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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 on Monday at last said it will expand its grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. “As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world," GM President Mark Reuss said. "This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.” The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a U.S. Justice Department investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti. Andretti in September stepped aside from leading his namesake organization, so the 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. Towriss is the the CEO and president of Group 1001 and entered motorsports via Andretti's IndyCar team when he signed on financial savings platform Gainbridge as a sponsor. Towriss is now a major part of the motorsports scene with ownership stakes in both Spire Motorsports' NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing's sports car team. Walter is the chief executive of financial services firm Guggenheim Partners and the controlling owner of both the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Premier League club Chelsea. “We’re excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1," Towriss said. “Together, we’re assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world.” Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, will have an ambassador role with Cadillac F1. But his son, Michael, will have no official position with the organization now that he has scaled back his involvement with Andretti Global. “The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team,” Michael Andretti posted on social media. “I’m very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!” The approval has been in works for weeks but was held until after last weekend's Las Vegas Grand Prix to not overshadow the showcase event of the Liberty Media portfolio. Max Verstappen won his fourth consecutive championship in Saturday night's race, the third and final stop in the United States for the top motorsports series in the world. Grid expansion in F1 is both infrequent and often unsuccessful. Four teams were granted entries in 2010 that should have pushed the grid to 13 teams and 26 cars for the first time since 1995. One team never made it to the grid and the other three had vanished by 2017. There is only one American team on the current F1 grid — owned by California businessman Gene Haas — but it is not particularly competitive and does not field American drivers. Andretti’s dream was to field a truly American team with American drivers. The fight to add this team has been going on for three-plus years and F1 initially denied the application despite approval from F1 sanctioning body FIA . The existing 10 teams, who have no voice in the matter, also largely opposed expansion because of the dilution in prize money and the billions of dollars they’ve already invested in the series. Andretti in 2020 tried and failed to buy the existing Sauber team. From there, he applied for grid expansion and partnered with GM, the top-selling manufacturer in the United States. The inclusion of GM was championed by the FIA and president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who said Michael Andretti’s application was the only one of seven applicants to meet all required criteria to expand F1’s current grid. “General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners," Ben Sulayem said Monday. "I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application." Despite the FIA's acceptance of Andretti and General Motors from the start, F1 wasn't interested in Andretti — but did want GM. At one point, F1 asked GM to find another team to partner with besides Andretti. GM refused and F1 said it would revisit the Andretti application if and when Cadillac had an engine ready to compete. “Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024,” F1 said in a statement. “Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the 11th team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process." Yet another major shift in the debate over grid expansion occurred earlier this month with the announced resignation of Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei, who was largely believed to be one of the biggest opponents of the Andretti entry. “With Formula 1’s continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport," Maffei said. "We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1." AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racingHave you bought ( )? There are plenty of reasons to consider buying Enbridge stock, and now is a great time to consider buying. Prospective investors considering investing in Enbridge stock can take solace in the following three reasons why Enbridge stock belongs in any portfolio. Enbridge is best known for its pipeline business, and for good reason. The segment, which includes both natural gas and crude elements, is the largest and most complex pipeline system on the planet. That network hauls massive amounts each day. Approximately 5.8 million barrels of oil and 24.6 Bcf/d (billions of cubic feet per date) of gas. To put that insane amount another way, Enbridge transports nearly one-third of all North American-produced crude and one-fifth of the natural gas needs of the U.S. In other