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Middle East crude benchmark spot premiums for Dubai and Murban dipped on Monday, as oil prices eased from their highest levels in weeks on profit-taking. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) plans to cut around 230,000 barrels per day of its crude oil production in February amid the OPEC+ group’s push to seek stronger discipline in meeting production targets, trade sources said on Monday. The company could adjust February volumes to some Asian buyers using operational tolerance, one of its buyers said, adding Adnoc will notify its February allocations by the end of December. Cash Dubai’s premium to swaps fell 3 cents to $0.91 a barrel. China’s refinery throughput in November recorded its first rise in eight months, official data showed on Monday, as Beijing’s economic stimulus measures began to underpin manufacturing activity and oil demand. A Russian oil tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of oil products split apart during a heavy storm on Sunday, spilling oil into the Kerch Strait, while another tanker was also in distress after sustaining damage, Russian officials said. China’s refined oil consumption peaked in 2023 at 399 million metric tons (7.98 million barrels per day) and is expected to fall 1.3% to 394 million tons in 2024, CNPC Economics & Technology Research Institute said on Friday. Source: Reuters (Reporting by Siyi Liu and Florence Tan in Singapore; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi)Share this Story : LIVING ON THE EDGE: Do the Ottawa Senators need Brady Tkachuk to tone down his emotion? Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Breadcrumb Trail Links Ottawa Senators Sports Hockey NHL Senators Extra LIVING ON THE EDGE: Do the Ottawa Senators need Brady Tkachuk to tone down his emotion? When he plays like a Tasmanian devil, it can be reckless at times. But it's what he does, it's who he is. And that's OK with Senators head coach Travis Green. Author of the article: Tim Baines Published Nov 24, 2024 • Last updated 13 minutes ago • 5 minute read Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here . Or sign-in if you have an account. Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk fights with Vancouver Canucks centre Dakota Joshua during the third period on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. Photo by Justin Tang / THE CANADIAN PRESS Article content The conundrum for the Ottawa Senators: Do you let Brady Tkachuk continue to be Brady Tkachuk? We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team . LIVING ON THE EDGE: Do the Ottawa Senators need Brady Tkachuk to tone down his emotion? Back to video We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team . Play Video Or do you try to change his all-out, sometimes reckless mindset? Do you risk having your team captain spend time in the penalty box when he sticks up for teammates or tries to use his physical presence to shift the momentum of a game? The answer, apparently, is yes. In Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks , the fifth straight setback for the Ottawa Senators, Tkachuk took 21 minutes in penalties. Three of the infractions were minors — roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct and cross-checking. The last of those two-minute penalties came on a delayed penalty call against Ottawa, leaving the Senators with a two-man disadvantage for a full two minutes. Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles from Elizabeth Payne, David Pugliese, Andrew Duffy, Bruce Deachman and others. Plus, food reviews and event listings in the weekly newsletter, Ottawa, Out of Office. Unlimited online access to Ottawa Citizen and 15 news sites with one account. Ottawa Citizen ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Sign In or Create an Account Email Address Continue or View more offers If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is included in your subscription. Activate your Online Access Now Article content There was also a fighting major against Vancouver’s Dakota Joshua and a misconduct that knocked him out of the game in the third period. So, while the Senators were trying to battle back from a 4-1 lead (they scored two goals in the final four minutes), their captain was in the dressing room. You want Tkachuk, who has scored more than 30 goals three times in his first six NHL seasons and already has 10 this year, on the ice as much as possible; he can’t contribute offensively if he’s in the penalty box or in the dressing room. A year ago, he had 134 penalty minutes; this year, he has 48. He drops the gloves, he runs over people, he takes penalties. It’s good, yet sometimes it’s bad. But with Brady Tkachuk, there’s a fine line. With Brady Tkachuk, you’re getting somebody who will do whatever he thinks it takes to help his team win, to protect his teammates. Sometimes frustration and emotion get the better of him. But he gives a crap, he cares. Maybe more guys on the team need to find that edge. On Saturday, Tkachuk tried to light a fire under his teammates, who weren’t playing well enough. That’s what leaders do. Sports Get the latest sport headlines and breaking news. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sports will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Article content Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content When he plays like a Tasmanian devil, it can be reckless at times. But it’s what he does, it’s who he is. And that’s OK with Senators head coach Travis Green. “Whatever Brady and I talk about is between Brady and I,” Green said Saturday. “But he’s an emotional guy. I’m not going to take away his passion and his emotion. We’re going to coach Brady. Every player, you coach a bit differently. I’m not going to harness or take away his passion, his emotion. Quite frankly, it might have gotten us back into the game ... a bit.” His teammates appreciate Tkachuk and what he does. “Not many guys play the game the way he plays it,” defenceman Thomas Chabot said. “He’s got so much character. We all love him. He brings it every single night. It’s not always going to be perfect, it’s never perfect for any of us. He’s been speaking up and embracing his role (as captain), and we all follow that. “Being the captain, he puts a lot of pressure on himself. We want him to know it’s not all on his shoulders. When times are tough, there are emotions. That’s the game, it’s played with emotion and passion.” FIVE AND COUNTING: The Senators should have been able to beat the very short-handed Canucks. Look at the lineups and you’d give Ottawa the edge. Advertisement 4 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content But, Saturday, the Canucks were better. “We fell behind, we had a good push at the end, but we have to have that push when the game starts,” winger Claude Giroux said. “I strongly believe we’re right there. But we have to be better, we will be better. We’re a better team than this.” For the Senators, it’s back to the drawing board, with a home game Monday against the Calgary Flames , then a three-game western road swing that lands in San Jose, Los Angeles and Anaheim. Green was short with the media following Sunday’s skate at the Bell Sensplex; his patience has to be wearing thin. When asked what has to happen, what has to change for the Senators on Monday, Green said, “Play better.” “You don’t just magically win because you want to,” Green said Saturday. “The other team has a say in who wins and who loses as well. As I’ve said, you can play well and lose, play bad and win.” Asked if Ottawa had a lack of emotion early in Saturday’s game, Green said: “That’s easy to say from the outside looking in. What is emotion? Is it the building getting loud? Is it scoring goals? Play good hockey and everyone thinks you have emotion, I guess. Did we have emotion in Boston (a 3-2 win) or Toronto (3-0 win)? No, we just played better. That’s the reality.” Advertisement 5 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Asked how the Senators can regain the confidence they seemed to be showing earlier in the season, he said: “The guy that gets the answer to that is going to make a lot of money. It’s not like you tell someone to be confident. You can pat him on the back, give him a little kick in the butt, but confidence comes from within. Each guy finds confidence his own way and we’re trying to help our guys with that. This is not just a teaching league. You’re here to play.” Asked if had the impression the Senators played not to lose instead of playing to win Saturday, Green said: “No, I didn’t. I got the impression we gave them four easy goals and didn’t play well enough to win the game.” Asked about his veteran players, Green said: “Some guys haven’t played good enough and have to play better.” To throw in a Yogi Berra quote, is this “deja vu all over again?” Giroux doesn’t think so. “We’re a different group than we were in the past,” he said. “We’re going to turn this around, I strongly believe that.” ICE CHIPS: Don’t go flipping around your TV channels looking for Monday’s game to be on TSN: it’s not. Senators versus Flames is the featured game on Amazon Prime Monday Night Hockey. If you don’t have Prime, TSN 1200 radio is a great option ... The game starts at 7:30 p.m. ... Artem Zub missed practice Sunday; when a player is OK to go the next day, the Senators usually call it a “maintenance day.” They didn’t call Zub’s absence that ... Winger Zack MacEwen was put on waivers and Zack Ostapchuk was recalled from Belleville. Recommended from Editorial TAKEAWAYS: Ottawa Senators lose again, even after best Vancouver Canucks player kicked out AT THE QUARTER MARK: New faces, but it's the same old story for Ottawa Senators Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : LIVING ON THE EDGE: Do the Ottawa Senators need Brady Tkachuk to tone down his emotion? Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Comments You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments. Create an Account Sign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Trending Wife of abusive CFB Petawawa soldier seeks $12 million in damages from military Local News Government auctioning off 'rare' Pokémon card from surplus list Public Service Ottawa's death toll from drug overdoses appears headed for new record in 2024 News Ottawa councillor's profane outburst with daycare staff 'bullying and intimidation' News TAKEAWAYS: Ottawa Senators lose again, even after best Vancouver Canucks player kicked out Ottawa Senators Read Next Latest National Stories Featured Local Savings

