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Kroger and Albertsons’ plan for the in history crumbled Wednesday, with Albertsons pulling out of the $24.6 billion deal and the two companies accusing each other of not doing enough to push their proposed alliance through. Albertsons said it had filed a lawsuit against Kroger, seeking a $600 million termination fee as well as billions of dollars in and lost shareholder value. Kroger said the claims were “baseless” and that Albertsons was not entitled to the fee. “After reviewing options, the company determined it is no longer in its best interests to pursue the merger,” Kroger said in a statement Wednesday. The bitter breakup came the day after in separate court cases. U.S. District Court Judge Adrienne Nelson in Oregon issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday blocking the merger until an in-house judge at the Federal Trade Commission could consider the matter. An hour later, Superior Court Judge Marshall Ferguson in Seattle issued a permanent injunction . Ferguson ruled that combining Albertsons and Kroger would lessen competition and violate consumer-protection laws. The companies could have appealed the rulings or proceeded to the in-house FTC hearings. Albertsons’ decision to pull out of deal instead surprised some industry experts. “I’m in a state of professional and commercial shock that they would take this scorched earth approach,” said Burt Flickinger, a longtime analyst and owner of retail consulting firm Strategic Resource Group. “The logical thing would have been for Albertsons to let the decision sink in for a day and then meet and see what could be done. But the lawsuit seems to make that a moot issue.” Albertsons is unlikely to find another merger partner because it has significant debt and underperforming stores in most of its markets., Flickinger said. the most immediate impact of the deal’s demise, he said, since Albertsons charges 12% to 14% more than Kroger and other grocery rivals. “They had so much debt they had to pay it off it’s reflected in their pricing and promotional structure,” Flickinger said. Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran testified during the federal hearing in September that his company might consider “structural options” like laying off employees, closing stores and exiting certain markets if the merger with Kroger didn’t go through. “I would have to consider that,” he said. “It’s a dramatically different picture with the merger than without it.” But in a statement Wednesday, Sankaran said Albertsons would “start this next chapter in strong financial condition with a track record of positive business performance.” In the company’s most recent quarter, Albertsons’ revenue rose 1% to $18.5 billion and it reported $7.9 billion in debt. Kroger said it would also move forward in a strong financial position, with revenue down slightly to $33.6 billion in its most recent quarter. The company announced a $7.5 billion share buyback program Wednesday after a two-year pause. Kroger and Albertsons first proposed the . They argued that combining would help them better compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, which are gaining an increasing share of U.S. grocery sales. Together, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13% of the U.S. grocery market. Walmart controls around 22%. Under the merger agreement, Kroger and Albertsons — who compete in 22 states — agreed to in places where their locations overlap to , a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and Piggly Wiggly store brands. But the Federal Trade Commission and two states — Washington and — sued to block the merger earlier this year, saying it would raise prices and lower workers’ wages by eliminating competition. It also said the divestiture plan was inadequate and that C&S was ill-equipped to take on so many stores. On Wednesday, Albertsons said that Kroger failed to exercise “best efforts” and to take “any and all actions” to secure regulatory approval of the companies’ agreed merger transaction. Albertsons said Kroger refused to divest the assets necessary for antitrust approval, ignored regulators’ feedback and rejected divestiture buyers that would have been stronger than C&S. “Kroger’s self-serving conduct, taken at the expense of Albertsons and the agreed transaction, has harmed Albertsons’ shareholders, associates and consumers,” said Tom Moriarty, Albertsons’ general counsel, in a statement. Kroger said that it disagrees with Albertsons “in the strongest possible terms.” It said early Wednesday that Albertsons was responsible for “repeated intentional material breaches and interference throughout the merger process.” , based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in 35 states, including brands like Ralphs, Smith’s and Harris Teeter. , based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people. Kroger sued the FTC in August in federal court in Ohio, claiming that the federal agency’s in-house administrative hearings were unlawful because the FTC was also able to challenge the merger in federal court in Oregon. In paperwork filed Wednesday, the FTC said it expected to update the court on its next steps in that case by Dec. 17. In Colorado, which also sued to block the merger, Attorney General Phil Weiser said Tuesday that he still was awaiting a decision from a state judge. In that case, Colorado also was challenging an allegedly illegal no-poach agreement Kroger and Albertsons made during a 2022 strike. Shares of Albertsons fell 1.5% Wednesday, while Kroger’s stock was up 1%.Caterpillar Invites World's Most-Skilled Operators to Forge Their Legacies through Third Global Operator ChallengeBest hair product for frizzy strands over summer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Londynn Jones scored 15 points, making all five of her 3-pointers, and fifth-ranked UCLA stunned No. 1 South Carolina 77-62 on Sunday, ending the Gamecocks’ overall 43-game winning streak and their run of 33 consecutive road victories. The Gamecocks (5-1) lost for the first time since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat them in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a weekDear Eric: My daughter and her boyfriend got an apartment together about four years ago. They’ve been dating about eight years. They seem committed and happy and in love, but they split their living expenses like they are two roommates 50/50. My