words, Enbridge is one of the most defensive options on the market. That alone is reason enough to buy Enbridge stock, but there’s still plenty more to note. Apart from its core pipeline business, Enbridge also boasts several other segments. This includes a natural gas utility and a growing renewable energy business. The business comprises 38 facilities located across North America and Europe. The sites include solar, wind, and hydro elements, which generate a stable revenue stream that is subject to the same regulated model that utilities follow. Enbridge has dropped more than $10 billion into the segment in the past two decades to build out a renewable net generating capacity of 3,481 megawatts. That’s enough to meet the power needs of nearly 1.3 million homes. Turning to the natural gas business, Enbridge’s gas utility serves seven million customers with over 100,000 km of service lines across North America. Both segments operate like utilities, generating recurring and stable revenue streams that allow the company to invest in growth initiatives and pay out a handsome . That level of diversification provides a solid reason for prospective investors to consider buying Enbridge stock. One of the main reasons why investors turn to Enbridge stock is its lucrative quarterly dividend. As of the time of writing, the yield on that dividend works out to an impressive 6.14%. Not only does that mean that Enbridge is one of the best-paying dividends on the market, but also that it can provide growth, too. That’s because investors who aren’t ready to draw on that income yet can choose to reinvest it until needed. This allows any eventual income to grow over time thanks to reinvested dividends. Speaking of income growth, another key point to note is that Enbridge has provided annual upticks to that dividend for three decades without fail. That fact alone makes Enbridge stock a must-have addition to any portfolio. There’s no shortage of great stocks on the market, but few can provide the growth and income-earning potential that Enbridge can. Additionally, Enbridge’s defensive appeal for longer-term investors shouldn’t be ignored. In my opinion, Enbridge stock is a must-have option that should be a core holding in any .Bank of America Announces Full Redemption of Its Series MM Preferred Stock and Related Depositary Shares

Wall Street stocks surged to fresh records Wednesday on hopes about easing US monetary policy, shrugging off political upheaval in South Korea and France. All three major US indices scored records, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average finishing above 45,000 for the first time. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Dallion Johnson scored 25 points as FGCU beat Florida Tech 79-62 on Sunday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Dallion Johnson scored 25 points as FGCU beat Florida Tech 79-62 on Sunday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Dallion Johnson scored 25 points as FGCU beat Florida Tech 79-62 on Sunday. Johnson shot 9 for 16, including 6 for 12 from beyond the arc for the Eagles (4-8). Keeshawn Kellman added 14 points while shooting 6 of 8 from the field while he also had nine rebounds. Rahmir Barno shot 5 of 6 from the field and 2 for 3 from the line to finish with 12 points, while adding seven assists and six steals. The Panthers were led in scoring by Donovan Brown, who finished with 26 points, six rebounds and six assists. Can Kaan Turgut added 13 points and six rebounds for Florida Tech. Logan Allen also had nine points. FGCU visits Richmond in its next matchup on Saturday. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement

Shares of technology and payments firm Global Blue Group Holding ($GB) fell 4% on Friday after the company announced its second-quarter earnings report. Revenue increased 17% year-over-year (YoY) to €132 million (~$137 million) during the quarter driven by a solid performance in both Tax Free Shopping Solutions and Payments. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) jumped 25% YoY to €59 million (~$61 million). Adjusted net income group share rose to €20.7 million compared to €14 million in the same quarter a year ago. Segment-wise, Tax Free Shopping Solutions revenue rose 18% YoY to €101.9 million while Payments revenue increased 16% YoY to €23.4 million, driven predominantly by increased margins on treasury gains. Meanwhile, Post-Purchase Solutions’ revenue dipped 1% YoY to €6.7 million led by “management’s focus on contribution margin.” Notably, the firm raised its repurchase program to $15 million and extended it for an additional nine months to Nov. 30, 2025. The company said that taking into account the recent luxury market slowdown and the group’s decision to accelerate €5 million of investments (fixed costs) in future growth initiatives, it has adapted the FY24/25 adjusted EBITDA guidance to €185 million - $205 million. At the same time, long-term targets include 8-12% revenue growth and a net leverage ratio of lower than 2.5x. CEO Jacques Stern said that the macro and microeconomic environment in which Global Blue operates remains highly favorable and that the travel industry is experiencing positive trends. Following the earnings announcement, retail sentiment on Stocktwits jumped into the ‘extremely bullish’ territory (96/100), accompanied by ‘extremely high’ retail chatter (95/100) that hit a one-year high. Shares of the firm have gained over 26% on a year-to-date basis. For updates and corrections email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.< Exchange Rate Used In Converting Financials: €1 = $1.04

