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HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company's collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron's new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand's tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that "We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company's website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. This story was corrected to fix the spelling of Ken Lay’s first name, which had been misspelled “Key.” Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70wow888 free 297 。

President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case and was written by D. John Sauer, Trump’s choice for solicitor general. The argument submitted to the court is the latest example of Trump inserting himself in national issues before he takes office. The Republican president-elect has already begun negotiating with other countries over his plans to impose tariffs, and he intervened earlier this month in a plan to fund the federal government, calling for a bipartisan plan to be rejected and sending Republicans back to the negotiating table. He has been holding meetings with foreign leaders and business officials at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida while he assembles his administration, including a meeting last week with TikTok CEO Shou Chew. Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined the TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral. He said earlier this year that he still believed there were national security risks with TikTok, but that he opposed banning it. The filings Friday come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The law was was signed by President Joe Biden in April after it passed Congress with broad bipartisan support. TikTok and ByteDance filed a legal challenge afterwards. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute, leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” In their brief to the Supreme Court on Friday, attorneys for TikTok and its parent company ByteDance argued the federal appeals court erred in its ruling and based its decision on “alleged ‘risks’ that China could exercise control” over TikTok’s U.S. platform by pressuring its foreign affiliates. The Biden administration has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok’s U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread or suppress information. But the government “concedes that it has no evidence China has ever attempted to do so,” TikTok’s legal filing said, adding that the U.S. fears are predicated on future risks. In its filing Friday, the Biden administration said because TikTok “is integrated with ByteDance and relies on its propriety engine developed and maintained in China,” its corporate structure carries with it risk.

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Elon Musk’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) company xAI, has raised $6 billion in its latest Series C funding round, according to a filing with the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission. The round saw participation from key investors including A16Z, Blackrock, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Kingdom Holdings, Lightspeed, MGX, Morgan Stanley, OIA, QIA, Sequoia Capital, Valor Equity Partners, and Vy Capital, amongst others. Strategic investors NVIDIA and AMD also participated and continue to support xAI in rapidly scaling our infrastructure. This latest funding brings xAI’s total capital raised to $12 billion, following a prior $6 billion secured in May this year. In a blog post, xAI announced that the funds secured earlier this year will be used to take its first products to the market, build advanced infrastructure, and accelerate the research and development of future technologies. Tekedia Mini-MBA edition 16 (Feb 10 – May 3, 2025 ) opens registrations; register today for early bird discounts. Tekedia AI in Business Masterclass opens registrations here. Join Tekedia Capital Syndicate and i nvest in Africa’s finest startups here . The company also announced plans to hire numerous roles of talented individuals to join a small team focused on making a meaningful impact on the future of humanity. Since the announcement of the Series B in May 2024, xAI has made significant technical progress and shipped a multitude of key initiatives including: With the recent Series C investments raised, xAI disclosed that the funds will be used to further accelerate its advanced infrastructure, ship groundbreaking products that will be used by billions of people, and accelerate the research and development of future technologies enabling the company’s mission to understand the true nature of the universe. Recently, the company launched a standalone iOS app for its chatbot, Grok, expanding its usage. The app which was previously exclusive to X (formerly Twitter) users, is now available in beta version in Australia and other select regions, offering advanced generative AI capabilities. Notably, xAI’s most powerful model yet, Grok 3, is currently training and the company is focused on launching innovative new consumer and enterprise products that will leverage the power of Grok, Colossus, and X to transform the way humans live, work, and play.