daughter makes about half of what her boyfriend does. I know she does more of the cleaning, shopping, pet care while her boyfriend spends his money on frivolous purchases. I am protective of my daughter and want to make sure she knows that, generally, when couples are in love and living together and committed, they co-mingle their funds and don’t worry about keeping score. Is that still true in this day and age? I also know that my daughter is sometimes reluctant to stick up for herself or expect more. Should I talk to my daughter and explain that generally committed loving partners support each other emotionally, psychologically, spiritually and ... financially? Or perhaps I should talk to her boyfriend, man to man, and explain that, if he loves my daughter, he wouldn’t want her to stress about money. Another part of me says that they are both adults and can make their own decisions and I should keep quiet. – Unmarried Daughter’s Pop Dear Pop: Your concern is understandable, but you’ll want to make sure that any action you take doesn’t undermine your daughter or the decisions she’s made for herself. Many couples combine finances, but many others don’t, and it works just fine for them. The way we spend our money reflects our values. So, if you want to talk to your daughter, start with a conversation about financial goals and motivations for spending and saving. Listening to how she sees her financial landscape may offer insight into why she’s chosen to organize her household finances like this. Then ask if she’s open to advice (and heed the answer). If you feel that there’s a better way for the two of them to plan for their future, share that. Is the boyfriend contributing a portion of his income to a joint savings account or stock portfolio, perhaps? She may or may not take your advice, and that’s OK. I’d hold off on criticizing the boyfriend’s frivolous spending, though. That’s not really your concern and will muddy the waters. The chance that you’re offering is one from which we all could benefit: someone more experienced helping us to make smart financial decisions. Read more Asking Eric Asking Eric: We’re visiting family overseas for the holidays, but they didn’t include us in their plans Asking Eric: My neighbor and I enjoy going for walks, but three is a crowd Asking Eric: Is it rude to move another person’s belongings? Asking Eric: My husband politely holds the door open for others, but there’s a problem Asking Eric: How do I find a good therapist? ( Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com .)NTPC Green Energy to allot shares tomorrow: How to check

The Refurbished Steam Deck OLED Is a Stupid Good DealFORT WASHINGTON, Pa., Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL) ( TollBrothers.com ), the nation's leading builder of luxury homes, today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend to shareholders. The dividend of $0.23 per share will be paid on January 24, 2025 to shareholders of record on the close of business on January 10, 2025. ABOUT TOLL BROTHERS Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded 57 years ago in 1967 and became a public company in 1986. Its common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL.” The Company serves first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult, and second-home buyers, as well as urban and suburban renters. Toll Brothers builds in over 60 markets in 24 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, as well as in the District of Columbia. The Company operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, insurance, smart home technology, and landscape subsidiaries. The Company also develops master-planned and golf course communities as well as operates its own lumber distribution, house component assembly, and manufacturing operations. In 2024, Toll Brothers marked 10 years in a row being named to the Fortune World’s Most Admired CompaniesTM list and the Company’s Chairman and CEO Douglas C. Yearley, Jr. was named one of 25 Top CEOs by Barron’s magazine. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com . Toll Brothers discloses information about its business and financial performance and other matters, and provides links to its securities filings, notices of investor events, and earnings and other news releases, on the Investor Relations section of its website (investors.TollBrothers.com). From Fortune, ©2024 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. CONTACT: Gregg Ziegler (215) 478-3820 gziegler@tollbrothers.com

Connor Gaydos, the newly appointed CEO of the reborn Enron Corporation, found himself in the limelight for an unexpected reason. Just days after a controversial appointment was announced, Gaydos was hit in the face with a pie during a public appearance in New York City. The video, which spread all over social media platform X, shows Gaydos getting out of a black vehicle and then being hit by the elderly man with the pie. His bodyguards took him away from the area immediately. Watch the video here: Enron Revival Scandal Enron’s rebranding has generated much noise, promising a “bold vision for the future” and groundbreaking innovation in the field of energy. Details have not been shared, with promises of more at Enron Power Summit on 6 January 2025. Gaydos addressed this issue in a video a day before the incident. In it, she stated that Enron’s bad past was “something this company is trying to recover from. “It’s true, we’ve had poor leadership in the past, but thankfully, the past is prologue, and now we’re turning the page. What we’re doing behind the scenes and what we’re about to release is truly groundbreaking. It’s truly revolutionary.” Leadership Under Scrutiny Critics have raised questions to both the legitimacy and timeliness of Enron’s revival. Gaydos, co-owner of the College Company, bought the old Enron name for a sum of $275 dollars in 2020 raising speculation over whether the rebirth is a serious commercial venture or an ironic riposte at corporate America. Former employees and individuals affected by the Enron bankruptcy in 2001 have raised objections. Many of them argue that using the name trivializes the financial disaster that resulted in huge losses and unemployment. ALSO READ | Your Regime’s Allies Are Falling: Netanyahu To Iranians | WATCHDodgers $23M star predicted to re-sign with LA after monster year | Sporting News

