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casino games philippines The dismissal of a class-action lawsuit over rules governing the cross-border live bee trade is casting a spotlight on political division within Canada’s beekeeping community. A federal judge has ruled against awarding commercial beekeepers damages from a decades-old partial ban on shipping live honeybees across the Canada-U.S. border, which is in place out of concerns that could bring in aggressive pests and diseases. Beekeepers from Western Canada involved in the suit claim the government’s risk assessments that inform the tight restrictions are hurting their businesses and are blown out of proportion. Michael Paradis of Paradis Honey Ltd., a seven-generation family beekeeping business based in Girouxville, Alta., and one of the representative plaintiffs in the case, said he’s disappointed with the ruling, saying it puts beekeepers in a “dangerous position” since the industry is already in crisis mode. “Canada does not have enough bees and cannot replenish its own stock at all,” he said. “It’s going to mean a lot more hardship for the industry if we cannot get access to the U.S. bees.” Beekeepers were slammed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when fewer airline flights made it harder to import bees and they suffered a nightmare year of winter losses in 2022. Manitoba commercial beekeeper Brent Ash, one of the witnesses in the case, said the ruling will hamper the industry, and makes it especially tough for apiaries in colder parts of the country like the Prairies, where most of Canada’s beekeepers are located. “Climate makes the regional divide difficult to keep those bugs alive over the course of the winter,” he said, noting honeybees are not native to North America. But Steve Moore, president of the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association, said his group worries about the risks of accidentally bringing in antibiotic resistant mites, the import of Africanized honeybees commonly known as killer bees, and a small hive beetle that’s capable of damaging colonies. “In Ontario here, we feel quite strongly that we don’t want to take the risk of it becoming even more challenging if some of these new and emerging threats come into the country in packages,” he said. But he empathizes with the plaintiffs. “When we go into our apiaries, we get stung by our bees. When we come home, we might be stung by a low honey price, stung by rising cost of production or stung by high overwintering losses, with the threat of new and emerging pathogens. So, we’re all facing the same challenges and it’s a challenging time to be a beekeeper,” he said. Even though a ban on U.S. live bee imports expired in 2006, Ottawa has not issued permits for the live worker bee boxes to be brought over the border since. The plaintiffs argued Ottawa owes them duty of care—and hundreds of millions in damages. The judge disagreed. “There is no duty of care owed and no negligence,” Justice Cecily Strickland wrote in a lengthy ruling, adding the plaintiffs failed to establish that Ottawa hurt their businesses. The case has a long history, dating back to a court filing from 2012, and was only certified as a class action in 2017. The problem is even older. Headlines from the 1980s screamed about fears that deadly infectious mites from U.S. states could level Canadian bee populations. Risks to bee health have only compounded since then. A 2003 risk assessment by the regulator found that importing queen bees was less risky, since they are easier to inspect. So, Canada allows imports of queen bees and their worker-bee attendants from the U.S., Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy and Malta. “Bee packages carry a higher risk of disease introduction because they are shipped with the contents of their hive, which may include mites, parasites and bacteria,” said a statement from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that welcomed the judge’s ruling. Canada does, however, also allow imports of worker bee packages from Italy, Chile, Australia and New Zealand, which sent Canada some 69,364 kgs of packaged bees in 2023, according to statistics from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. But importing from these countries also dramatically drives up import costs due to transportation. One of the plaintiffs, John Gibeau, wrote to CFIA a decade ago complaining that importing more than 1,200 packages for $170,000 would have cost half that if he could have purchased them from California instead. Gibeau said he wasn’t ready to comment since he hasn’t yet digested the ruling. Paradis said the larger issue for him than cost, though, is the quality of the bee stock and the timing of when shipments arrive. “We are looking at bees in the U.S. that are spring bees—young, invigorated bees,” he said, adding that gives them longer lifespans in Canada. While he was disappointed, Paradis said one of the main reasons for the lawsuit was to “bring CFIA to the table and to actually have some discussions” on the import ban, something he said has only happened recently. Canada’s honeybee pollination is estimated to contribute $3.18 billion directly to the economy, but that rises to $7 billion a year when canola pollination is factored in. Canada has some 794,341 beehives.Eagles look to clinch NFC East title while Cowboys hope to play spoiler

