys Island and many others, the release said. “Grants from Erie MetroParks made it possible to greatly improve the Oxford Township Park such that the residents are now proud of it and use it frequently,” said Oxford Township Trustee Mike Parker in the release. “Grant funds were used to purchase playground equipment that meets the latest in safe, innovative and fun equipment for our township children. “Through the availability of grant funds, the baseball field (Oxford Slugger Field) has been improved so dramatically that out-of-town team visitors remark the ‘it is like the Field of Dreams.’ All of these outstanding improvements were only made possible through Erie MetroParks grants.” Political subdivisions — cities, villages, townships, county, etc. — are eligible to apply for funding, provided the agency is responsible for outdoor park and recreation facilities and is located in all or part of Erie County, the release said. Those eligible will be contacted and sent applications in early 2025. To learn more about the Erie MetroParks Local Park Capital Improvement Grant Program visit eriemetroparks.org/grant.

Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 19.12.2024The Swans stunned Pride Park into silence with less than two minutes on the clock when Zan Vipotnik sent a bullet past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom before Ronald slotted home his first of the season in the 14th minute. Cyrus Christie brought Tom Barkhuizen down inside the box and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing dispatched the resulting penalty to cut the deficit in half and, despite piling on the pressure, Derby succumbed to a second home defeat of the season. Williams told a press conference: “We started the game very well, we were good up until we scored the second goal then we lost the grip on the game and I thought Derby were the better team. “The next thing for us we have to be able to maintain that level throughout the game and we weren’t able to do that to be quite honest today. “They made it difficult, reacted very well after the second goal and didn’t go under, far from it.” Swansea leapfrogged their opponents into the top half of the table with their sixth win of the season and took three points back to south Wales following two last-minute defeats by Burnley and Leeds heading into the match. Williams added: “We’ve recently conceded late goals but they’re a very resilient group and we saw it out in the end. “We’ve dominated games a lot but probably failed to score when we’ve been that dominant and tonight we managed to score the goals when we were dominant. “We scored the goals at the right time today.” Derby had been unbeaten in their last three matches coming into this one but Paul Warne put defeat down to a poor start. He said: “We conceded two and didn’t get close enough, weren’t aggressive enough, not enough body contact and looked soft, that’s my fault. “Maybe I didn’t message it properly. Sometimes it doesn’t come down to shape and tactics but I thought that was what the difference was. “Credit Swansea for the win but after the 25 mins it looked like we would score. I really enjoyed it, that’s the truth. I had 70 minutes of a team giving everything, I don’t think we’ve had that many attempts in the Championship this season. “It’s a rude awakening, last year we would’ve won that 4-2.”

Luke Williams feels Swansea ‘lost grip’ on game despite sealing victory at DerbyLiveOne (NASDAQ: LVO) Regains Compliance with Nasdaq Listing Requirements