Soak it in, Nebraska fans. The long wait is finally over. The Nebraska football team is going bowling for the first time since 2016, and those who saw it happen live on Saturday couldn’t wait any longer to start the celebration. Fans rushed the Memorial Stadium field for the second time this fall, and who could blame them? As Nebraska’s one-time pregame anthem, “Can You Feel It,” blasted from the stadium’s loudspeakers, the answer was undoubtedly yes — everyone could feel the energy and the joy present on the field. Fans jumped together, screaming into the November night sky as Nebraska staffers milled around and players received congratulations, applause and handshakes. That such a breakthrough moment would happen for the Nebraska football this fall was not always certain, especially after the Huskers dropped a fourth straight game to USC last week. Following that game, quarterback Dylan Raiola boldly proclaimed he felt the Huskers would win their next game — but why? “I’m a big vibes person, and when I came back in the locker room even though we lost, I just got the vibe that we were about to take off,” Raiola said. On Saturday night inside Memorial Stadium, the vibes were immaculate. Let’s drop into coverage: When Nebraska walked off the field at the 2016 Music City Bowl, no one would’ve predicted that it’d be eight years before the Huskers would themselves back in the postseason. Year after year and season after season followed — each with its own promise and potential, only to end in heartbreak. There was the defensively challenged 2017 team, and the 2018 team that started 0-6 but put things together late. The 2019 team showed flashes but stumbled late, especially in one-score games. The 2020 team actually got the option to go to a bowl game but turned it down. The 2021 team earned the unfortunate moniker of perhaps being the best three-win team ever. The 2022 team once again found itself on the wrong end of one-score games. The 2023 team had an elite defense but couldn't get the job done in four tries. In the end, it was the 2024 Huskers who got it done, true freshman quarterback and all. It was impossible to see the accomplishment of Saturday night and not think of the hundreds of Huskers whose playing careers came to an end not during a bowl game but during the regular season. Players like Ethan Piper, Garrett Nelson, Luke Reimer or Trent Hixson — Nebraskans who shed blood, sweat and tears for the program with little to show for it. “It’s for the guys that came before us and stuck through it all,” senior Isaac Gifford said of making a bowl game. Head coach Matt Rhule was paid the big bucks to deliver such a moment, but he’s still deserving of credit for getting the job done. An inability to get over the line in 2023, combined with a swing and a miss at a transfer portal quarterback, raised pressure on Rhule as other programs found their quick fix and instant success. Rhule, who earned a reputation as a program-builder from his time at Temple and Baylor, was always going to focus on long-term, not short-term success. “The future of Nebraska football is not hanging on one decision; it’s hanging on an accumulation of great recruiting, great development, great coaching and great teaching,” Rhule said in November 2022. The Nebraska administrators who stood alongside Rhule on that day — Chancellor Ronnie Green, President Ted Carter and Athletic Director Trev Alberts — all left their posts before seeing the process through. Rhule, however, hasn't wavered. Nebraska fans can have their gripes about clock management, playing time, offensive play calls or any of the other places where NU still has room for improvement — but who can deny that Rhule has made strides in each and all of those areas? “It’s relief in that I’ve gotten the benefit of doing this twice before,” Rhule said Saturday of snapping the bowl game streak. “I look at the weight room, I look at the training room, sports science, sports psychology, player development, recruiting and I look at all the things we’re doing and believe it’s all right and that it’s all going to pay off in a big way.” Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen is cooking up something special. Facing a Wisconsin defense that allowed just 16 points against No. 1 Oregon last week, Nebraska ran the ball effectively, threw the ball into tight windows and strung together drives with impressive consistency. It’s not just the 44-point output that stands out — the way Nebraska played on offense has simply looked different with Holgorsen calling the plays the last two weeks. “Credit to coach Holgorsen and what he’s brought to the offense,” Rhule said. “Maybe it’s playcalling, but I think the biggest thing he’s brought is a little bit of swagger to them.” Let’s give Holgorsen his flowers while remembering something as well: this is still the offense designed and built by Marcus Satterfield over the last two seasons. Holgorsen hasn’t reinvented the wheel since taking over, but what he has done is shake up the rhythm and timing of play calls within the offense and the personnel trusted to execute them. In order to run the ball, you have to commit to it, and Holgorsen has done an excellent job thus far of making sure Nebraska gets plenty out of its ground game. Playing the most snaps (52) of any Husker running back this season, sophomore Emmett Johnson also ran for the most yards (113) any player has all year. Nebraska also debuted a nifty two-back look where Dante Dowdell and Johnson lined up alongside Raiola in the backfield, a formation that gave the Wisconsin defense trouble to defend. Credit the blocking, up front and on the perimeter — where NU has looked much better in recent weeks — for springing the big running day. 20 of NU’s 38 rushing attempts went to the right side of its offensive line, with the Huskers averaging over 6 yards per carry on those plays. Holgorsen also dialed up the right mixture of passing plays for Raiola, who played his first interception-free game since late September. Nebraska got the ball out quickly with Raiola often firing to his first read for short gains, a setup senior Jahmal Banks said was “just like practice.” “The ball went where it was supposed to be,” Rhule said of Nebraska’s pass game, adding that the Huskers did well in pass protection. Also of interest in NU’s offensive personnel was senior wide receiver Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda getting on the field to record his first catch since the 2023 season opener. And at tight end, usual starter