Bishop’s three knocks signify reopening of Notre Dame five years after blazeEagles look to clinch NFC East title while Cowboys hope to play spoiler

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Stan Ellis, a farmer, entrepreneur, and community leader with deep roots in the Central Valley, announced today that he is officially running in the special election for California Assembly District 32. With decades of experience in business, innovation, and public service, Ellis is poised to bring strong, values-driven leadership to Sacramento. “Sacramento’s Democrats and Governor Newsom have consistently failed the Central Valley. While Californians struggle with skyrocketing gas prices and the highest cost of living, they’ve prioritized radical agendas over the needs of working families. Their approach is pushing our state in the wrong direction,” said Stan Ellis. “We need strong voices in Sacramento who will fight back against these destructive policies and stand up for our values and our communities. I’m running to defend our way of life and address the real issues facing our Valley—securing our borders, protecting our water and energy resources, improving rural healthcare, and investing in our children’s future.” Ellis continued, “Vince Fong has been a steadfast advocate for the Central Valley, building on a legacy of strong leadership in this district. His service in the Assembly has left a lasting impact on our community, and I’m grateful for his dedication. I look forward to working with him in his new role in Congress to continue delivering results for our Valley.” Ellis’s candidacy has already earned significant support from community leaders, including: Congressman Vince Fong: "Stan Ellis has a proven track record of creating jobs and solving problems in our community. He knows how to get things done and will fight for policies that support small businesses, farmers, and families in the Central Valley. Stan is exactly the kind of leader we need in Sacramento." Congressman David Valadao: "The Central Valley needs a champion in Sacramento who understands our way of life. I’m proud to support Stan Ellis because I know he will work tirelessly to protect our water, reduce burdensome regulations, and lower the cost of living for farmers and families across the Valley.” Senator Shannon Grove: “Stan Ellis embodies the spirit of Central Valley values—hard work, integrity, and dedication to community. As a businessman, he’s spent his life tackling tough challenges and creating solutions that benefit others. He’s the leader we need to champion the Valley’s priorities.” Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo: "Stan Ellis has always been committed to making the Central Valley a better place to live and work. He understands the importance of safe communities, domestically produced energy and good-paying jobs. In the Assembly, Stan will fight tirelessly to protect our way of life." Former Congresswoman Connie Conway: "Stan Ellis is a leader who understands the challenges facing the Central Valley and has the experience to deliver real solutions. He’ll fight for water, jobs, and the safety of our communities, ensuring a brighter future for all of us. Stan is the right choice for Assembly." Other Endorsements include: Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux Kern District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh Kern County Supervisor Jeff Flores Kern County Supervisor David Couch Kern County Supervisor-elect Chris Parlier Former Kern County Supervisor Mike Maggard And many more Community Leaders. Background on Stan Ellis Stan Ellis is a longtime Kern County resident and a respected leader in the Central Valley. Born on a hog farm in South Dakota, Ellis worked his way through college, earning a degree in mathematics from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. After settling in Kern County in 1975, he built a career as a successful entrepreneur, starting businesses in oil, agriculture, and advanced quantum physics technologies. Ellis’s achievements include founding Qubitekk, a quantum physics lab that leads in the design and manufacturing of entangled photon sources and state measurement systems. Stan’s company, Qubitekk, stands out for its commitment as a U.S.-based company to protect critical infrastructure from the danger of hacking threats, both foreign and domestic. Qubitekk is working with the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense to advance cybersecurity in the U.S. He has also developed innovative medical technologies and played an active role in supporting educational initiatives through his involvement with Cal State University, Bakersfield. As a proud father of five and grandfather to twenty, Ellis is deeply committed to future generations. He brings a strong sense of duty, integrity, and dedication to solving the challenges facing the Central Valley.