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The Punjab and Haryana governments on Friday declared a seven-day state mourning till January 1 as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Official spokespersons of both state governments said that as per the letter of the Union home ministry, during this mourning period, no official celebrations would be held in the offices of the Punjab government and the national flag would be flown at half-mast. India lost a visionary statesman: Punjab guv Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria expressed deep sorrow and grief over the passing of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. ‘With profound grief and deepest reverence, I mourn the passing of Dr Manmohan Singh, who served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014 - a period that marked a transformative era in our nation’s journey. Dr Singh was not merely a political figure, but a visionary statesman who reshaped India’s economic and social landscape through his remarkable leadership and intellectual brilliance”, the governor said. CM Saini, Hooda express grief Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini said the former PM’s contribution to the development of the country will always be unforgettable. In a condolence message, Saini said, “The country has lost not only a visionary statesman but also a dedicated servant of the nation and a great economist.” Expressing grief, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “Manmohan Singh was a great economist and pioneer of economic reforms who took the country forward on the path of progress. His death has caused an irreparable loss for the nation.”From natural disasters and humanitarian crises to advances in space exploration, 2024 brought a series of impactful events around the world. As the year draws to a close, satellite images from Maxar Technologies have captured many of those defining moments—from the collapse of a Maryland bridge to the launch of groundbreaking rockets—offering a bird's-eye perspective of a world in motion. Here's a closer look at some of 2024's most pivotal events as seen from space. A Tragedy in Baltimore In March, the Dali container ship collided with a key support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, leading to a devastating collapse of the bridge's span. The disaster claimed six lives and blocked vital shipping lanes at the Port of Baltimore for nearly two months, with economic losses initially estimated at $15 million per day. The Dali has since been removed, and plans are underway to rebuild the Key Bridge after federal funds were approved as part of the end-of-year spending deal in Congress . Breaking New Ground in Space Observation In May, Maxar pointed its first two WorldView Legion satellites at a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch. High-resolution images captured just before liftoff showed the rocket at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The new Legion "birds" are able to capture detailed imagery more often and at different times of the day. Boeing Starliner's Failed Mission In June, Boeing's Starliner spacecraft achieved a major milestone by docking with the International Space Station (ISS) during its first crewed mission. That was the good news. The Starliner mission faced immediate challenges when technical issues, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, were detected as the capsule was docked at the ISS. As a result, NASA decided to return the Starliner to Earth without its crew in September. The astronauts who hitched a ride on Starliner remain on the ISS with a return still TBD. Gaza Humanitarian Pier Fails Immediately In June, a newly built pier off the coast of Gaza, intended for humanitarian aid, was broken apart by rough seas. The $50 million Army project was criticized for poor design and its location in a particularly volatile location in Gaza, where aid would be difficult to disburse even if it made it off the pier. Limited coordination between international and local authorities delayed repairs, rendering the pier unusable. The Pentagon announced its closure on July 17, after it had been operational for only 20 days. One U.S. soldier who was injured while working on the pier died months later as a result of his injuries. Paris Takes Center Stage Paris was the site of the 2024 Summer Olympics , which transformed the City of Light into a vast sports complex. As part of the preparations, organizers built a temporary beach volleyball arena in the shadow the Eiffel Tower that provided some of the most picture-perfect backdrops of the Games. Destruction in North Carolina The southeastern U.S. faced severe challenges as Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck back-to-back in September and October. Helene caused widespread flooding in inland North Carolina, while Milton set a National Weather Service record for rapid intensification, reaching Category 5 status in 24 hours. The 2024 hurricane season was the second costliest in history, with $190 billion in damages, and set records for late-season storm activity. The Vegas Strip Comes Alive In November, Las Vegas hosted the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Grand Prix. Maxar's satellite imagery showcased the track winding through the Vegas Strip, passing landmarks like the popular new concert and event venue known as The Sphere. Dutch driver Max Verstappen claimed victory at the F1, finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc and Sergio Pérez. The race drew approximately 315,000 attendees. Restoration of a Global Icon When Notre-Dame suffered a catastrophic fire in April 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron was ridiculed by promising the famed Gothic cathedral would be restored in five years — a job that many expected to take decades. In December, just more than five years later, Paris celebrated the reopening of Notre Dame. The sweeping restoration, funded by nearly $1 billion in private donations, was marked by a ceremony hosted by Macron, who expressed gratitude to the donors and thousands of builders and craftspeople who worked tirelessly to reopen the city's most treasured building.

Global Ship Repairing Market Set For 8.4% Growth, Reaching $54.57 Billion By 2028

