80 jili

80 jili

Mumbai: A 32-year-old woman has fallen prey to scammers and lost over Rs 21 lakh in digital arrest fraud. According to the Navi Mumbai police, the complainant is a resident of Navi Mumbai and works as a software engineer in a private company. On November 29, she received a phone call from a person who claimed to be calling from a bank and told her that her credit card bill of Rs1.68 lakh was pending. The complainant told the caller that she did not have a credit card after which the caller told her to raise an online complaint with the Ghatkopar police. After some time, she received another call from a person who claimed to be a police officer and informed her that her Aadhar card details had been used for money laundering purposes and that she would be arrested. To prove her innocence, she was told to record her statement over a video call without informing anyone about it, or else her relatives would also be arrested. Another scammer, posing as an Enforcement Directorate official, spoke to the complainant and induced her to transfer her savings and investment money to a bank account provided by them. They also forced her to take a personal loan and transfer the said amount to a beneficiary bank account. They had also told the complainant that once their ‘probe’ was complete she would get her money back in seven to eight days. However, later the scammers started giving evasive replies and refused to give her money back. Having realised that she had been duped, the woman approached the police and got an offence registered last week. A case has been registered under sections 316 (criminal breach of trust), 318 (cheating), 319 (cheating by personation) 351 (criminal intimidation) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and section 66D (cheating by personation by using computer resource) of the Information Technology Act.