In October, we asked ‘Will this year’s word of the year be another slice of Gen-Alpha slang?’ In the article, Digital Journal pondered over potential words that might be selected. What represents the ‘word of the year’ is, of course, subjective and it depends on the august body that awards it. The first such winner to emerge in 2024 comes from the Oxford English Dictionary (established 1884). This year the publishers of the Oxford Dictionary have named “ brain rot ” the 2024 Word of the Year. This was the 20th year of lexicographers putting forward and helping to select words that captured the zeitgeist. For 2024 the selection was made following a public vote in which more than 37,000 people took part. This was chosen from a shortlist of six words intended to reflect the moods and conversations that have helped shape the past year. The other words on the short-list were: • Demure (adj.): Of a person: reserved or restrained in appearance or behaviour. Of clothing: not showy, ostentatious, or overly revealing • Dynamic pricing (n.): The practice of varying the price for a product or service to reflect changing market conditions; in particular, the charging of a higher price at a time of greater demand • Lore (n.): A body of (supposed) facts, background information, and anecdotes relating to someone or something, regarded as knowledge required for full understanding or informed discussion of the subject in question • Romantasy (n.): A genre of fiction combining elements of romantic fiction and fantasy, typically featuring themes of magic, the supernatural, or adventure alongside a central romantic storyline • Slop (n.): Art, writing, or other content generated using artificial intelligence, shared and distributed online in an indiscriminate or intrusive way, and characterized as being of low quality, inauthentic, or inaccurate How many of these words will remain on our lips by the time we reach the end of 2025? “Brain rot” is a popular term used among Gen Z and Gen Alpha (despite the first usage being traced back to 1854) to describe both the cause and effect of “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging.” In terms of everyday language, “brain rot” is intended to capture concerns about the impact of consuming excessive amounts of low-quality online content, especially on social media. The term increased in usage frequency by 230 percent between 2023 and 2024. Hence, the most prominent “brain rot” symptom is the adoption of seemingly nonsensical language used in this type of unchallenging content, which may leave those not in the loop puzzled and confused. How exposed are we to “brain rot”? According to The Guardian , the typical UK adult now spending at least four hours a day online (with gen Z men spending five and a half hours a day online, and gen Z women six and a half). In 2023, the word of the year was “manifest” ( as we reported on Digital Journal ). Here, the traditional definition of manifest included the adjective “easily noticed or obvious” and the noun “to show something clearly through signs or actions”. The post-2023 definition now includes “to manifest” in the sense of “to imagine achieving something you want, in the belief doing so will make it more likely to happen”. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

When Andrew Westphal's Costa Rica honeymoon was over last May, you could say the honeymoon was really over. "Traveler's trots. Let's just say again, gastrointestinal distress," Westphal said. He and his new bride were experiencing the same stomach symptoms and decided to go to an urgent care near them. "And it ended up being a $4 antibiotic that solved the issue completely in a day," Westphal recalled. But then, Westphal said, the real pain began when he received his first bill: $1,888. What really stood out, though, was the difference between what his insurance covered compared to his wife's insurance for the medical testing. "So mine ended up being just about $1,700 to $1,800, and she paid $21 for those labs," Westphal said. "I'm trying to just wrap my head around how I could get such a large bill for such a simple service." His insurance carrier is Anthem while hers is Cigna. They both have high-deductible plans, and neither has met their deductibles. RELATED STORY | Murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO ignites online fury over health insurance industry "I, unfortunately, am not surprised," said Adam Fox, the deputy director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative. Fox said Westphal's story underscores the idea that insurance plans are not negotiating better costs for the people they are serving, putting consumers at risk of unpredictably high bills. Additionally, Fox said, there is a larger issue with the rates being charged at so-called "Hospital Outpatient Departments." In a letter to Westphal regarding his urgent care bill, UC Health stated that he had "received these services within a Hospital Outpatient Department." Fox said Medicare charges about $440 for the same tests Westphal was billed $1,840. "They're basically charging four times what Medicare does," said Fox. "I think those services can be provided at a much lower cost. And I think what we are seeing is as hospitals acquire more facilities and doctors offices, they are charging higher costs for the same level of service to patients. And that puts Coloradans at financial risk." A UCHealth spokesperson clarified that its urgent care centers are not Hospital Outpatient Departments, but the labs in certain cases are at the hospital. UCHealth and Anthem declined our requests for interviews, but in an email, a UCHealth spokesman pointed to high-deductible health insurance plans, stating, "This shifts more of the burden of paying medical bills onto patients." UCHealth said it offers billing estimates for anyone who wants to know individual responsibility for a service. An Anthem statement also references high-deductible plans, stating that Westphal's "claim was therefore processed correctly." Anthem said, "We are transparent with Anthem members about the price of health care services." Westphal said he had no idea that what he thought was a simple doctor's visit for antibiotics could cost so much. After his appeals were denied, he said he is learning a frustrating lesson. "You need to find out how much your services are going to cost, even