The Edmonton Oilers entered this season under the assumption they'd need to trade for a top four defenceman, but the play of Brett Kulak may be changing Stan Bowman's priorities for the trade deadline. Brett Kulak has regularly been elevated to the second pairing by Coach Knoblauch, playing over 20 minutes of ice each game this month - and he's been fantastic. Oilers analyst Alan Mitchell believes Kulak could be the team's ideal top four defenceman , which could open up possibilities for the Oilers to trade for a goaltender or a forward as well. This isn't the first time now that it's been suggested Kulak could handle a top four role, which could change the Oilers trade plans. A few weeks ago, Kulak's emergence promoted Mitchell to believe the Oilers may instead acquire a quality bottom pair defenceman , instead of a big name top four defender. The Oilers entered the season only positive that Ekholm, Bouchard, and Nurse would handle the top four roles, but the veteran Kulak has proven so far that he can handle the increased ice. He's got surprising speed for a 30 year old defender, which allows him to quickly close gaps and get into position at the right times. Kulak is fantastic with his on-ice awareness and ability to pick up the weak areas of his defence partner - a true defenceman that's always aware of any gaps in coverage. The Oilers should continue to give him the increased ice, and if he handles it well, it could free up the Oilers trade plans significantly. Edmonton could trade for an established defender for their bottom pairing, but perhaps at a cheaper salary than a top four. With the cap saving, perhaps the Oilers target an addition elsewhere on the roster, like a goaltending tandem with Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks . We'll see how it unfolds for the rest of the season, but it's great to see the Stony Plain native step up to play the best hockey of his career when the Oilers needed it the most. This article first appeared on Oilers Daily and was syndicated with permission.None

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COLLEGE BOWLFantasy Basketball Waiver Wire Week 9: Herb Jones remains roster-worthy despite potential scoring regressionThe University of Lagos has been awarded a seed grant by the African Engineering and Technology Network to research digital growth in youth-led micro, small, and medium enterprises across Africa. The study, which will involve collaboration with the University of Nairobi, Kenya and the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, was announced in a statement obtained by The PUNCH on Saturday. The research lead from UNILAG’s Faculty of Management Sciences, Dr. Obigbemi Imoleayo, explained that the one-year project will focus on evaluating digital transformation and maturity within MSMEs across Sub-Saharan Africa. The research will cover various sectors, including health, energy, environment, and sustainability. Dr. Imoleayo noted that the study aims to identify the key challenges and opportunities that could accelerate digital adoption in Africa’s MSME ecosystem. She, however, lamented that these enterprises face high failure rates, often lacking the digital maturity needed to compete and grow sustainably. Recognising the transformative potential of digital technology, particularly for youth-led businesses, she said the study aims to assess the state of digital transformation in various sectors. Related News UNILAG, OAU, CU win CFA contest UNILAG students kick over N300,000 Ghana trip fee How I turned down N800,000 from MKO Abiola — Sowore It will also create a clear understanding of MSMEs’ digital capacities and offer solutions to boost resilience and sustainability, she added. According to her, the structured research will proceed through distinct phases over the coming year. In the initial months, the research team will set objectives, refine methodologies, and build partnerships. “A comprehensive literature review and framework development are planned for months three and four, setting the groundwork for a digital maturity assessment survey and qualitative interviews,” she said. “These surveys and interviews will gauge digital capabilities and capture the lived experiences of MSMEs in adapting to new technologies. In the final stages, findings will be analysed and disseminated through workshops, conferences, and academic publications, ultimately informing policies that will accelerate MSMEs’ digital transformation,” she explained. Dr. Imoleayo reiterated that despite the advantages digital transformation offers, MSMEs often struggle to adopt necessary technologies due to resource constraints, including limited budgets, knowledge gaps, and time constraints. “This research will investigate several key questions, including the current level of digital maturity in MSMEs across sectors; the challenges and opportunities MSMEs encounter when adopting digital technologies; the impact of digital maturity on MSMEs’ business performance, innovation, and sustainability; and strategies and interventions to enhance MSMEs’ digital maturity,” she said. “Outcomes of the study will be shared with industry stakeholders, policymakers, and academia, aiming to foster a supportive environment for African MSMEs in the digital era. As part of this commitment, findings will also appear in policy briefs, book chapters, and journal articles,” she stated.