Workday Announces Fiscal 2025 Third Quarter Financial Results

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Down by two shots with two holes to play, Jeeno Thitikul knew exactly what was needed to capture the biggest prize in women's golf history. And another eagle-birdie finish — for the second straight day — made it happen. Thitikul claimed the record-setting $4 million first-place check by winning the CME Group Tour Championship on Sunday. It's the biggest money prize in women’s golf history, bigger than even the winner’s shares in three of the four men’s major championships this year. “Today, standing here with the trophy, it's more than I can ask for,” Thitikul said. Thitikul shot a 7-under 65 on Sunday and finished the week at 22 under, one shot ahead of Angel Yin (66). Yin had a two-shot lead walking to the 17th tee, only to wind up settling for the $1 million runner-up check. Yin — who missed the start of the season after breaking her leg over the winter — hardly sounded defeated after finishing second and more than doubling her 2024 earnings in four days. “I’m pretty awesome. ... I’ve learned that I just need to believe my myself and that’s what I did," Yin said. The win and the massive check came down to the 18th hole, Thitikul and Yin tied at 21 under after a back-and-forth day atop the leaderboard — both knowing a mistake would likely come at a $3 million cost. Both hit the fairway on 18. Thitikul’s approach was nearly perfect, stopping about 5 feet from the cup. Yin’s response stopped maybe 15 feet away, giving Thitikul the edge as they walked up the fairway. She was smiling broadly as she approached the green, almost as if she knew what was about to happen. Yin’s birdie putt just missed. Thitikul’s was dead center. And history was hers. Her plans for all that cash? “Definitely spend it,” Thitikul said. “That’s an honest answer, for sure. Definitely going to spend it for a little while.” She already had clinched a $1 million bonus this week through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, a competition based on how players score on a designated hole each week. In the end, it wound up as a whopping $5 million week for the 21-year-old from Thailand — and going 8 under on the Nos. 17 and 18 over the four days at Tiburon Golf Club made the difference. “All the hard work paid off,” said Thitikul, whose eagle-birdie close to Saturday's round pulled her into a tie for the lead with Yin going into Sunday at 15 under. It didn’t take long on Sunday for Thitikul to jump in front, with birdies on two of the first three holes to grab a two-shot edge. Her lead vanished with a two-shot swing on the par-4 fourth; Yin made birdie, Thitikul bogey. It seemed like Yin grabbed control on the par-3 16th. Her birdie putt from across the green — about 25 feet — rolled in for a two-shot lead with two holes to play. But her second shot at the par-5 17th missed the green right, and the door was opened for Thitikul. The eagle-birdie finish Saturday gave her hope. The eagle-birdie finish Sunday gave her so much more — even though, it turns out, the second shot on the par 5 wasn't one that she caught flush. It worked out anyway. “Just lucky enough,” Thitikul said. Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko (63) finished third at 17 under, her nine birdies coming in a 13-hole span. “I’m excited to be able to work hard this offseason and have another great 2025,” Ko said. Ruoning Yin (68) was alone in fourth at 16 under, and LPGA player of the year Nelly Korda (66) finished at 15 under along with Narin An (68). Ayaka Furue finished at 13 under, good enough to give her the Vare Trophy as the LPGA’s season-long scoring champion over Haeran Ryu. “I feel very happy to have this trophy in my hands,” said Furue, the first Japanese player to win the Vare. Lexi Thompson — a 15-time winner as a pro who plans to step away from full-time golf — finished at 2 under. It’s not clear how often Thompson plans to play in 2025 and beyond; that said, she returns to Tiburon the week of Dec. 9 for the Grant Thornton Invitational, where she’ll team with Rickie Fowler in the event featuring PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players. “I’m not going anywhere, guys.” Thompson said. “I’ll be back in two weeks.” There were two players who said they were retiring after Sunday’s round: Marina Alex, who shot 66 to finish at 12 under, and Ally Ewing, who closed with a 68 to wrap up the week at 11 under. “I’m happy to have ended on my best,” said Alex, a bottle of sparkling wine in her right hand, a bouquet of flowers in the other. Added Ewing: “I’ve been at peace with my decision. It’s just so nice to be able to share the walk with my family this week.” But in the end, the week belonged to Thitikul. And as the sun was setting over Tiburon on Sunday, she was ready for her offseason to begin with a well-deserved celebration. “Anybody hungry?” she asked. “I am.” With Sunday's check in her pocket, she can dine anywhere she wants for a while. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfIn its zeal to shrink the federal government, will the coming Trump administration disrupt a discount drug program that underpins the rural hospitals serving the communities that gave him their support? Big Pharma hopes the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which gives hospitals and health clinics that serve low-income or at-risk populations steeply discounted drugs from pharmaceutical manufacturers, will be on the chopping block in January. Program advocates say that eliminating it won’t solve the problem the government wants to with program cuts — that is, lowering drug prices. There’s another aspect: The working-class families it serves are the base of Trump’s GOP. “This a program that benefits rural America, disproportionately almost,” said Rhiannon Marshall Klein, national director of advocacy for Community Voices for 340B. The bipartisan program was created by Congress in the early 1990s to address rising drug costs. Under the provisions, Congress intentionally named certain types of medical facilities as “covered entities” that could benefit from the program. That way, the assistance the program was designed to provide would go to those who most need it, said Peggy Tighe, a principal at Powers Law and an advocate for covered 340B entities. The “covered entities” serve low-income, poorer populations that tend to be un- or underinsured. Many, if not most, covered entities are in rural America — the heart of Trump’s base. “Where you have mines or manufacturing plants,” Tighe added as Klein mentioned areas of rural Arkansas where drilling companies are reluctant to base operations without a nearby hospital. You also have Trump supporters. A little-noticed trend in the recent election: In every state that expanded protection of the 340B drug discount program through state-level legislation, Trump’s vote share was higher than in 2016 or 2020. However, in Virginia, where Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin declined to sign into law a bill that fully protected the program, Trump performed worse. Correlation is not causation, supporters acknowledge. States that have gotten redder are most committed to protecting the program. “Unless you’re a progressive activist who got locked in stasis in 2012 and has only just emerged into the year 2024, it’s not news that the modern GOP under Trump is much more populist and much less inclined to automatically side with big business than was, say, the 2012 Romney-Ryan ticket,” said GOP strategist Liz Mair. “Set aside the hostility to the sector from figures like RFK Jr.; rank-and-file GOP voters are just very Big Pharma-skeptical at this point.” One vital fact about 340B that is often misunderstood is that it is not paid for with tax dollars, Tighe said. It is a program administered by and paid for by pharmaceutical companies that sell drugs to nonprofit hospitals and health clinics, which can then provide them to patients at an affordable cost. The covered entities use the savings from the discount program to subsidize their operations. “This is not government money,” Tighe said. “This is PhRMA money. If PhRMA wasn’t paying for it, the government would have to step in and figure out how to pay for drugs for poorer and low-income people.” The program has its critics. Chris Pope, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and the former director of Policy Research at West Health, a nonprofit medical research organization, said the program at least needs increased transparency and interventions to slow its growth. In 2023, covered entities under 340B bought $66.3 billion worth of outpatient drugs, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. Disproportionate Share Hospitals — a designation given to hospitals that care for many low-income, often rural patients — bought $51.9 billion of the total. Other large purchasers were children’s hospitals at $2 billion and rural referral centers at $1.5 billion. Ryan White clinics, which assist low-income people who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and which participate through multiple designations, purchased more than $2.5 billion worth of drugs. Critical access hospitals also received $956 million. CAHs must be rural, typically at least 35 miles from another hospital. “In theory, the program’s supposed to be targeted at safety-net providers,” Pope said. “But in practice, it’s no longer really a program targeted at hospitals in particular areas or serving particulate demographics. The intent was never really that it would be a big subsidy for low-income hospitals.” It remains to be seen how the coming administration will handle 340B. There are few clues in the background of Dr. Mehmet Oz, a former heart surgeon turned television talk show host who unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. Senate two years ago, who is Trump’s pick to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Oz’s ties to the pharmaceutical industry caused waves in his 2022 Senate run in Pennsylvania, where he ran against the eventual winner, John Fetterman. His financial disclosures during the campaign showed that he and his wife owned stocks in several pharmaceutical companies, including AbbVie, CVS and Johnson & Johnson. The drug manufacturers have frequently fought the 340B program, including winning a legal battle in May in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which upheld a lower court’s ruling that manufacturers could impose conditions on the distribution of covered drugs to healthcare organizations participating in the program. 340B advocates say the pharmaceutical industry wants to eliminate the program so it can set its drug prices without being mandated to provide discounts. “Seventy to 80 percent of the growth in the program is attributed to specialty drugs,” Tighe said. “It’s in PhRMA’s power to shrink the program if they didn’t make their drugs cost so much. They’re the ones in control.” ABOUT THE WRITER Jessica Towhey writes on education and energy policy for InsideSources.com .These holiday gifts change the game when building fires, printing photos, watching birds and more