Thomas Fidone II spent much of the game on the sidelines after committing an early false start penalty. Fidone played just three snaps, ceding playing time to Nate Boerkircher (49 snaps played) and Luke Lindenmeyer (44 snaps). Many of the players who powered the Nebraska offense on Saturday are the same who the Huskers will hope to build around moving forward. Johnson in particular stands out as the running back of the future for Nebraska, having averaged 4.6 yards per carry a year ago and 5.4 yards per attempt this fall in addition to his skills as a pass-catching back. “We’re changing Nebraska football,” Johnson said after the game. Raiola, of course, has gone through his own learning curves and should come back stronger as a sophomore in 2025 as a result. His favorite target this fall, freshman wideout Jacory Barney Jr., also continues to impress as the season progresses. In addition to his work on special teams, Barney has 49 receptions, 10 rushing attempts, three touchdowns and over 500 yards to his name this season. “Jacory runs a route as hard if he’s the first progression as if he’s the fourth progression; he runs every play like it’s the last play of his life,” Rhule said. Nebraska’s depth of talent on offense runs much deeper than those players, with some who’ve not even seen the field this fall set to make their impact moving forward. Knowing that this Wednesday will not be their final practice of the season with bowl game practices to follow simply adds to the growth potential of NU’s young offense. “There’s a lot of guys that if they just stop at the end of the year, catch their breath and look up, they’ve really gotten better over the course of the year,” Rhule said. “Now we have a couple extra weeks of bowl practice to try and get them to another one.” A veteran-heavy Nebraska defense, excellent throughout the 2023 season, hasn’t necessarily been at the same level this fall. Remember, that unit essentially dragged the team to five wins; earning more than that is the reward for their hard work this time around. Wisconsin struggled to finish drives off but still chewed up more than 400 yards of offense as Nebraska allowed 20-plus points for the fifth week in a row. Still, NU’s early season success — particularly in the nonconference slate — has allowed the Huskers to put together a solid campaign at home. Nebraska allowed just 15.7 points per game inside Memorial Stadium this season, a number which rose to 28.8 points per game on the road. Nebraska’s Black Friday matchup against Iowa will pit the Huskers against a team that is down to its fourth-string quarterback. If there’s one thing Iowa knows how to do, it is win with defense, special teams and the ground game. Sophomore walk-on Jackson Stratton completed 10-of-14 passes for 76 yards in Iowa’s win over Maryland, with head coach Kirk Ferentz saying Stratton is likely to start against Nebraska as well. NU fans can now begin looking at bowl game projections with the knowledge that the Huskers will be a part of the postseason. CBS Sports’ projection, updated after Nebraska’s win over Wisconsin, has the Huskers set for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl against Texas Tech on Dec. 26 in Phoenix. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

One of the cornerstones of Amazon rainforest protection – the Soy Moratorium – is under unprecedented pressure from Brazilian agribusiness organisations, politicians, and global trading companies, the Guardian has learned. Soy is one of the most widely grown crops in Brazil , and posed a huge deforestation threat to the Amazon rainforest until stakeholders voluntarily agreed to impose a moratorium and no longer source it from the region in 2006. The voluntary agreement brought together farmers, environmentalists and international food companies such as Cargill and McDonald’s, and decided that any detection of soy planted on areas deforested after 2008 would result in the farm being blocked from supply chains, regardless of whether the land clearance was legal in Brazil. In the 18 years since, the moratorium has been hailed as a conservation success story that improved the reputation of global brands, enabled soy production to expand significantly without Amazon destruction and prevented an estimated 17,000 square kilometres of deforestation. But next week the main soybean body – the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (ABIOVE) – will ballot its members about a reform that conservation groups say would gut its effectiveness and embarrass the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ahead of next year’s COP30 climate conference in Belém. The association is proposing a change in the way the moratorium is monitored. Instead of assessing an entire farm, it breaks down the analysis to the level of individual fields, which would allow growers to pick and choose which areas of their land are in compliance. In a statement to the Guardian, the association said it remained in favour of the moratorium, but was planning unspecified changes: “Despite all pressures from different stakeholders, in all forums, ABIOVE and its members maintain defence of the Amazon Moratorium, striving to meet the demands of both farmers and consumers, including proposing some updates to the current model.” But conservation groups warn this reform would create a huge loophole and they have threatened to withdraw from the moratorium if it goes ahead. “The question this raises is why the leadership of ABIOVE is pressing ahead with this vote, when it appears to undermine the commitments of its member companies,” said David Cleary, global director for agriculture in the Nature Conservancy. ‘The proposed changes to shift to a sub-farm level monitoring system make it possible for farmers to sell to moratorium companies from one part of the farm and non-moratorium companies from another. The monitoring of the moratorium has worked well since 2008. If it isn’t broken, it doesn’t need fixing.” WWF said any move to end or weaken the soy moratorium could open up 1.1m hectares of forest for soy production and push the Amazon closer to a calamitous tipping point and emitting 300m tonnes of CO2 from deforestation. “This is not just an environmental issue but a critical economic and reputational risk for the entire Brazilian soy industry,” WWF noted in an email statement. “In addition, this could lead to an increase in land speculation, land grabbing and potential conflict