Vasily Podkolzin vowed there's more to come after his first goal as an Edmonton Oiler. Podkolzin scored the game's first goal and Connor McDavid had two goals and an assist for the Oilers in a 6-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday. Podkolzin was all over opposing nets in recent games and was finally rewarded when he beat Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick for his first goal this season, his first as an Oiler and his first goal since last March for a span of 42 regular season games. "It took much longer than I thought, but sometimes God gives you a little bit of challenges for the life, and for being a better hockey player or better person," Podkolzin said. "It's tough, but sometimes you need these challenges in your life to be a better hockey player. Be patient, keep working, and try to think positive. Have a strong mentality." Connor McDavid scores to become the 4th-fastest NHL player to reach 1,000 points Leon Draisaitl dropped the puck back to Podkolzin whose one-timer went in off the post with 2:26 left in the first period. The 23-year-old Russian forward was a 10th overall pick by the Vancouver Canucks in 2019, but he was traded to the Oilers in the summer for a fourth-round draft pick. Draisaitl's been impressed by Podkolzin's play and was thrilled to see finally see him get rewarded. "He's really underrated and does a lot of things that go unnoticed that a lot of people that don't really understand hockey, they don't pick up on it," Draisaitl said. "I am very happy for him to get on the board. He's had plenty of looks. Hopefully this opens the floodgates for him a little bit." Podkolzin said Draisaitl has been very supportive through his scoring drought. Leon Draisaitl potted a goal against the Rangers in the second period. He assisted on another goal Saturday night. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press) "He tells me, after almost every game, 'Keep going. Everything is good. Work hard, and this stuff will come,'" he said. "And finally, I scored. And I'm going to score more." Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard each had a goal and an assist and Darnell Nurse also scored short-handed for the Oilers (11-9-2) who have gone 5-2-1 in their last eight outings. Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown each had a pair of assists for Edmonton. "There is a lot to build off of," Nurse said. "It's one of those foundation games that you can gain some momentum off of if we can take it and use it the right way. You want to be good on home ice, especially against good teams, and we did that tonight." It was Nurse's first game back in the lineup after a check to his head by Toronto's Ryan Reaves a week earlier. Reaves was slapped with a five-game suspension. The Rangers' Jacob Trouba, left, tries to defend against Connor McDavid, right, during Saturday's game. McDavid had three points on the night, scoring twice and assisting once. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press) Stuart Skinner made 33 saves in net for the Oilers. Artemi Panarin replied with a pair of goals for the Rangers (12-6-1) who have lost two straight after opening a four-game road trip with a pair of victories. "We're leaving our goalies out to dry in the first period especially and we have to come out with a lot more urgency and we have to dig deep here and look at ourselves in the mirror before the next game," said New York forward Vincent Trocheck. Quick had 34 saves for the Rangers.By Lewis Krauskopf NEW YORK (Reuters) - A banner year for U.S. stocks gets one of its last big tests with the coming week’s Federal Reserve meeting, as investors await the central bank's guidance on interest rate cuts. The Nasdaq Composite index breached 20,000 for the first time ever in the past week, another milestone for equities in a year during which the tech-heavy index has gained 32% while the S&P 500 has risen about 27%. Expectations that the Fed will cut interest rates have supported those gains. But while the central bank is expected to lower borrowing costs by another 25 basis points next week, investors have moderated their bets on how aggressively policymakers will move next year due to robust economic growth and sticky inflation. Bond yields, which move inversely to Treasury prices, have risen in recent sessions as a result, taking the benchmark U.S. 10-year yield to a three-week high of 4.38% on Friday. While stocks have pushed higher despite the rise in yields, the 10-year is approaching the 4.5% level some investors have flagged as a potential trip-wire for broader market turbulence. "Anything that results in an expectation that maybe the Fed moves even more slowly from here than investors were expecting could create a little bit of downside for stocks," said Jim Baird, chief investment officer with Plante Moran Financial Advisors. The trajectory of monetary policy is closely monitored by investors, as the level of rates dictates borrowing costs and is a key input in determining stock valuations. Interest rate expectations also sway bond yields, which can dim the allure of equities when they rise because Treasuries are backed by the U.S. government and seen as virtually