Offensively challenged in several early high school basketball games this season, Terre Haute South shot 52% from the field Thursday afternoon in the fifth game of the First Financial Classic at Terre Haute North. Shakamak, a team that had South coach Braydon Jefferson worried, shot 33%, the result being a 57-44 win for the Braves that was decided early. “This is a team can shoots well and can make tough shots,” he said after the game in referring to the Lakers. “This time the ball bounced our way.” South jumped quickly into leads of 11-2, 13-3 and 16-5, and that was pretty much it. Shakamak rallied within 16-11 on a basket by reserve Mason Young and four points by Linden Jenkins. But 3-pointers by Treva Branch-Lewis and Peyton Turner — after the Braves had been 1 for 18 from beyond the arc in their previous game — made it 22-11 early in the second quarter and the lead didn’t vary much the rest of the way. Which wasn’t exactly what Jefferson had had in mind either. “We got a little lackadaisical and wanted to think we could coast,” he said about his team’s performance later in the game. “I wasn’t happy with our attention to detail.” South’s best stretch came in the third quarter, when the Braves built a 19-point lead at 46-27. Shakamak’s last gasp was cutting the lead to 55-44, but it was too little, too late. “I felt like we followed our game plan pretty well,” coach Brodie Crowe of the Lakers said after the game. “We limited our turnovers [six for the game, none in the second half] and we did a pretty good job on the boards considering [South’s] size advantage [which was considerable] . . . but it’s disappointing to lose a game we felt was one we should have won, except for our shooting.” South had a three-man attack as Chris Herrin scored 17 points (including a 3-pointer of his own), Turner 16 and Branch-Lewis 15. Jaylen Wells had a game-high nine rebounds four blocked shots, and Brady Wilson had four assists, three of them early in the game.” Jenkins led all scorers with 22 points for Shakamak, while Jaden Johnson had eight. Jenkins and Madden Husband had seven rebounds each. “We have a lot of guys who shoot pretty well,” Crowe emphasized. “We belong here . . . I wasn’t disappointed with our effort.” “We have to keep believing, keep trusting the process,” Jefferson concluded. TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (57) — Herrin 7-8 2-4 17, Wells 2-6 0-2 4, Turner 6-13 1-2 16, Branch-Lewis 5-7 3-6 15, Wilson 1-3 0-0 2, Morgan 1-3 0-0 2, T.Lewis 0-1 0-0 0, Wilkinson 0-0 0-0 0, Boyce 0-0 0-0 0, M.Lewis 0-0 1-2 1, Chastain 0-1 0-0 0, Semmler 0-0 0-0 0, Snider 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-42 FG, 7-16 FT, 57 TP. SHAKAMAK (44) — Jenkins 7-11 6-6 22, Husband 1-10 0-0 2, Terrell 1-5 1-2 3, Jad.Johnson 2-11 3-4 8, Jal.Johnson 2-4 0-1 4, Young 1-2 1-2 3, Fiscus 0-1 0-0 0, Miller 1-2 0-0 2, Buell 0-0 0-0 0, Roberts 0-0 0-0 0, Snellenberger 0-0 0-0 0, Agee M0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-46 FG, 11-15 FT, 44 TP. 3-point shooting — THS 6-16 (Turner 3-8, Branch-Lewis 2-4, Herrin 1-1, Morgan 0-1, Wilson 0-2), Shakamak 3-18 (Jenkins 2-4, Jad.Johnson 1-5, Terrell 0-1, Jal.Johnson 0-1, Young 0-1, Fiscus 0-1, Husband 0-5). Total fouls — THS 16, Shakamak 15. Fouled out — none. Turnovers — THS 13, Shakamak 6. Rebounds — THS 36 (Wells 9, Turner 5, Branch-Lewis 5, Herrin 4, T.Lewis 4, Boyce 4, Wilson, Morgan, M.Lewis, Team 2), Shakamak 28 (Jenkins 7, Husband 7, Terrell 3, Jal.Johnson 3, Fiscus 2, Miller 2, Young, Snellenberger, Team 2). Assists — THS 16 (Branch-Lewis 6, Wilson 4, Turner 2, Wells 2, Herrin, T.Lewis), Shakamak 9 (Jad.Johnson 4, Terrell 2, Fiscus 2, Jenkins). Steals — THS 3 (Herrin, Branch-Lewis, Wilson), Shakamak 5 (Terrell 2, Jenkins, Husband, Jad.Johnson). Blocks — THS 4 (Wells 4), Shakamak 0. Next — Terre Haute South (4-3) plays a winners’ bracket game at 7 p.m. Shakamak (3-5) plays at 4 p.m.MrBeast described meeting Elon Musk in an episode of Theo Von’s podcast, and the tech mogul’s first words to him are leaving viewers equal parts amused and confused. YouTube star Jimmy ‘MrBeast’ Donaldson is a proud fan of Elon Musk — so much so that his pinned tweet for the last two years has been a humorous interaction with the Tesla CEO after his acquisition of Twitter (now X). While the two have had back-and-forths on social media for some time, Donaldson opened up about his first meeting with Musk in-person during a December 2024 episode of comedian Theo Von’s podcast, where he recalled meeting him at the Super Bowl. Elon Musk’s first words to MrBeast were about X’s new name “We bumped into each other once at the Super Bowl,” the YouTuber recalled. “He asked me, ‘Do I think people call X Twitter still, do they call it X?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, most people call it Twitter, I’ve noticed.’ He’s like, ‘Interesting.'” (Topic begins at 1:39:50 ) MrBeast’s description of the conversation went viral on social media, with users instantly making memes about Musk’s question regarding Twitter’s rebranding. “‘Interesting,’ that’s peak Elon. The dude probably stayed up at night thinking about what MrBeast said,” one viewer commented. pic.twitter.com/IQFAGyslsg “But Elon gave MrBeast a Super Official CEO title for X, MrBeast should inspire people to call it X,” another joked, referencing the YouTuber’s X bio, ‘X Super Official CEO.’ But Elon gave MrBeast a Super Official CEO title for X, MrBeast should inspire people to call it X. 😂 Despite both being obscenely rich pioneers in their respective industries, MrBeast doesn’t believe he’s on the same level as Musk after Theo Von compared the two during their conversation and explained why he hasn’t teamed up with Elon on a project. Related: “I mean, he’s pioneering in taking us to Mars, electric cars, talking with your phone through your brain, digging tunnels, fixing traffic — you know, getting rid of a trillion dollars of government waste now, and this and that ...I’m pioneering funny videos.” MrBeast’s ‘funny videos’ have earned him a massive viewing empire, crowning him the most-subscribed creator on YouTube and even scoring him his very own game show on Amazon set to release December 2024.The Texas Board of Education approved a new K-5 curriculum that allows Bible teachings in classrooms. The curriculum includes Biblical and Christian lessons about Moses, the story of the Good Samaritan, the Golden Rule, readings from The Book of Genesis, and more. The accuracy of the materials has come under scrutiny. For example, the curriculum claims "Abraham Lincoln and other leading abolitionists relied on a deep Christian faith," though Lincoln's religion has historically been debated . The instructional materials, called Bluebonnet Learning, are developed by the state, according to the Texas Education Agency. The lessons would be optional, but districts can receive at least $40 per student for using state-approved materials, according to local legislation. Some supporters of instituting religion in the curriculum say that these religious texts are important for the historical context of U.S. history and can instill moral values in the classroom. While some critics said, this violates the First Amendment right to freedom of religion for students and teachers, forcing classrooms to engage in Christian instruction. MORE: Some legislators lean into religion in public education as Supreme Court leans right Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has spoken out in support of the Texas Education Agency's curriculum after singing legislation directing the Texas Education Agency to purchase and develop instructional materials. "The materials will also allow our students to better understand the connection of history, art, community, literature, and religion on pivotal events like the signing of the U.S. Constitution, the Civil Rights Movement, and the American Revolution," Abbott said in a May statement. "I thank the TEA for their work to ensure our students receive a robust educational foundation to succeed so that we can build a brighter Texas for generations to come." The Freedom From Religion Foundation, an advocacy organization centering on the separation of state and church, has criticized the curriculum, claiming leaders are determined to "turn the state's public schools into Christian training grounds." "The curriculum targets the youngest, most impressionable elementary students, starting by introducing kindergartners to Jesus," FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor said in an online statement ahead of the vote. "Religious instruction is the purview of parents, not proselytizing school boards. This is a shameful ruse by Christian nationalists in Texas who see the schools as a mission field." States like Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and others have been behind the push to enforce Christian-based school requirements, including the implementation of Bibles, the Ten Commandments and other religious doctrines in schools. Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the grades of the proposed curriculum. The new plan would be for K-5 schools.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Any Texas or Texas A&M player has heard the lore of the rivalry between the two schools, a grudge match that dates to 1894. But for more than a decade — two generations of college football players — that's all it has been: Ghostly memories of great games and great plays made by heroes of the distant past.The Israeli Justice Ministry made the announcement in a message late on Thursday, saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent report by the Uvda investigative programme into Sara Netanyahu. The programme uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Mrs Netanyahu appears to instruct a former aide to organise protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial. The announcement did not mention Mrs Netanyahu by name and the Justice Ministry declined further comment. Earlier on Thursday, Mr Netanyahu blasted the Uvda report as “lies”. It is the latest in a long line of legal troubles for the Netanyahus, highlighted by the PM’s ongoing corruption trial. Mr Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases alleging he exchanged favours with powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. He denies the charges and says he is the victim of a “witch hunt” by overzealous prosecutors, police and the media.