in the region.” Others noted the threat to the moratorium would introduce greater complexity and uncertainty into the supply chain, weakening enforcement mechanisms and making it more difficult to hold traders and producers to account. Jane Lino, deputy director of the non-profit Proforest Latin America, said this was part of a wider political agenda. “This movement is not just about the Soy Moratorium,” she said. “It reflects broader resistance to external pressures perceived as infringing on national sovereignty and disrespecting Brazil’s environmental laws.” The proposals come amid moves by rightwing legislators at state and federal level to enact new laws that would also undermine the moratorium. Earlier this year, the state of Mato Grosso approved a new regulation that revoked tax incentives for companies engaged in agreements like the Soy Moratorium. Similar proposals are being put forward in other states and discussed in the national Congress. The national association of soy producers, Aprosoja, is opposed to the moratorium and is using its influence inside the powerful agribusiness lobby, which dominates domestic politics, controls Congress , influences many local governments, and frequently undermines President Lula and his environment minister Marina Silva, to diminish its influence. Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense has also been prompted to investigate producer claims that the moratorium infringes antitrust regulations. Carlos Klink, a former deputy minister for the environment, emphasised that the political dynamics of Brazil had changed dramatically since the moratorium was introduced. “Look, then and now,” he said of the rise of the agribusiness lobby. “These sectors and these people have come to power. Remember also that the Brazilian government is not that strong.” Part of this is a pushback against the European Union’s deforestation-free trade law, which many Brazilian farmers feel is being used to punish them and help French competitors. Most farmers, who are in compliance with the moratorium, argue they deserve compensation for going beyond the requirements of the law, and conservation groups acknowledge that most farmers are not involved in deforestation and many – now badly affected by drought and fire – should be given more encouragement and technical and financial support to conserve vegetation. “The complaint that if you’re asking farmers to go beyond legal compliance you need to offer incentives is actually reasonable. First world governments and funders need to pay much more attention to the incentives question,” Cleary said. “A lot of Brazilian farmers are fully on board with the climate change agenda, including ending deforestation. They’re the most affected by it. But that opinion isn’t reflected in the louder producer associations, who have a different political agenda.” Moves to weaken the moratorium could be quashed if global traders, retailers and finance institutions publicly defended it. Some such as Bunge and Louis Dreyfus Company have been strong supporters. Others have sent mixed signals. Conservation groups are concerned that Cargill may not vote to maintain the Amazon Soy Moratorium in its current form, despite a commitment to eliminate deforestation in their Brazil supply chains by the end of 2025. Until now, the moratorium has given Brazil a reputational advantage. Many want that to remain. With the Abiove vote still days away and the Mato Grosso governor yet to decide how the state’s new regulations will be applied, Klink said the outcome was not yet certain and urged all involved to focus on the progress that has been made. He noted that deforestation fell dramatically in the Amazon last year, and also declined in the Cerrado savanna this year. Other state soy associations, such as that of Goias, did not agree with the Mato Grosso move, he said, and any further steps would damage the national reputation. “Ending the moratorium without anything else to replace it would not bode well for the Brazilian COP and it would create tension for civil society, and even many farmers’ associations,” he said. “I think this has a long way to go, but we have never seen this pressure.”By KATE BRUMBACK ATLANTA (AP) — A judge is weighing whether a Georgia state Senate committee has the right to subpoena testimony and documents from Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis as it looks into whether she has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump. The Republican-led committee sent subpoenas to Willis in August seeking to compel her to testify at its September meeting and to produce scores of documents. The committee was formed earlier this year to examine allegations of “various forms of misconduct” by Willis, an elected Democrat, during her prosecution of Trump and others over their efforts to overturn the former president’s 2020 election loss in Georgia. Willis’ attorney, former Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes, told Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram during a hearing Tuesday that although the Georgia General Assembly has subpoena power, that power is not automatically conferred on a single legislative chamber or its committees. Even if the committee did have such power, he argued, the subpoenas in question are overly broad and not related to a legitimate legislative need. Barnes said the focus on Willis and her investigation into Trump shows that the committee was politically motivated and not a legitimate inquiry into the practices of district attorneys’ offices: “What they were trying to do is chill the prosecution of Donald Trump and find out what they had.” Josh Belinfante, a lawyer representing the lawmakers, said there is nothing in the Georgia Constitution that prohibits the Senate from issuing a subpoena. The duly formed interim committee is looking into whether new legislation is needed to regulate the practices of district attorneys’ offices in the state, he argued. “They are investigating and making an inquiry into these allegations that may show that existing state laws, including those establishing the processes for selecting, hiring and compensating special assistant district attorneys, are inadequate,” Belinfante said. The resolution creating the committee focused in particular on Willis’ hiring of special prosecutor Nathan Wade , with whom she had a romantic relationship , to lead the prosecution against Trump and others. It says