risk-free if held to term. Fed fund futures indicated a 96% chance the Fed will cut by 25 basis points when it gives its policy decision on Wednesday, according to CME FedWatch data as of Friday. But the path for rates next year is less certain. Fed fund futures are implying the rate will be at 3.8% by December of next year, down from the current level of 4.5%-4.75%, according to LSEG data. That is about 100 basis points higher than what was priced in September. The Fed's summary of economic projections released at the meeting will provide one indication of where policymakers see rates heading. Officials penciled in a median rate of 3.4% for the end of next year when the summary was last released in September. One sign of potential support for a slower pace of cuts came from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who this month said the economy is stronger now than the central bank had expected in September. Another factor that could make Fed officials more cautious about future cuts is the presidential election of Donald Trump, whose pro-growth economic policies and favoring of tariffs are causing concerns about stronger inflation next year. Analysts at BNP Paribas said they expect a "hawkish cut," with the central bank likely to "open the door for a pause in further cuts of undefined length." Carol Schleif, chief market strategist at BMO Private Wealth, said markets "will be trying to read into how worried is the Fed about inflation." November data released in the past week showed progress in lowering inflation toward the U.S. central bank's 2% target has virtually stalled. Still, analysts say the market's momentum favors more gains into year end, while sentiment among investors in surveys remains bullish - though some market technicals suggest the rally in stocks may have grown stretched. The percentage of Nasdaq constituents hitting 52-week highs has declined since the rally after the Nov 5 election, implying fewer stocks are supporting the advance, Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist for LPL Financial, said in a note on Thursday. “History suggests the tech-heavy index could be due for a breather before longer-term momentum resumes,” Turnquist said. (Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf; Editing by Ira Iosebashvili and Nick Zieminski)Peter Wright in tears after KNOCKING OUT world No1 Luke Humphries in sensational World Darts Championship upset

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Canadian airline executives testify before parliamentary committee about bag feesFrom revisiting the political scandal that sparked a cultural reckoning in Canberra to a rich-lister’s unravelling, there were no shortage of court battles being waged — or defended — by the top end of town in 2024. We revisit some of the cases that dominated headlines and left us shocked, perplexed, and — at times — even entertained. Brittany Higgins defended a defamation action launched by Senator Linda Reynolds. Credit: Composite image/Holly Thompson Villain or victim? Reynolds v Higgins It was a story of an alleged rape in the halls of Parliament House and a covert political cover-up, and like all “fairytales”, it needed a villain. That was how WA Senator Linda Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett began the five-week-long trial in her defamation suit against former staffer Brittany Higgins and her husband David Sharaz, the most high-profile case to go before WA’s civil courts in 2024. The former defence minister sued Higgins over social media posts accusing her of mishandling the former staffer’s alleged rape by Bruce Lehrmann in March 2019 — a claim that was later aired by the media and created a storm that led to Reynolds’ political demise. Loading Higgins fiercely defended the action on the basis her posts were true, but opted against taking the stand at the eleventh hour amid concerns for her health. The trial, which the pair mortgaged and sold their homes to pursue, pored over the events of 2019 in excruciating detail, dragged in high-profile figures — from former prime minister Scott Morrison to broadcaster Peta Credlin — and threw private texts into the public arena we imagine the parties would have preferred to remain private. It also spawned fresh evidence Reynolds now wants to use as a weapon in her bid to have Higgins’ $2.4 million compensation claim probed by the corruption watchdog. Lehrmann has maintained his innocence since his 2022 criminal trial was aborted due to juror misconduct, but a Federal Court judgment found, on the balance of probabilities, that he did rape Higgins. Lehrmann is now appealing that ruling. Justice Paul Tottle is expected to hand down a judgment in the court row in the New Year, but we suspect there won’t be any winners in this saga. Western Australia’s mining dynasty, of which the nation’s richest person Gina Rinehart is the most famous member, was embroiled in a court fight over the rights to the Hope Downs projects in the state’s iron-rich Pilbara region. Credit: Marija Ercegovac Gina Rinehart: 1, Bianca and John: 0 The high-stakes clash over the Hope Downs iron ore project , which pitted Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart against two mining dynasties and her eldest children, occupied two floors of the Supreme Court for more than six months in 2023. And yet still, there was unfinished business in the battle for the multibillion-dollar asset. The case made headlines again in April, when Rinehart’s eldest children lost an eleventh-hour bid for 82 top secret documents their billionaire mother claimed were protected by legal privilege. The pair, who have been locked in a bitter battle with their mother over mining assets left behind by their pioneer grandfather Lang Hancock, believed the files might aid their pursuit for ownership of Rinehart-led Hancock Prospecting’s sprawling mining tenements in the state’s north-west. But Justice Natalie Whitby ruled the pair had insufficient evidence, lashing the handling of the case and its burden on the public justice system after revealing the court book spanned 6000 pages. “To say that the resources dedicated to these privilege claims was grossly disproportionate to the issues in the dispute is an understatement,” she wrote. Ouch... We’re still awaiting a judgment from Justice Jennifer Smith on the broader row. We hope Justice Smith is not spending the whole festive season “in the area of or contiguous to” her desk and what we imagine is a very lengthy draft judgment. Beleaguered Mineral Resources boss takes on media to keep court row quiet He gained a reputation as the uninhibited billionaire mining boss behind Mineral Resources’ meteoric rise, but it would be what Chris Ellison kept hidden that would be his downfall. Depressed lithium prices, sweeping cost cuts and a debt-laden balance sheet saw Ellison declare it the “shittiest time” to be a managing director in one newspaper interview. Loading Just a few months later, he would announce plans to vacate the top job, undone by an exposé in the Australian Financial Review detailing his involvement in an alleged decade-long tax evasion scheme. But as shareholders were demanding answers and the corporate regulator was beginning its own probe, Ellison’s lawyers were busy fighting to keep the media from undoing sweeping gag orders over documents filed in his now-settled row with a former contracts boss. The documents were central to the two-year court row MinRes, Ellison and self-proclaimed whistleblower Steven Pigozzo had been fighting on several fronts until inking a peace deal in July — which featured explosive allegations of misconduct. While a string of Pigozzo’s claims had been republished by the media, much of the case had been covered by suppression orders which were broadened when both parties asked that more than 16 legal documents be permanently removed from the case file. “The non-publication orders are sought to fortify matters raised previously about allegations that were not just irrelevant but scandalous,” Ellison’s lawyer told the court. WA Health, scientist ink top-secret stem cell patent peace deal She was the face of Royal Perth Hospital’s state-of-the-art cellular therapy facility, the Perth scientist behind a medical invention that saw her wheeled out by the health department’s publicity team to showcase its life-changing research. That was until the day of Dr Marian Sturm’s retirement in 2021, when the health service dragged her to court demanding compensation and that the licence agreement for the invention be torn up. The three-year medicine ownership battle came to an abrupt end in March after the East Metropolitan Health Service and Sturm’s company Isopogen inked a top-secret peace deal. The lawsuit centred around intellectual property rights to an improved method of manufacturing mesenchymal stromal cells used to treat inflammatory illnesses, which Sturm developed in 2007 and registered in her name and that of her capital-raising vehicle Isopogen. Sturm’s relationship with the EMHS soured amid claims she had breached her contract by asserting ownership over the medicine, which saw Isopogen, two former employees, the state’s own patents attorneys and its insurer embroiled in a bitter legal pursuit with the health service. The parties claimed they had reached a mutually acceptable, confidential settlement which provided a comprehensive framework for “an ongoing relationship”. A spokesperson for the health service told this masthead that gag order extended to how much this three-year sparring match cost the taxpayer. How convenient. Loading Vegan activist Tash Peterson, partner cop $280k bill in defamation row She’s not quite the “top end of town”, but we couldn’t take a look back at the biggest civil cases of 2024 without referencing the whopping damages bill handed to Perth’s most prominent animal rights activist. In November, Tash Peterson and her partner were ordered to pay $280,000 in damages to the owners of a Perth veterinary clinic for defamation after a bizarre dispute in 2021. The dispute, which was later circulated on social media, was sparked after Peterson and Jack Higgs spotted two cockatiels in a large cage at the front of Dr Kay McIntosh and Andrew McIntosh’s Bicton Veterinary Clinic. What unfolded was a bizarre tirade in which Peterson accused the clinic of “advertising animal slavery” — despite neither of the birds being able to survive