if you think it's something that should be very simple, cost so little," Westphal said. "And yet this insurance company or this provider can really do whatever they want." Full statement from Anthem: This story was originally published by Jaclyn Allen at Scripps News Denver .Japan's famous sake joins UNESCO's cultural heritage list, a boost to brewers and enthusiastsWednesday, December 18, 2024 VINCI Airports is set to transform the 2024-2025 winter season at Grenoble Alpes Isère and Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc airports into an unforgettable travel experience. With enhanced services, a wider selection of destinations, and exciting new routes, these two Alpine gateways are ready to welcome winter visitors with open arms. Grenoble Alpes Isère Airport kicked off the season with the arrival of its first commercial flight on Tuesday, December 3. The easyJet service from London Gatwick marked the official start of the winter season, which promises to be packed with travel opportunities. This winter, the airport will offer a total of 20 destinations, including bustling hubs like London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle, Dublin, Warsaw, and Vilnius. With flights operated by seven scheduled airlines, alongside charter flights from operators across the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Bulgaria, and the Channel Islands, the variety of options is bound to suit a wide range of travelers. A key highlight this season is the introduction of a weekly flight to Jersey, operated by Blue Islands. Starting on December 21, 2024, and running through to February 15, 2025, this new route offers a direct link to the Channel Islands every Saturday, perfect for those seeking a quick getaway. Furthermore, the airport’s popular routes from easyJet to Manchester and multiple London airports, British Airways to London Gatwick and Heathrow, Ryanair to Birmingham, and WizzAir to Vilnius and Warsaw are set to continue, offering plenty of flexibility for winter vacationers. Meanwhile, Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc Airport, which launched its winter operations on Saturday, December 14, 2024, is also poised for a bustling season. With 12 destinations on offer, the airport provides additional options for travelers eager to explore the Alps or head to one of Europe’s premier winter destinations. Through expanded offerings and upgraded services, VINCI Airports ensures that both Grenoble Alpes Isère and Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc airports are ready to serve as key travel hubs for winter adventurers, bringing visitors closer to the mountains, ski resorts, and picturesque Alpine landscapes that define this stunning region. Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc Airport officially began its winter operations on Saturday, December 14, 2024. This season, the airport offers flights to 12 destinations, including key cities like Edinburgh and London Gatwick. A highlight for this winter is the addition of Cardiff, Wales, which will be served by TUI Fly every Saturday, offering even more options for travelers heading to and from the region.

The Importance of Genetic Testing in Modern Cannabis Seed BanksThe NBA got viewers for Christmas, even while going up against NFL games. The NBA's five-game Christmas lineup was the league's most-watched in five years, with the games averaging about 5.25 million viewers per game across ABC, ESPN and its platforms, the league said Thursday based on Nielsen's preliminary numbers. It's an 84% rise over the NBA's Christmas numbers from 2023. The Los Angeles Lakers’ 115-113 victory over the Golden State Warriors — a game pitting Olympic teammates LeBron James and Stephen Curry — averaged 7.76 million viewers and peaked with about 8.32 million viewers toward the end of the contest, the league said. Those numbers represent the most-watched NBA regular season game in five years. “I love the NFL,” James said in his televised postgame interview Wednesday night. “But Christmas is our day.” The NBA said all five Christmas games on its schedule — San Antonio at New York in Victor Wembanyama's holiday debut, Minnesota at Dallas, Philadelphia at Boston, Denver at Phoenix and Lakers-Warriors — saw year-over-year viewership increases. Wednesday's numbers pushed NBA viewership for the season across ESPN platforms to up 4% over last season. The league also saw more than 500 million video views on its social media platforms Wednesday, a new record. For the NBA, those are all good signs amid cries that NBA viewership is hurting. “Ratings are down a bit at beginning of the season. But cable television viewership is down double digits so far this year versus last year," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this month. “You know, we’re almost at the inflection point where people are watching more programing on streaming than they are on traditional television. And it’s a reason why for our new television deals, which we enter into next year, every game is going to be available on a streaming service.” Part of that new package of television deals that the NBA is entering into next season also increases the number of regular season games broadcast on television from 15 to 75. AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

The US Open's first female tournament director will step down in 2025

ORRVILLE, Ohio , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The J. M. Smucker Company (the "Company") (NYSE: SJM ) today announced the pricing terms for its previously announced cash tender offers (each, an "Offer" and collectively, the "Offers") to purchase up to $300 million aggregate purchase price, not including accrued and unpaid interest (the "Offer Cap"), of the Company's validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) notes set forth below (the "Notes") using a "waterfall" methodology under which the Company will accept the Notes in order of their respective acceptance priority levels noted in the table below (the "Acceptance Priority Levels"). The Offers are being made pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, dated December 3, 2024 (the "Offer to Purchase"), which sets forth a description of the terms of the Offers. As of 10:00 a.m. New York City time, on December 17, 2024 (the "Price Determination Time"), the Company expects to accept for