the relationship amounted to a “clear conflict of interest and a fraud upon the taxpayers” of the county and state. One of the committee’s subpoenas orders Wills to produce documents related to Wade, including documents related to his hiring and payment, documents related to money or items of value that Wade and Willis may have exchanged, text messages and emails between the two, and their phone records. The committee also requested any documents her office sent in response to requests from the U.S. House, as well as communications Willis and her office had with the White House, the U.S. Justice Department and the House relating to the 2020 presidential election. And they asked for documents related to federal grant money Willis’ office has received. Before the deadlines in the subpoenas, Willis challenged them in court. Willis’ challenge was pending in mid-September when she skipped a hearing during which the committee members had hoped to question her. In October, the committee asked Ingram to require Willis to comply with the subpoenas. The committee’s lawyers wrote in a court filing that Willis’ failure to do so had delayed its ability to finish its inquiry and to provide recommendations for any legislation or changes in appropriations that might result. Barnes also argued that once the regular legislative session has adjourned, which happened in March this year, legislative committees can meet to study issues and come up with recommendations but do not have the power to compel someone to appear or produce documents. Belinfante rejected that, saying the state Constitution expressly permits the creation of interim committees and allows them to make their rules. Even if these subpoenas were validly issued, Barnes argued, they ask for too much, including private and personal information that is not a legitimate target of a legislative subpoena. Belinfante said the lawmakers are simply trying to do their jobs. He asked that Willis be ordered to appear before the committee in early January. He also asked that she be ordered to provide the requested documents and explain what privilege justifies any that are excluded. With a glaring lack of state case law on the issue of the General Assembly’s subpoena power, that’s one issue Ingram will have to address. She said she will consider the arguments and release her order as soon as she can. Willis and Wade have acknowledged that they had a relationship but have said it began after he was hired and ended before the indictment against Trump was filed. Trump and other defendants argued that the relationship created a conflict of interest that should disqualify Willis and her office from continuing with her prosecution of the case. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled in March that Willis’ actions showed a “tremendous lapse in judgment,” but he did not find a conflict of interest that would disqualify Willis. He said she could continue her prosecution as long as Wade stepped aside, which he did. Trump and others have appealed that ruling to the Georgia Court of Appeals, and that appeal remains pending.

Thirty hours into my Fantasian Neo Dimension playthrough, I found myself in a surreal landscape, a twisted amalgamation dotted by ghostly white corruption known as Mechteria. My Dimengeon device, a contraption that allows me to “bank” monster encounters, was nearly overflowing, so I had to take out over 40 enemies in a single battle. I continued to advance, thinking that the threats had been eliminated, yet numerous encounters piled up within mere seconds. Fantasian Neo Dimension certainly presents a challenge, even for the most ardent fans of turn-based role-playing games, such as myself. Developed by Mistwalker and released in two parts for Apple Arcade back in 2021, Fantasian is a collaboration between two giants of the industry: Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu. Now, this new rerelease for Windows PC and consoles boasts 4K resolution support, along with battle themes from previous Final Fantasy titles, given that Square Enix is handling publishing duties. Indeed, Fantasian Neo Dimension is more than just a callback to the classics of yore or a mere nostalgia fix, as the game has its own quirks to make it stand out of a crowded pack . However, it has a few notable flaws, namely with the controls and camera movement, as well as the narrative arc and combat. Like numerous RPGs, Fantasian Neo Dimension tells the story of an amnesiac. In this case, an adventurer named Leo has found himself jumping back and forth between realms, not knowing what led him down this path. As you piece together Leo’s story, you’re joined by a memorable cast of characters, such as the demure Kina, a healer with a mysterious power, and rambunctious princess Cheryl, whose attitude proves to be more than a match for poor Leo. Fantasian Neo Dimension ’s story does have its share of serious themes, like children yearning for their parents, and the emotional connections that can eventually grow among newfound friends. At the same time, Sakaguchi and his team deftly combine these ideas with humor and lighthearted sequences. The game’s cutscenes are bolstered by terrific English and Japanese voice acting to further heighten the drama or convey the relationships among the characters. I can recall the many times I chuckled whenever party members like Zinikr, a boisterous ship captain, and Ez, a vagabond youth, chided Leo for forgetting the traps he set in his own headquarters. Likewise, there were times when mysterious elflike researcher Valrika interpreted things a little too literally, and made remarks about her taste for men with beards. The appearances of the Cinderella Tri-Stars, recurring bosses with some hilarious battle shenanigans, made me laugh out loud, too. There were also a few callbacks to JRPGs, most notably the love triangle involving Leo, Kina, and Cheryl — complete with hints of jealousy — which reminded me of Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa from Final Fantasy 7 . Fantasian Neo Dimension ’s campaign, meanwhile, made me feel like I was playing Chrono Trigger all over again. My journey took me to other realms not necessarily through time travel quirks, but via dimension hopping to distant places with their own unique designs and landscapes. The art design in the game is nothing short of wonderful, with vivid hand-crafted backgrounds akin to dioramas, from lush forests and frozen mountaintops, to