(Photo by Skitterphoto via Pexels) By Stephen Beech via SWNS Cleaning surfaces every two hours at airports cuts potentially deadly norovirus infections by 83%, according to a new study. Researchers found that airport restaurants had the highest risk of norovirus transmission . But frequently disinfecting surfaces, mask-wearing and antimicrobial surface coatings at the transport hubs can all help prevent the highly contagious illness - also known as the winter vomiting bug - from spreading, say scientists. Study author Professor Nan Zhang, of the Beijing University of Technology in China, said: "Norovirus causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and is responsible for about 685 million cases and 200,000 deaths each year. "The virus is primarily transmitted through surfaces and outbreaks during air travel are especially common, due to the large number of public surfaces in airports." (PLOS Computational Biology via SWNS) To investigate the risk of norovirus infection from surfaces among passengers in different zones of the airport, the research team collected real touch data from 21.3 hours of video, which captured almost 26,000 touches. They developed a model of surface transmission and simulated the risk of infection from norovirus and the effectiveness of various interventions in different airport areas. Zhang said: "The touch data showed that, without any interventions, restaurants at airports had the highest risk of norovirus transmission, with approximately 4.6 out of 51,494 travelers infected. "Disinfecting public surfaces every two hours reduced the risk of norovirus infection per visit to the airport by 83.2%. "In contrast, handwashing every two hours reduced the risk by only 2%, and mask-wearing 50% of the time reduced risk by 48.0%, because masks stop people from touching their face. CDC "Furthermore, using antimicrobial copper or copper-nickel alloy coatings for most public surfaces lowered the infection risk by 15.9% to 99.2%." He says the study, published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology , provides "crucial" insights for developing infection prevention and control strategies specifically tailored for norovirus within airport environments. Zhang noted that the data for the study was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic , so surface-touching behaviors may have been different from normal. But he said that, overall, the simulated results indicated that public surface disinfection, mask-wearing wearing and the use of antimicrobial surfaces are effective ways of controlling the spread of norovirus via surfaces. Zhang added: "Regular surface infection is much more effective than regular handwashing for blocking norovirus transmission via fomite route in airports."

AeroVironment Inc AVAV reported second-quarter financial results for fiscal 2025 Wednesday after the bell. Here’s a look at the key metrics from the quarter . Q2 Earnings: AeroVironment reported second-quarter revenue of $188.5 million, up from $180.8 million year-over-year, according to Benzinga Pro . The company reported adjusted earnings of 47 cents per share, down from adjusted earnings of 97 cents per share year-over-year. Total revenue was up 4% year-over-year, reflecting higher product sales and service revenue. Income from operations was $7 million in the quarter, down from $25.2 million in the prior year’s quarter. The company said it had a funded backlog of $467.1 million as of Oct. 26, up from $400.2 million as of April 30. "AeroVironment continues to deliver strong results, including record second-quarter revenue along with a healthy funded backlog that is 25% higher than the prior quarter. Key wins from our Loitering Munition Systems segment continue to drive growth for the company,” said Wahid Nawabi , chairman, president and CEO of AeroVironment. Don’t Miss: Tech Stocks Extend Record Highs On AI Optimism, Marvell Rockets, Bitcoin Hovers Near $95,000: What’s Driving Markets Wednesday? Looking Ahead: AeroVironment continues to expect full-year 2025 revenue of $790 million to $820 million and full-year adjusted earnings of $3.18 to $3.49 per share. "We expect our proposed acquisition of BlueHalo to further advance our growth opportunities with a highly complementary portfolio of products, customers and capabilities in key defense space and intelligence sectors and establish AeroVironment as the next generation defense technology company for our customers. We look forward to continued momentum beyond fiscal year 2025,” Nawabi said. Management is currently discussing the quarter on a call with analysts and investors that started at 4:30 p.m. ET. AVAV Price Action: AeroVironment shares were down 7.98% in after-hours, trading at $181.18 at the time of publication Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro . Photo: Courtesy of AeroVironment. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.'Damaging' Andhra Brand: Chandrababu Naidu promises action over Adani Group's US bribery caseMichigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant declares for NFL draft