purchase pursuant to the Offers the full amount of the 2.750% Senior Notes due 2041 (which have an Acceptance Priority Level of 1), the full amount of the 3.550% Senior Notes due 2050 (which have an Acceptance Priority Level of 2) and a portion of the 2.125% Senior Notes due 2032 (which have an Acceptance Priority Level of 3) validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Tender Time (as defined below) on a prorated basis as described in the Offer to Purchase, using a proration factor of approximately 69.9%, so that the aggregate purchase price does not exceed the Offer Cap. The 4.375% Senior Notes due 2045 (which have an Acceptance Priority Level of 4) and the 5.900% Senior Notes due 2028 (which have an Acceptance Priority Level of 5) will not be accepted for purchase. The "Total Consideration" to be paid for the Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to 5:00 p.m. , New York City time, on December 16, 2024 (the "Early Tender Time") and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offers, includes an early tender premium of $30 per $1,000 principal amount of Notes so tendered and accepted for purchase (the "Early Tender Premium"), which will not constitute an additional or increased payment. In addition to the applicable Total Consideration, holders who validly tender and do not validly withdraw their Notes, and whose Notes are accepted for purchase in the Offers will also be paid any applicable accrued and unpaid interest up to, but excluding, December 19, 2024 (the "Early Settlement Date"). The Total Consideration has been determined in the manner described in the Offer to Purchase by reference to a fixed spread for each of the Notes over the applicable yield to maturity of the applicable U.S. Treasury Security (the "Reference Treasury Security"), determined at the Price Determination Time as specified in the table below and on the cover page of the Offer to Purchase in the column entitled "Reference U.S. Treasury Security." The table below includes only the Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) at or prior to the Early Tender Time that the Company expects to accept for purchase pursuant to the Offers. All conditions of the Offers were deemed satisfied by the Company, or timely waived by the Company. Accordingly, the Company expects to accept for purchase, and pay for, $300 million aggregate purchase price of Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) on the Early Settlement Date. Although the Offers are scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m. , New York City time, on January 2, 2025, unless extended or terminated, because the aggregate purchase price of Notes validly tendered (and not validly withdrawn) prior to or at the Early Tender Time exceeded the Offer Cap, there will be no Final Settlement Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase), and no Notes tendered after the Early Tender Time will be accepted for purchase. Notes tendered and not purchased on December 19, 2024 (the "Early Settlement Date") will be returned to holders promptly after the Early Settlement Date. This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell securities. No offer, solicitation, purchase or sale will be made in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful. The Offers are being made solely pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC are serving as Dealer Managers for the Offers (each, a "Dealer Manager" and together, the "Dealer Managers"). Questions regarding the Offers may be directed to Goldman Sachs at (800) 828-3182 (toll free) or (212) 357-­1452 (collect) or to J.P. Morgan at (866) 834-4666 (toll free) or (212) 834-3554 (collect). Requests for the Offer to Purchase or the documents incorporated by reference therein may be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc., which is acting as the Tender Agent and Information Agent for the Offers, at [email protected] or the following telephone numbers: banks and brokers at (212) 269-5550; all others toll free at (866) 620-2535. The J. M. Smucker Company Forward-Looking Statements This press release ("Release") includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. The forward-looking statements may include statements concerning our current expectations, estimates, assumptions and beliefs concerning future events, conditions, plans and strategies that are not historical fact. Any statement that is not historical in nature is a forward-looking statement and may be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "will," "plan," "strive" and similar phrases. Federal securities laws provide a safe harbor for forward-looking statements to encourage companies to provide prospective information. We are providing this cautionary statement in connection with the safe harbor provisions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, when evaluating the information presented in this Release, as such statements are by nature subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of our control and could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements and from our historical results and experience. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: our ability to successfully integrate Hostess Brands' operations and employees and to implement plans and achieve financial forecasts with respect to the Hostess Brands' business; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits, including synergies and cost savings, related to the Hostess Brands acquisition, including the possibility that the expected benefits will not be realized or will not be realized within the expected time period; disruption from the acquisition of Hostess Brands by diverting the attention of our management and making it more difficult to maintain business and operational relationships; the negative effects of the acquisition of Hostess Brands on the market price of our common shares; the amount of the costs, fees, expenses, and charges and the risk of litigation related to the acquisition of Hostess Brands; the effect of the acquisition of Hostess Brands on our business relationships, operating results, ability to hire and retain key talent, and business generally; disruptions or inefficiencies in our operations or supply chain, including any impact caused by product recalls, political instability, terrorism, geopolitical conflicts (including the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas), extreme weather conditions, natural disasters, pandemics, work stoppages or labor shortages (including potential strikes along the U.S. East and Gulf coast ports and potential impacts related to the duration of a recent strike at our Buffalo, New York manufacturing facility), or other calamities; risks related to the availability of, and cost inflation in, supply chain inputs, including labor, raw materials, commodities, packaging, and transportation; the impact of food security concerns involving either our products or our competitors' products, including changes in consumer preference, consumer litigation, actions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other agencies, and product recalls; risks associated with derivative and purchasing strategies we employ to manage commodity pricing and interest rate risks; the availability of reliable transportation on acceptable terms; our ability to achieve cost savings related to our restructuring and cost management programs in the amounts and within the time frames currently anticipated; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow to continue operating under our capital deployment model, including capital expenditures, debt repayment to meet our deleveraging objectives, dividend payments, and share repurchases; a change in outlook or downgrade in our public credit ratings by a rating agency below investment grade; our ability to implement and realize the full benefit of price changes, and the impact of the timing of the price changes to profits and cash flow in a particular period; the success and cost of marketing and sales programs and strategies intended to promote growth in our business, including product innovation; general competitive activity in the market, including competitors' pricing practices and promotional spending levels; our ability to attract and retain key talent; the concentration of certain of our businesses with key customers and suppliers, including primary or single-source suppliers of certain key raw materials and finished goods, and our ability to manage and maintain key relationships; impairments in the carrying value of goodwill, other intangible assets, or other long-lived assets or changes in the useful lives of other intangible assets or other long-lived assets; the impact of new or changes to existing governmental laws and regulations and their application; the outcome of tax examinations, changes in tax laws, and other tax matters; a disruption, failure, or security breach of our or our suppliers' information technology systems, including, but not limited to, ransomware attacks; foreign currency exchange rate and interest rate fluctuations; and risks related to other factors described under "Risk Factors" in other reports and statements we have filed with the SEC. We do not undertake any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances. About The J. M. Smucker Company At The J.M. Smucker Co., it is our privilege to make food people and pets love by offering a diverse family of brands available across North America . We are proud to lead in the coffee, peanut butter, fruit spreads, frozen handheld, sweet baked goods, dog snacks, and cat food categories by offering brands consumers trust for themselves and their families each day, including Folgers ® , Dunkin' ® , Café Bustelo ® , Jif ® , Uncrustables ® , Smucker's ® , Hostess ® , Milk-Bone ® , and Meow Mix ® . Through our unwavering commitment to producing quality products, operating responsibly and ethically, and delivering on our Purpose, we will continue to grow our business while making a positive impact on society. For more information, please visit jmsmucker.com . The J. M. Smucker Company is the owner of all trademarks referenced herein, except for Dunkin' ® , which is a trademark of DD IP Holder LLC. The Dunkin'® brand is licensed to The J. M. Smucker Company for packaged coffee products sold in retail channels, such as grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, e-commerce and drug stores, as well as in certain away from home channels. This information does not pertain to products for sale in Dunkin' ® restaurants. SOURCE The J.M. Smucker Co.Massive change to pension rules planned in savings boost for millions – but experts warn about risk to savers

Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. ( NYSE: OPTT ) Q2 2025 Earnings Call Transcript December 17, 2024 9:00 AM ET Company Participants Bob Powers - SVP and CFO Philipp Stratmann - President and CEO Conference Call Participants Shawn Severson - Water Tower Research Jeff Grampp - Alliance Global Partners Brian Gordon - Water Tower Research Operator Good morning, and welcome to the Ocean Power Technologies Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2025 Earnings Conference Call. A webcast of this call is also available and can be accessed via a link on the company's website at www.oceanpowertechnologies.com. This conference call is being recorded and will be available for replay shortly after its completion. On the call today are Dr. Philipp Stratmann, President and Chief Executive Officer; and Bob Powers, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Following prepared remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session. I'm now pleased to introduce Bob Powers. Bob Powers Thank you, and good morning. After the market closed yesterday, we issued our earnings press release and filed our quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended October 31, 2024. Our public filings are available on the SEC website and within the Investor Relations section of the OPT website. During this call, we will make forward-looking statements that are within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include financial projections or other statements of the company's plans, objectives, expectations or intentions. These statements are based on assumptions made by management regarding future circumstances over which the company may have little or no control and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Additional information about these risks and uncertainties can be found in the company's Form 10-K and subsequent filings with‘Wheel of Fortune’ Player Misses $40,000 Win After Disney Disaster

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