in the wild — and of eating their own patients. Peterson and Higgs had claimed their tirade was justified as honest opinion, defending the content on the basis it was substantially true and a matter of public interest. But the part of the trial that managed to capture the most attention were revelations about just how deep Peterson’s pockets were, with the V-Gan Booty Pty Ltd entity behind her burgeoning OnlyFans account generating more than $380,000 in earnings in 2022 alone. We suspect this won’t be the last we see of Peterson. Get alerts on breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Courts Perth Jesinta Burton – is a journalist with WAtoday, specialising in civil courts, business and urban development. Connect via Twitter or email . Most Viewed in National LoadingUS charges Iranians over deadly strike on American troops

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted amid mixed trading Monday, ahead of this week’s upcoming meeting by the Federal Reserve that could set Wall Street’s direction into next year. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%, coming off its first losing week in the last four . The Nasdaq composite climbed 1.2% to a record, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was a laggard and fell 110 points, or 0.3%. Broadcom leaped 11.2% to help lead the S&P 500 for a second straight day after delivering a profit report last week that beat analysts’ expectations. The technology company is riding a wave of enthusiasm about its artificial-intelligence offerings in particular. The market’s main event, though, will arrive on Wednesday when the Federal Reserve will announce its last move on interest rates for the year. The widespread expectation is that it will cut its main rate for a third straight time, as it tries to boost the slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its target of 2%. The question is how much more it will cut rates next year, and Fed officials will release projections for where they see the federal funds rate ending 2025, along with other economic indicators, once their meeting concludes. Fed Chair Jerome Powell will also answer questions in a press conference following the meeting. For now, the general expectation among traders is that the Fed may cut a couple more times in 2025, according to data from CME Group. But such expectations have been shrinking following reports suggesting inflation may be tougher to get all the way down to 2% from here. Besides last month’s slight acceleration in inflation, another worry is that President-elect Donald Trump’s preferences for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation down the line. Goldman Sachs economist David Mericle has dropped his earlier forecast of a cut by the Fed in January, for example. Beyond the possibility of tariffs, he said Fed officials may also want to slow their cuts because of uncertainty about exactly how low rates need to go so that they no longer press the brakes on the economy. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times so far this year and is heading for one of its best years of the millennium . The economy has held up better than many feared, continuing to grow even after the Fed hiked the federal funds rate to a two-decade high in hopes of grinding down on inflation, which topped 9% two summers ago. On Wall Street, MicroStrategy jumped as much as 7% during the day as it continues to benefit from the surging price for bitcoin , which set another all-time high. But its stock ended the day down by les than 0.1% after bitcoin’s price pulled back below $106,000 after setting a record above $107,700, according to CoinDesk. The software company has been building its hoard of the cryptocurrency, and its stock price has more than sextupled this year. It will also soon join the Nasdaq 100 index. Bitcoin’s price has catapulted from roughly $44,000 at the start of the year, riding a recent wave of enthusiasm that Trump will create a system that’s more favorable to digital currencies . Honeywell rose 3.7% after saying it’s still considering a spin-off or sale of its aerospace business, as part of a review of its overall business. It said it plans to give an update with the release of its fourth-quarter results. They helped offset a drop for Nvidia, whose chips are powering much of the world’s move into AI. Its stock fell 1.7%. Because it’s grown so massive, with a total value topping $3 trillion, it was the single heaviest weight on the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 rose 22.99 points to 6,074.08. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 110.58 to 43,717.48, and the Nasdaq composite rose 247.17 to 20,173.89. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.39% from 4.40% late Friday. The two-year yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, eased to 4.24% from 4.25%. In stock markets abroad, indexes fell modestly across much of Europe and Asia. They sank 0.9% in Hong Kong and 0.2% in Shanghai after China reported lackluster economic indicators for November despite attempts to strengthen the world’s second-largest economy. South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.2% as law enforcement authorities pushed to summon impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning over his short-lived martial law decree, and the Constitutional Court met to discuss whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.COLLEGE BOWL