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ST. PAUL — St. Paul-based Bremer Bank is being acquired by Old National Bank, which has headquarters in Evansville, Indiana, in a transaction valued at $1.4 billion in cash and stock. The deal, which still requires regulatory approval and approval by Bremer shareholders, would combine Bremer’s $16.2 billion in assets with Old National’s nearly $54 billion to create a bank with more than $70 billion in total assets. ADVERTISEMENT “This partnership represents an outstanding fit between two highly compatible, relationship- and community-focused banks,” Old National Chairman and CEO Jim Ryan said in a joint announcement released Monday, Nov. 25. Ryan said what has made Bremer Bank a leading institution since 1943 aligns closely with the “strategic priorities and cultural principles that have guided Old National’s success for 190 years: a strong deposit franchise, a diversified loan portfolio accentuated by exceptional credit quality, and a passion for investing in and strengthening communities.” “For more than 80 years, we’ve been honored to carry out the legacy of our founder, Otto Bremer,” said Jeanne Crain, president and CEO of Bremer. “When our majority shareholder, the Otto Bremer Trust, reaffirmed its interest in selling Bremer Bank, we appreciated the opportunity to identify a partner through a collaborative process to ensure the best possible outcome for our customers, employees, and our communities. With Old National, we have confidence we found a great fit,” Crain said as part of the joint announcement. The Otto Bremer Trust, a majority owner of Bremer Bank, is a private charitable trust based in St. Paul. Since the trust’s inception in 1944, it has made more than $1.1 billion in grants and program-related investments to more than 4,200 organizations. Once the merger is complete, the trust will have an approximate 11% ownership stake in Old National Bank and a trustee of the Otto Bremer Trust will join the Old National board of directors. ADVERTISEMENT The Otto Bremer Trust stated as part of the joint announcement: “All of us at the Otto Bremer Trust are excited that the Bremer Bank legacy of investing in people, places and opportunities continues with one of the most community-minded banks in the nation. This partnership expands the scope of what can be accomplished for and within our communities — civically, socially and economically.” Once the deal is finalized, Old National will become the third-largest bank in the Twin Cities, and the partnership will expand Old National’s reach into several other markets throughout Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. The deal affects 48 Bremer Bank branches in Minnesota and 14 in North Dakota, including six locations in Grand Forks and seven in the Fargo region.

These starter speakers make my records and heart full and warm—and they're 30% off for Black Friday - Popular ScienceApple Cash is more than just a peer-to-peer (P2P) payment service — it can be used to shop online, in stores or to make in-app purchases.

Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant declares for NFL draft

T here is a famous dialogue from the Hindi film 3 Idiots : “ Dekho hum kahan nikal aaye aur tum kahan reh gaye ” (See where we have reached and where you are left).” The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cohorts could be saying this to the Communists in India. The RSS will complete 100 years in 2025. The Communist movement in India is also a century old. The Left produced some of the most valiant fighters during the independence movement even as the Right was cosying up to the British empire. It is no secret that a large share of prisoners in Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were Communists. Despite such a glorious past, the reality is that the Indian Left is now in a labyrinth. Today, the Right clearly dominates Parliament: the BJP alone occupies 240 Lok Sabha seats. The Left parties combined occupy just eight seats. Compare this to the first general elections in independent India in 1951-1952 when the Congress was in power and the Communist Party of India (CPI) was the principal opposition party. At present, the Right is also far ahead in terms of organisational strength and structure. The total membership of the Left parties (those who contest elections) is not more than 2 million and the mass organisations that they represent number around 30 million. The RSS alone has a membership of over 7 million, and the BJP has a membership of more than 100 million. The trajectory of the Left and Right The rise and fall of these political entities depends on various historical episodes, the foremost being changes in the social production system. The initial years of development after the 1950s saw the establishment of industrial towns and the emergence of a strong Left-leaning working class. Major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata witnessed a robust presence of the Left, which was reflected in their political strength. However, the capitalist production system underwent significant changes after the mid-1980s. The rise of fragmented production, a diminishing organised working class, and the corresponding growth of informal sector workers pushed the Left out of the political scene. Meanwhile, the Right maintained its presence through cultural interventions — a space largely neglected by the Left. Informal sector workers became fertile ground for identity politics based on caste and religion. Consequently, there has been a parallel rise of the Right and the decline of the Left in Indian cities. Another critical factor was the strong presence of the Left in rural India, driven by the ‘land reforms’ slogan and related movements. These were influential across the country for a long time. However, over the past few decades, newer classes within the peasantry have