dingy dungeons and cities overrun with Mechteria. Sadly, I’ve also noticed that a few backgrounds and environmental details weren’t fully rendered in 4K, making them look blurry when up close. This, too, is further compounded by janky controls and camera movement. Fantasian Neo Dimension offers three control schemes: gamepad, mouse clicks, and WASD keys. Unfortunately, the sweeping movement of the camera view — perhaps intended to make exploration feel more dynamic — happened so frequently that it felt as though I was fighting with my gamepad’s analog stick just to get my character to move toward a location. Speaking of Mechteria, these pustulant growths are harmful to humans, blocking pathways or depleting your party’s HP if you get too close. The presence and origins of Mechteria in the world are further explained as you progress through the campaign. In keeping with the other RPGs that clearly influenced this game, let’s just say that the planet-annihilating antagonists you fear at the start are but the tip of the iceberg in a narrative arc that goes from zero to 100 rather quickly. After a predominantly linear and tightly woven first half of the campaign, the second half devolves into a nonlinear and disjointed series of “rescue the rest of your team” dungeon romps. This presentation worked as a two-part launch in 2021, since the parts had a monthslong gap between their releases, but the transition from the first half to the second is jarring in a full release at this stage. In a way, the disparity between the two halves also reminded me of discs 1 and 2 of Xenogears , where the former and latter had vastly different structures and presentation. Combat in Fantasian Neo Dimension consists of random enemy encounters, which occur as you explore landscapes. A unique twist to this tried-and-tested formula is the inclusion of the aforementioned Dimengeon device, a means of “banking” or “collecting” enemies until you’re ready to take them on in one huge battle. However, the Dimengeon also has an (upgradable) limit, so you have to be mindful of when to trigger the encounter, lest you get overwhelmed later on. I enjoyed utilizing this feature for the most part, though the latter half of the campaign proved to be tedious due to so many encounters happening within seconds of each other. I had to partake in multiple Dimengeon battles with over 40 enemies, so much so that the pacing became unbearable. (There’s a way to completely reset the Dimengeon counter, but this required me to warp to another town. Although fast travel in the game is very player-friendly, I didn’t always have the means to teleport to and from certain maps or sections.) Meanwhile, the battles themselves are your usual turn-based affair, with enemies and your three-person party taking actions based on the initiative bar. Another refreshing take in Fantasian Neo Dimension is that most character skills and spells pierce through enemies, and you can align their trajectory to hit specific foes in a straight or curved line. For example, if one opponent is blocking its cohorts behind it, you can “bend” your spell to strike those targets instead. The concept adds new tactical layers in how I approached battles, especially during instances when I had to prioritize specific foes or power-ups. The downside is that enemy variety is lacking in many areas, with the game often featuring the same monster types, albeit with different elemental weaknesses. My only other complaint with Fantasian Neo Dimension ’s combat is that several key mechanics are introduced a bit too late in the campaign. This is somewhat understandable in the case of Growth Maps — character-specific skill trees with dozens of perks and upgrades akin to Final Fantasy 10 ’s Sphere Grid system — since these are unlocked as you obtain key items known as Divine Artifacts. Still, I would’ve wanted to have seen the Tension system, akin to Limit Breaks (i.e., powerful abilities that can be unleashed only upon filling a gauge) introduced sooner. I can only surmise that this was due to the original’s two-part launch, where the release of part 2 made it feel like an expansion of sorts for those who had already gone through part 1. For a full release, though, a few major tweaks would’ve been necessary to align these mechanics with expected player progression. One positive aspect worth mentioning is that unlike the original version of the game, Fantasian Neo Dimension has Normal Mode, a welcome concept given that the Apple Arcade release only had Hard Mode as its default difficulty. This makes the game significantly more approachable for newcomers. The grind becomes a lot more manageable if you’re attempting to bring down the game’s toughest bosses, too. Still, don’t expect those fights to be cakewalks, since you still need to be mindful of your party composition, character perks, and equipment. Moreover, the collaboration between Mistwalker and Square Enix has led to one of the best features in the game: the ability to choose from battle themes from other Final Fantasy titles, such as Final Fantasy 7 Remake , Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth , Final Fantasy 14: Endwalker , Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail , and Final Fantasy 16 . I honestly grinned from ear to ear when I fought a couple of slime mobs and Uematsu’s brilliant “One-Winged Angel” suddenly played in the background. Even with just the default music, Uematsu’s genius remains on full display, with soaring and haunting melodies complementing each stage and location. There’s even a tune that sounds like a more sinister rendition of the classic Prelude/Crystal theme from the Final Fantasy series. In the end, Fantasian Neo Dimension is still a solid offering from Mistwalker, one that brought back memories of classic RPGs I played decades prior, including those featuring work from Sakaguchi and Uematsu. References and callbacks abound, though there are still refreshing concepts to keep you engaged for dozens of hours, including a secret dungeon and a new game plus mode. Just watch out for the annoying camera movements all throughout and the ridiculous number of encounters toward the later portion of the game. Fantasian Neo Dimension will be released Dec. 5 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. The game was reviewed on PC using a copy provided by Square Enix. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. 