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has advocated resilient democracies in Africa. The governor canvassed this at LUX Marijani in Zanzibar, a region off the coast of East Africa, during the 7th Africa Political Summit and Diamond Awards, organised by the Association of Political Consultants Africa. According to a Monday statement from the Office of the Special Adviser on Rural Development, Nurudeen Agbaje, the event held from December 11 to 14, 2024, and brought together political consultants, leaders and stakeholders to deliberate on the theme, “Building Resilient Democracies: Elections, Transitions, and Governance.” At the event, Sanwo-Olu was also honoured with the 2024 Democracy Award. “Represented by the SA, Agbaje, the governor underscored the pivotal role of resilient democracies in fostering governance, safeguarding human rights, and promoting inclusivity. Related News Japan donates to Africa’s sustainable energy fund Inlaks boosts Sub-Saharan growth in Africa Gene drive tech could reshape malaria control in Africa - Report “He showcased Lagos State’s transformative milestones under his THEMES + Developmental Agenda, emphasising advancements in innovation, infrastructure, healthcare, commerce, tourism, and security. “In his address, Sanwo-Olu highlighted Lagos State’s role as a beacon of democratic governance in Africa, detailing key achievements in technology, infrastructure, healthcare and economic growth,” the statement said. He called for sustained investment in electoral technology, robust civic education, and greater political inclusivity to strengthen Africa’s democratic systems. The APCA President, Kipngeno Duncan, presented the Democracy Award to Sanwo-Olu, commending his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to democratic governance in Lagos. Agbaje, joined by the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office, Kehinde Gbajumo, received the award on behalf of the governor.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees acquired All-Star closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-hander Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin on Friday. The Yankees also will send more than $1 million to the Brewers as part of the trade. A 30-year-old right-hander, Williams is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season. He was diagnosed during spring training with two stress fractures in his back and didn't make his season debut until July 28 . Williams was 14 for 15 in save chances with a 1.25 ERA, striking out 38 and walking 11 in 21 2/3 innings. His fastball averaged 94.7 mph and he threw it on 53.5% of his pitches, mixing in 45% changeups — known as the “Airbender” — around 1.5% cutters. An All-Star in 2022 and 2023, Williams was a second-round pick in the 2013 amateur draft and is 27-10 with a 1.83 ERA and 68 saves in 78 chances over six seasons, striking out 375 and walking 112 in 235 2/3 innings over 241 games. Milwaukee declined a $10.5 million club option in favor of a $250,000 buyout last month, making Williams eligible for arbitration. Cortes, who turned 30 on Tuesday, was an All-Star in 2022 when he went 12-4 with a career-best 2.44 ERA in 28 starts. He made just one start after May 30 in 2023 because of a strained left rotator cuff and was sidelined late in the 2024 season by a flexor strain in his left elbow. He returned for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and entered in the 10th inning of the opener, retiring Shohei Ohtani on a foulout with his first pitch and giving up a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman on his second. Cortes, know for his many deliveries, is 33-21 with a 3.80 ERA in 86 starts and 49 relief appearances over seven seasons. He is eligible for arbitration and also can become a free agent after next season. New York had an excess of starters after reaching a $218 million, eight-year agreement with left-hander Max Fried that is pending. The rotation also is projected to include ace Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, with Marcus Stroman also available. Durbin, who turns 25 in February, hit .287 with 10 homers, 60 RBIs and 29 stolen bases this year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was with the big league team last spring training and hit .312 with five homers, 21 RBIs and 29 steals in 24 games at the Arizona Fall League. “I think he’s a stud," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said last month. "Great bat-to-ball, elite ability on the bases as a base stealer, good defender in the middle of the diamond, second base. He’s really started over the last year-plus to create some position flexibility, too. He's played some short, he's played some third. We introduced him to some outfield this year.” This story has been corrected to note New York is sending cash to Milwaukee, not the other way around. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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