South Korea's martial law confusion deepens cautionBOSTON — Forty years ago, Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie rolled to his right and threw a pass that has become one of college football’s most iconic moments. With Boston College trailing defending champion Miami, Flutie threw the Hail Mary and found receiver Gerard Phalen, who made the grab while falling into the end zone behind a pair of defenders for a game-winning 48-yard TD. Flutie and many of his 1984 teammates were honored on the field during BC’s 41-21 victory over North Carolina before the second quarter on Saturday afternoon, the anniversary of the Eagles’ Miracle in Miami. “There’s no way its been 40 years,” Flutie told The Associated Press on the sideline a few minutes before he walked out with some of his former teammates to be recognized after a video of The Play was shown on the scoreboards. A statue commemorating Doug Flutie's famed "Hail Mary" pass during a game against Miami on Nov. 23, 1994, sits outside Alumni Stadium at Boston College. Famous football plays often attain a legendary status with religious names like the "Immaculate Reception," the "Hail Mary" pass and the Holy Roller fumble. It’s a moment and highlight that’s not only played throughout decades of BC students and fans, but around the college football world. “What is really so humbling is that the kids 40 years later are wearing 22 jerseys, still,” Flutie said of his old number. “That amazes me.” That game was played on national TV the Friday after Thanksgiving. The ironic thing is it was originally scheduled for earlier in the season before CBS paid Rutgers to move its game against Miami, thus setting up the BC-Miami post-holiday matchup. Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie rejoices in his brother Darren's arms after B.C. defeats Miami with a last second touchdown pass on Nov. 23, 1984, in Miami. “It shows you how random some things are, that the game was moved,” Flutie said. “The game got moved to the Friday after Thanksgiving, which was the most watched game of the year. We both end up being nationally ranked and up there. All those things lent to how big the game itself was, and made the pass and the catch that much more relevant and remembered because so many people were watching.” There’s a statue of Flutie winding up to make The Pass outside the north gates at Alumni Stadium. Fans and visitors can often be seen taking photos there. “In casual conversation, it comes up every day,” Flutie said, when asked how many times people bring it up. “It brings a smile to my face every time we talk about it.” A week after the game-ending Flutie pass, the Eagles beat Holy Cross and before he flew off to New York to accept the Heisman. They went on to win the 49th Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie evades Miami defensive tackle Kevin Fagan during the first quarter of a game on Nov. 23, 1984, in Miami, Fla. “Forty years seem almost like incomprehensible,” said Phalen, also standing on the sideline a few minutes after the game started. “I always say to Doug: ‘Thank God for social media. It’s kept it alive for us.”’ Earlier this week, current BC coach Bill O’Brien, 55, was asked if he remembered where he was 40 years ago. “We were eating Thanksgiving leftovers in my family room,” he said. “My mom was saying a Rosary in the kitchen because she didn’t like Miami and wanted BC to win. My dad, my brother and I were watching the game. “It was unbelievable,” he said. “Everybody remembers where they were for the Hail Mary, Flutie pass.” Mike Tyson, left, slaps Jake Paul during a weigh-in ahead of their heavyweight bout, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, Spain's tennis player Rafael Nadal serves during a training session at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) A fan takes a picture of the moon prior to a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 between Uruguay and Colombia in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich) Rasmus Højgaard of Denmark reacts after missing a shot on the 18th hole in the final round of World Tour Golf Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Taylor Fritz of the United States reacts during the final match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) fails to pull in a pass against Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson) Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, top right, scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) India's Tilak Varma jumps in the air as he celebrates after scoring a century during the third T20 International cricket match between South Africa and India, at Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski warms up before facing the Seattle Kraken in an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Kansas State players run onto the field before an NCAA college football game against Arizona State Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) A fan rapped in an Uruguay flag arrives to the stands for a qualifying soccer match against Colombia for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) People practice folding a giant United States flag before an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Marquinhos attempts to stop the sprinklers that were turned on during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Venezuela at Monumental stadium in Maturin, Venezuela, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Georgia's Georges Mikautadze celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League, group B1 soccer match between Georgia and Ukraine at the AdjaraBet Arena in Batumi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili) Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque, right, attempts to score while Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) and Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) keep the puck out of the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario misses the third goal during the Nations League soccer match between Italy and France, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) President-elect Donald Trump attends UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Fans argue in stands during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Israel at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Thursday Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova hits a return against Danielle Collins, of the United States, during a tennis match at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Malaga, southern Spain. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) St. John's guard RJ Luis Jr. (12) falls after driving to the basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against New Mexico, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) England's Anthony Gordon celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and the Republic of Ireland at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Katie Taylor, left, lands a right to Amanda Serrano during their undisputed super lightweight title bout, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner, right, tackles Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington, left, on a punt return during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) UConn's Paige Bueckers (5) battles North Carolina's Laila Hull, right, for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Greensboro, N.C., Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) Get local news delivered to your inbox!None