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AI squirrel spotter deployed to protect endangered red squirrelsThe Colombo stock market this week ended with losses though managing to close yesterday marginally on the up amidst low investor activity. The ASPI gained yesterday by 0.56% and the S&P SL20 by 0.27%. For the week, ASPI and S&P SL20 lost 1.1% and 2.7% respectively. Turnover yesterday was below average at Rs. 1.9 billion involving 86 million shares. During the week, the turnover averaged Rs. 4.65 billion. First Capital said the Colombo Bourse experienced a recovery from profit-taking as the market faced a relatively volatile trading session with interest visible on selected Banking sector stocks such as SEYB and PABC, as the ASPI closed the session in green 13,054, gaining 72 points, marking a 0.6% increase from the previous day. BREW, COMB, CINS, SEYB and DIPD emerged as the top positive contributors to the index. Additionally, specific stocks in the Hotel and Plantation sectors continued to attract investor interest throughout the day. In contrast to previous sessions, the market saw an increase in participation from retail investors. Turnover marked a 51.3% decrease from the monthly average. The Banking sector led the turnover by 39%, followed by the Capital Goods, and Food, Beverage and Tobacco sectors jointly contributing 23% of the overall turnover. There was a net foreign inflow of Rs. 16.9 million signalling interest in internal investments. NDB Securities said the ASPI closed in green yesterday as a result of price gains in counters such as Ceylon Beverage Holdings, Commercial Bank and Ceylinco Insurance. High net worth and institutional investor participation was noted in Hatton National Bank, John Keells Holdings and Pan Asia Banking Corporation. Mixed interest was observed in Seylan Bank, Sampath Bank and Dipped Products whilst retail interest was noted in Industrial Asphalts, Waskaduwa Beach Resort and Softlogic Holdings. The Banking sector was the top contributor to the market turnover (due to Seylan Bank, Pan Asia Banking Corporation, Sampath Bank and Hatton National Bank) whilst the sector index gained 0.87%. The share price of Seylan Bank increased by Rs. 4.30 to Rs. 58.10. The share price of Pan Asia Banking Corporation gained by 50 cents to Rs. 27.00. The share price of Sampath Bank recorded a gain of 40 cents to Rs. 94.10. The share price of Hatton National Bank closed flat at Rs. 229. The Capital Goods sector was the second highest contributor to the market turnover (due to John Keells Holdings) whilst the sector index edged down by 0.09%. The share price of JKH dipped by 10 cents to Rs. 19.90.Just one day after being eliminated from I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! , singer Tulisa Contostavlos has undergone a social media overhaul. The N-Dubz star became the third star to leave the jungle in a shock exit after Loose Women ’s Jane Moore and BBC Radio 1 presenter Dean McCullough. After Ant and Dec revealed she was voted out, the 36-year-old took the news well and was seemingly excited as she shared her anticipation for some pizza. However, after re-gaining access to her phone, Tulisa took to social media and removed all traces of the reality show from her page. This includes her announcement, pre-entry interview, and the posts shared by her team while she was in the jungle. Eagle-eyed fans also noticed that boxing legend Barry McGuigan is the only one of her campmates that she doesn’t follow on Instagram . According to The Sun , a source close to the show claimed: “Tulisa was in high spirits when she left the set, but something appears to have happened that's left her raging. “She wasn't in a great mood for her post-show interviews and appears to be already distancing herself from the programme. It's all a bit of a mystery at the moment.” Tulisa also seemed to hint at tensions as she spoke to Lorraine and opened up about her time in the jungle. When asked if she’d formed lasting friendships, on the show, Tulisa hesitated before replying: “I feel like I have with some of them. “I think they will be friends for life. But a lot of people for the cameras were being very pally pally but the real test will be when everyone is out.” She cryptically added: “Will they make the effort to send texts in the group chat? Will they do the four-hour drives to see each other? We'll see...” One strong friendship Tulisa made was with professional dancer Oti Mabuse, who she wanted to see be crowned Queen of the Jungle.

By Kazeem Ugbodaga The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) of Brazil, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance private sector development in fertiliser production, hybrid seed technology, and agricultural finance. The MoU was signed on behalf of the government by the Permanent Secretary of FMAFS, Mr Temitope Fashedemi, and the President of FGV, Professor Carlos Ivan Simonsen Leal, at FGV Headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit. The agreement marks a new phase of strategic collaboration between Nigeria and FGV, the Green Imperative Project (GIP) lead implementer, one of the largest international agricultural technology transfer initiatives. Conceived in 2018, GIP is a 1.2 billion dollar cooperative effort between Brazil and Nigeria, designed to modernise Nigeria’s agricultural sector through Brazilian expertise in tropical agriculture. Since the MoU was conceived in 2018, both parties have engaged in many meaningful discussions to advance its design and implementation. The project, supported by Deutsche Bank, aims to deliver transformative agricultural technologies and knowledge transfer over its 10-year duration. Over the next five years, the project will identify and support one agribusiness in Nigeria’s 774 local government areas with technical and financial resources, driving sustainable development and economic growth. “This partnership paves the way for Brazil to engage with Nigeria’s dynamic and rapidly growing agricultural sector. Together with FGV, we are poised to unlock the potential of private sector investment in key areas critical to our food security,” Fashedemi said at the signing ceremony. Under the MOU, private-sector projects on fertiliser production, hybrid seed technology and agricultural financing are projected to attract $4.3 billion in private-sector investment. Senior members of Nigeria’s presidency, officials of FMAFS and FGV’s leadership attended the signing ceremony.