emerged and many of them have shifted towards the Right. Beyond land reforms, the Left struggled to build sustainable layers of governance, except in West Bengal, Tripura, and Kerala. It remained overly preoccupied with the imminence of a revolution and the idea of capturing state power. It sidelined all other essential matters. And the revolution never materialised. The national question is crucial for both the Left and the Right, though their approaches differ. For the Left, it involves uniting all democratic sections of society against external enemies, particularly imperialism. This was evident during the colonial period. However, in independent India, the narrative of a foreign enemy could not be sustained as strongly due to obvious reasons. In contrast, for the Right, the national question is less about unity among the people and more about promoting the narrative of ‘Hindu nationalism’ against perceived ‘others’. During the independence movement, this narrative did not gain much traction, as Indian nationalism against British rule was able to mobilise larger sections of society. Over the last few decades, however, this second form of ‘nationalism’ has increasingly dominated the narrative and has become more and more pronounced with time. Another major element relates to the idea of modernism and the role of the Constitution. Undoubtedly, the Constitution is rooted in the finest modernist values of equity, secularism, socialism, and more. However, the nation-state remained influenced by feudal and semi-feudal values, which continue to shape its character. Unlike in the West where modernism evolved out of the defeat or destruction of class feudalism, which was preceded by the Renaissance, religious reformation and enlightenment, in India no worthwhile renaissance could take place. The religious reformation that took place in some parts of the country could not disintegrate the caste system which affected all Indian religions, and the Brahmanical enlightenment could not produce a new anti-caste equalitarian philosophy. India has a peculiar situation now, where the Constitution is far ahead of the polity and human values, which are still evolving. This gives fertile ground for the Right to make advances on both post-truth narratives and campaigns on religious and identity issues. Leadership and organisational strategies Jyoti Basu, former Chief Minister of West Bengal, once spoke of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s “historic blunder”. He was referring to the party’s decision not to allow him to be the Prime Minister after the 1996 Lok Sabha polls threw up a hung Parliament. His remark warrants deeper reflection. The Left is still fixated on the revolution and is reluctant to embrace the multi-layered demands of electoral politics. If the Left is unwilling to take full responsibility, why should people trust them with their votes? This disconnect is evident in Kerala, where voters support the Left in Assembly elections but turn to other parties in general elections. On the other hand, the Right maximises every electoral success to further its agenda. In every national and Assembly election over the last 10 years, it has been clear that the Right tries to ensure that no opportunity is left unutilised. This divergence also highlights the contrasting leadership styles of the Left and Right. The generation of Left leaders who built mass movements and endured state repression is nearly gone. Leaders such as H.K.S. Surjeet, who spent over a decade in jail, represent a fading legacy. Today’s Left leadership often emerges from educational institutions — a natural progression — but lacks the experience of building movements on the ground. In China, the Communist Party believes in building cultural consciousness. Even Xi Jinping was sent to work in the farmland for years away from his university. But this is not the case in India. On the other hand, leaders of the Right spend time with their cadre and help build leadership. Before he became Prime Minister, when Narendra Modi was in charge of States, he would constantly spend time with the cadre and even stay in their homes. Globally, the pendulum of social and political ideologies has swung to the extreme Right and India is no exception. The question is: when will it swing back, and what will catalyse that shift? Tikender Singh Panwar, Former Deputy Mayor, Shimla, and Member, Kerala Urban Commission. He served as political secretary of Sitaram Yechury Published - December 27, 2024 02:32 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit political parties / Communist Party of India / Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist LiberationSupercars, dumped puppies and Kaimanawa muster: the big stories of April 2024Judge to hear arguments on whether Google's advertising tech constitutes a monopoly ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — The Justice Department and Google are set to make closing arguments in a trial alleging Google’s online advertising technology constitutes an illegal monopoly. The arguments in federal court Monday in northern Virginia come as Google is already facing a possible breakup of the company over its ubiquitous search engine. The Justice Department says it will seek the breakup of Google to remedy its search engine monopoly. The case focuses not on the search engine but on technology that matches online advertisers to consumers on the internet. 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