I hated the science fiction genre with a passion. In my mind, every sci-fi story always boiled down to uninteresting aliens, inaccessible concepts, and eye-rolling naming conventions. I didn’t understand science fiction until 2007’s Mass Effect . Suddenly, a world of layered characters, political machinations, and enticing lore lay before me. The Mass Effect trilogy ended up being magical — and since, I haven’t felt that brand of adoration for a sci-fi property again. Then, Archetype Entertainment’s Exodus showed up. When I first heard the rumblings of Exodus , I ignored it entirely. They rolled out all the attention-grabbing morsels they knew would get eyes on them. “Hey, here’s Matthew McConaughey! The game’s developed by former BioWare members!” The whole nine yards. But, over time, as more details were unveiled? I started tuning in. Then, Exodus did it. The team knew exactly what to say to command my full attention. Videos by VICE “The debut game from legendary RPG creator James Ohlen’s new studio is a next-generation, story-driven RPG that marries cinematic storytelling with deep emotional impact featuring broad player agency and modern AAA gameplay. The story is fueled by the consequences of player choices due to the impact of Time Dilation, and how they change the lives of those we love most,” Exodus ‘ official website states . ‘exodus’ finally kicked down the door and made itself known Basically, the Exodus pitch is “ Mass Effect on Cocaine.” If there’s one thing a game needs to say to hook me, it’s “Here? Your choices matter .” Sure, gamers have fallen into that particular marketing trap time and again only to end with disappointment. However, we live in a gaming landscape where a game doesn’t have a choice but to live up to the hype. And it’s not like Exodus makes such a bold statement of player agency in passing. No, that’s a large chunk of the game’s pitch . “There are going to be some cool choices that have cascading effects in the game, and the ones where time dilation is in play, those are the most significant in the game, and likely to have the largest ramifications in your story. All the choices you make are gonna affect your progression as a character, and as a Traveler,” Archetype co-founder, Chad Robertson, said during a Q&A session for the game. “Your choices are also going to have an impact on your homeworld and the people you care about, but the wrong choice can change your relationship in ways you can’t anticipate – but maybe that was the right choice for you. Ultimately, it’s your game, and we want to give you the choice to do those things.” Bring it, Exodus . I’m ready to painfully exist in a land of devastating cause and effect!