Secures 27% of forward quota share reinsurance coverage from a panel of third-party reinsurance providers RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Enact Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACT) (Enact), a leading provider of private mortgage insurance through its insurance subsidiaries, today announced that its flagship legal entity, Enact Mortgage Insurance Corporation, has entered into two quota share reinsurance agreements with a broad panel of highly-rated reinsurers. Under the agreements, and subject to certain conditions, Enact will cede approximately 27% of a portion of expected new insurance written for the period from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025 and will cede approximately 27% of a portion of expected new insurance written for the period from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. "We are pleased to have entered into these two new quota share reinsurance agreements, which represent a continuation of our commitment to prudent risk management and capital optimization while also supporting our ability to serve our customers,” said Rohit Gupta, President and CEO of Enact. "We appreciate the support and partnership from our broad panel of highly-rated reinsurers as we continue our mission to help people responsibly achieve the dream of homeownership.” Safe Harbor Statement This communication contains "forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may address, among other things, our expected financial and operational results, the related assumptions underlying our expected results, guidance concerning the future return of capital and the quotations of management. These forward-looking statements are distinguished by use of words such as "will,” "may,” "would,” "anticipate,” "expect,” "believe,” "designed,” "plan,” "predict,” "project,” "target,” "could,” "should,” or "intend,” the negative of these terms, and similar references to future periods. These views involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and, accordingly, our actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this press release. Factors or events that we cannot predict, including risks related to an economic downturn or a recession in the United States and in other countries around the world; changes in political, business, regulatory, and economic conditions; changes in or to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the "GSEs”), whether through Federal legislation, restructurings or a shift in business practices; failure to continue to meet the mortgage insurer eligibility requirements of the GSEs; competition for customers; lenders or investors seeking alternatives to private mortgage insurance; an increase in the number of loans insured through Federal government mortgage insurance programs, including those offered by the Federal Housing Administration; and other factors described in the risk factors contained in our 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other filings with the SEC, may cause our actual results to differ from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Although Enact believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, Enact can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved and it undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. About Enact Holdings, Inc. Enact (Nasdaq: ACT), operating principally through its wholly-owned subsidiary Enact Mortgage Insurance Corporation since 1981, is a leading U.S. private mortgage insurance provider committed to helping more people achieve the dream of homeownership. Building on a deep understanding of lenders' businesses and a legacy of financial strength, we partner with lenders to bring best-in class service, leading underwriting expertise, and extensive risk and capital management to the mortgage process, helping to put more people in homes and keep them there. By empowering customers and their borrowers, Enact seeks to positively impact the lives of those in the communities in which it serves in a sustainable way. Enact is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual. CONTACT: Investor Contact Daniel Kohl [email protected] Media Contact Sarah Wentz [email protected]A WOMAN who's paid to sleep with men has left people stunned after sharing how she was booked as a "birthday treat" for one woman's husband. Lucy is a sex worker, and was contacted a few months ago by a woman who had come across her page on TikTok, before she'd decided to take the plunge and make a booking. 2 Lucy took to TikTok to share a storytime about how she was booked as a birthday present for a woman's husband Credit: Tiktok/@lucyhuxleyxxx 2 She returned after the two-hour session, to share an update about her "really lovely time" Credit: Tiktok/@lucyhuxleyxxx But the booking wasn't for herself - instead she had decided to gift her spouse a session with Lucy for his big day. It was a two-hour booking, which began with Lucy sitting down with the couple in a hotel bar for a few drinks, before she took the birthday boy upstairs to the room. The woman had told her husband about the birthday surprise last week, and had even told Lucy about his likes and dislikes in the bedroom - down to the kind of lingerie that turns him on. "And now I get to surprise him by doing things he likes without him having to ask for it, which I think is gonna be super fun," she explained in a video on her TikTok page. Read more Sex stories NUDE YEAR From 'permission play' to ‘sobergasms’: the big trends for better sex in 2025 LOO STORY I got chucked out a rave for bonking in a loo - but I'm no 'Bonnie Blue wannabe' She'd then headed out for the booking, before returning to the social media site to share an update later on. Kicking off the clip , Lucy insisted that the booking had gone "really well", and she'd had "so much in common" with the wife. After around 45 minutes drinking together, the wife headed off, so that they could get down to business. "It turns out that this was actually their first dip into non-monogamy," Lucy said, adding that they'd been married for over a decade. Most read in Fabulous TAKE A BOW Shoppers race to River Island for ideal little black party dress for under £50 WALKING ON SUNSHINE Meet the globe-trotting celebs who turned 2024 into one big holiday 'SCREAMS DESPERATION' Lily Phillips is bizarre - she's giving our industry a terrible name SEX-PLOITED Lily Phillips admits the blokes are the only winners after bedding 101 men But it was the woman who had decided "she was interested in her husband being with someone else" and it was "something that she's really into". "I felt very honoured to be a part of their first experience," Lucy grinned. Controversial star Bonnie Blue boasts about sex conquests live on show "And yeah, it was a super lovely time, and I hope that I get to see them again." However, people in the comments section weren't convinced that the session was an ideal birthday treat, with one writing emphatically: "Love is dead". "May this kind of love never find me," another added. "If I was married, I would never share my husband with another person, even if she was a professional," a third commented. "I would die of jealousy and anger. "I don't know how people do it!" What your sexual fantasies say about you By Emma Kenny, a TV presenter and psychologist Raucous Role Play: If your partner enjoys dressing up for fun, it shows creativity and a desire to keep things exciting. However, it might signal that he struggles with responsibility. Multi-Partner Fantasies: Craving variety doesn't always mean he wants to cheat. However, it could indicate deeper feelings of unfulfillment. Power & Control: A little dominance is normal, but if it's always about control, it may hide insecurities. Adventure: Men seeking thrills may push boundaries, so be sure your comfort zone is respected. Passion: If he’s romantic, he’s emotionally tuned in—though occasionally avoiding tough conversations. Flexibility: Openness to new experiences is great, but constant novelty-seeking could mean avoiding emotional connection. Red Flag: If control is his ultimate fantasy, it may signal a deeper struggle with power dynamics. "Same! Just the thought of it makes me angry and uncomfortable," someone else agreed. "It’s so gross," another raged. But others were more on board with the idea. "I wish everyone was this open-minded," one said. "This is real love," another wrote. Read more on the Scottish Sun SNOW WAY Weather maps show heavy snow for Scotland in DAYS – with -2C New Year’s chill NO CRIME Orange Order slam cops after Celtic activist was cleared over 'sectarian rants' As a third added: "There are kinks that make this fun for both partners. "Just because YOU do not like it does not mean the couple in question does not either."

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