MANCHESTER CITY’S crisis deepened as they surrendered a three-goal lead late in the game to draw 3-3 against Feyenoord in the Champions League. Pep Guardiola’s side at least avoided the indignity of a sixth successive defeat in all competitions but alarm bells continue to ring at the Etihad Stadium after a dramatic late capitulation. A double from Erling Haaland — the first from the penalty spot — and a deflected effort from Ilkay Gundogan, all in the space of nine minutes either side of the break, looked to have ensured a return to winning ways. Yet Guardiola was left with his head in hands as Feyenoord roared back in the last 15 minutes with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Sergio Gimenez and David Hancko, two of them after Josko Gvardiol’s errors. City almost snatched a late winner when Jack Grealish hit the woodwork but there was no masking another dispiriting result. It was hardly the preparation City wanted for Sunday’s crunch trip to Liverpool, and the Feyenoord fans took great delight in rubbing that fact in. They sung the club anthem they share with Liverpool, You’ll Never Walk Alone, and chanted the name of their former manager Arne Slot, the current Reds boss. Guardiola arrived at the ground with a cut on the bridge of his nose and, once again, his side have been struck a nasty blow. Despite not being at their best, they had dominated early on against what seemed limited Dutch opposition. They threatened when a Gundogan shot was deflected wide and Haaland then went close to opening the scoring when he turned a header onto the post. Feyenoord goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther gifted City another chance when he passed straight to Bernardo Silva but Grealish’s fierce volley struck team-mate Phil Foden. Foden forced a save from Wellenreuther but City had a moment of alarm when Igor Paixao got behind the defence only to shoot tamely at Ederson. Nathan Ake missed the target with a header but some luck finally went City’s way just before the break when Quinten Timber, brother of Arsenal’s Jurrien, was harshly adjudged to have fouled Haaland. The Norwegian rammed home the resulting spot-kick and City returned re-energised for the second period. They won a corner when a Matheus Nunes shot was turned behind and Gundogan fired the hosts’ second — albeit with aid of a deflection — with a firm volley from the edge of the box. City turned up the heat and claimed their third soon after as Gundogan released Nunes with a long ball and his low cross was turned into the net by a sliding Haaland. It seemed City were heading for a morale-lifting victory but a couple of Gvardiol errors changed the script. The Croatian, who had a torrid time in Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing by Tottenham, first horribly misplaced a backpass and allowed Moussa to nip in and round Ederson. Ordinarily, that 75th-minute reply would have been a mere consolation and City would close out the game, but Gvardiol had another moment to forget eight minutes from time. Again he gave the ball away and Feyenoord pounced. The ball was lofted into the box and Jordan Lotomba fired a shot that glanced the post and deflected across goal, where Gimenez chested in. Ederson then blundered as he raced out of his area and was beaten by Paixao, who crossed for Hancko to head into an empty net. Amid some moments of unrest in the crowd, when objects were thrown, City tried to rally in stoppage time. Grealish had an effort deflected onto the bar but the hosts had to settle for a draw.Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in China's doping saga

Croatia’s incumbent president wins most votes at polls but still faces runoff

14 Analysts Have This To Say About DanaherCentury-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal with the industry being squeezed by discount chains and other competition. Public companies are under a lot more scrutiny and if private, the Nordstrom may have more leeway in reviving a department store chain that has been attempting to reinvigorate sales for years. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, or about $4 billion in all, representing a 42% premium on the company’s stock as of March 18, when reports of a potential transaction was reported by the media. The acquiring group will also pick up more than $2 billion in Nordstrom debt. The traditional department stores have suffered in the face of withering competition from giants like Walmart and Target, as well as a host of fast-fashion bands and Amazon.com . Nordstrom rivals Macy’s and Kohl’s have been pressured by major investors to make huge changes in order to return more profit to shareholders. Sales at Nordstrom have essentially flatlined over the past decade or so and it announced last year that it was closing all of its Canadian stores and cutting 2,500 jobs as it winds down operations in the country. Nordstrom first announced plans to expand to Canada in 2012 and opened its first store in Calgary at CF Chinook Centre in September 2014. The offer announced Monday tops the previous $23-per-share bid that the Nordstrom family and Mexican retail group, El Puerto de Liverpool, made in September. The board also plans to authorize a special dividend of up to 25 cents per share, based on Nordstrom’s cash on hand immediately prior to and contingent on the close of the transaction. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2025, at which time the company’s shares will no longer trade publicly. “While a change in ownership does not automatically remedy all of the problems with the department store operation, it will allow the family and their backers to take a long-term view of the business and make necessary investments and changes away from the short-term scrutiny of public markets,” wrote Neil Saunders, Managing Director of GlobalData, in a note to clients. Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, with members Erik and Pete Nordstrom, part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recusing themselves from that vote. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. Erik and Pete Nordstrom are the fourth-generation leadership at the Seattle retailer, which was founded in 1901 as a shoe store. Erik is the company’s chief executive and Peter is president. After opening 23 new stores so far this year, the company now operates a combined 381 Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack stores in the U.S. Nordstrom shares fell about 1.5% Monday, but they are up 34% this year on rumors of a family takeover. The company’s stock is still down considerably from post-pandemic highs above $40 per share. In May of this year, Bruce Nordstrom, a retail executive who helped expand his family’s Pacific Northwest department store chain into an upscale national brand, died at age 90 . He was one of several Nordstrom family members who in 2017 made a push to take the company private, proposing to buy out the 70% of the department store’s stock they didn’t already own. Those talks failed in 2018 but earlier this year, his sons started another series of buyout negotiations , leading to Monday’s announcement.

Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski was understandably delighted after bagging a brace in Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League win over Brest . Lewandowski’s first goal from the penalty spot saw him hit his 100th Champions League goal, joining a club that contains only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Poland striker was thrilled at achieving the landmark “I’m very happy, delighted. It’s a nice figure. Years ago I didn’t think I could score more than 100 goals in the Champions League,” he said afterwards. “Sometimes we played slowly, but with patience we were able to score two more goals in the second half. In the end we won 3-0 and we’re very happy. ”It’s great to be with Cristiano and Messi. We played like a team. We could have scored more goals in the second half. We have to look ahead to the Champions League and La Liga.” Lewandowski also spoke about his team’s form in general and urged Barca to go on a winning run after getting back on track against Brest. ”We haven’t played very well since the break, but we know we have to play at 100% from the first minute in every game. We have the games under control and with patience we can score two or three goals,” he added. ”The most important thing is to win every game, to be able to score and help my team. Until the end of the year we have to win every game.” Barcelona return to action at the weekend in La Liga against Las Palmas.Biden Proposes Medicare and Medicaid Cover Costly Weight-Loss Drugs for Millions of Obese AmericansThe Philippines surged 31 places in the 2024 United Nations (UN) e-Participation Index (EPI), rising to 49th from 80th in 2022 amid enhanced digital governance. The EPI evaluates how governments leverage digital tools to empower citizens, promote transparency, and encourage active participation in governance. The Philippines’ progress in the EPI is also mirrored in the 2024 UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI), where the country rose to 73rd place from 89th in 2022, advancing 16 spots. Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy described the milestone over the weekend as a testament to the government’s efforts to enhance digital transformation. "This milestone underscores our dedication to making government services more accessible, transparent, and participatory for every Filipino," Uy said. The DICT credited the improvement to the eGov Super App, its flagship platform integrating national and local government services. The app offers various services, including business registration, tourism information, job creation tools, travel declarations, and e-commerce features. According to DICT Undersecretary David Almirol, the eGov Super App aggregates existing systems using Single Sign-On and API integration, allowing seamless access to government services while maintaining compatibility with current agency systems. He said the DICT is also working with the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Tourism and the Bureau of Immigration to incorporate the Philippine eVisa Portal into the app, simplifying the visa application process for tourists and supporting the country’s tourism sector. The eGov Super App is an online one-stop shop and also facilitates local government services, such as applying for permits, certifications, and clearances. Partnerships with agencies like the Department of Health, Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., and Professional Regulation Commission have expanded their offerings to include resume-building tools for job seekers, eKonsulta for health benefits, and a unified travel declaration system for travelers. Almirol said the DICT is planning further collaborations with other agencies to integrate new features like citizen reporting modules, a job matching system, artificial intelligence bots, and tools to empower start-ups. To date, the DICT has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with over 50 government agencies to advance the Philippines’ digital governance and global standing.

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the extraordinary circumstances of his impending return to the White House. “Wrongly continuing proceedings in this failed lawfare case disrupts President Trump’s transition efforts,” the attorneys continued, before citing the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” Trump’s lawyers also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse the conviction, which involved efforts to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, whose affair allegations threatened to disrupt his 2016 campaign. He has denied any wrongdoing. Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, just before the 2016 presidential election, to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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