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Will Utah State or Boise State forfeit vs. San Jose State in the Mountain West semifinals?In some good news for Gophers football fans worried about other programs poaching Minnesota players, two of the team’s most dynamic underclassmen posted Friday on their social media accounts that they’re “not going anywhere.” Freshman safety Koi Perich and sophomore running back Darius Taylor have partnered with Minneapolis-based Roy Inc., which has developed a mobile app, Roy — an acronym for “return on you” — in which fans can make direct name, image and likeness contributions to specific athletes. Similar to what Gophers players did last year when they committed to Dinkytown Athletes, the NIL collective that is officially endorsed by the athletic department, both Perich and Taylor posted on X: “Gopher Fans, I’m not going anywhere, and if you love this team as much as I do, here’s your chance to make an impact!” Perich, a true freshman from Esko, Minn., earned first-team All-Big Ten honors after leading the conference and ranking third nationally with five interceptions. He also had 34 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble. Perich also earned second-team all-conference honors as a return man, averaging 10.2 yards per punt return and 19.9 per kickoff return. Taylor, a sophomore from Detroit, led the Gophers with 873 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 185 carries. He led the Big Ten in receptions by a running back and ranked third on the team with 50 receptions for 333 yards and two scores. Taylor’s 109.6 yards from scrimmage per game ranked fifth in the Big Ten. Cale Johnston, the founder of Roy Inc., was looking for a direct way for fans to support players using NIL. The app provides that connection. “Fans are more likely to get involved if they know exactly where their contributions are going,” Johnston said. “We’re hoping small deposits start to add up in a meaningful way.” Those using the Roy app can designate how much and to whom they want to contribute; the entire amount would go to the athlete, and Roy Inc. would make money off a service fee that’s tacked onto the donation. In turn, the player produces exclusive content that donors can access via the app. Should an athlete change his or her mind and leave the program, those contributing would have their money refunded. “We like to see the Gophers succeed, and we like to keep the talent here,” Johnston said.

Drake wins 65-46 against BelmontFort Lauderdale, FL, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Algorhythm Holdings, Inc. (“Algorhythm” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: RIME), an AI-driven technology and consumer electronics holding company, announced today the closing of its previously announced public offering with gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $9.5 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other estimated expenses payable by the Company. The offering comprised of 55,882,352 shares of the Company’s common stock (or pre-funded warrants in lieu of shares of common stock). Each share of common stock or pre-funded warrant was sold with one Series A Warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.17 per share (the “Series A Warrants”) and one Series B Warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.34 per share (the “Series B Warrants” and, together with the Series A Warrants, the “Warrants”). The Warrants will become exercisable upon the approval of the Company’s stockholders of the issuance of the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants, and certain other provisions of the Warrants. The Series A Warrants will expire on the five-year anniversary of its initial exercise date and the Series B Warrants will expire on the two and one-half-year anniversary of its initial exercise date. The purchase price of each share of common stock and accompanying Warrants was $0.17, and the purchase price of each pre-funded warrant and accompanying Warrants was such price minus $0.01. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital and other general corporate purposes, and for repayment of certain outstanding senior secured notes of the Company. Univest Securities, LLC is acting as sole placement agent for the offering. The securities described above are being offered by the Company pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333283178) (the “Registration Statement”) previously filed and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus which is a part of the Registration Statement. A final prospectus relating to the offering has been filed with the SEC and is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov . Electronic copies of the final prospectus relating to this offering may be obtained, when available, by contacting Univest Securities, LLC at info@univest.us , or by calling +1 (212) 343-8888. About Algorhythm Holdings Algorhythm Holdings, Inc. is a holding company with two primary investments. First, the Company owns SemiCab Holdings, an emerging leader in the AI-enabled global logistics industry. Second, the Company owns The Singing Machine Company, the worldwide leader in the consumer karaoke industry. SemiCab is a cloud-based Collaborative Transportation Platform built to achieve the scalability required to predict and optimize millions of loads and hundreds of thousands of trucks. To orchestrate collaboration across manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and their carriers, SemiCab uses real-time data from API-based load tendering and pre-built integrations with TMS and ELD partners. To build fully loaded round trips, SemiCab uses AI/ML predictions and advanced predictive optimization models. On the SemiCab platform, shippers pay less and carriers make more while not having to change a thing. Since 2020, SemiCab has enabled major retailers, brands and transportation providers to address these common supply-chain problems globally. SemiCab's Orchestrated Collaboration TM AI model has proven to increase transportation capacity, improve asset utilization, reduce empty miles, lower logistics costs, and provide visibility into the entire transportation network. Models show the technology has the capability of saving shippers tens of billions of dollars annually through optimization. Further, SemiCab’s technology also has the potential to play a key role in the improved sustainability model globally. Based on its proven ability to improve truck utilization rates from 65% to over 90%, this results in a dramatic reduction in the carbon footprint of the industry. The optimization of existing truck utilization can add approximately 30% more trucking capacity without adding more trucks, drivers or driven miles which addresses common problems plaguing the industry like severe driver shortage and road congestion. Trucking optimization could also eliminate approximately 25% of CO2 emissions attributable to road freight. For additional information regarding SemiCab: http://www.semicab.com The Singing Machine Company, Inc. is the worldwide leader in consumer karaoke products. Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and founded over forty years ago, the Company designs and distributes the industry's widest assortment of at-home and in-car karaoke entertainment products. Their portfolio is marketed under both proprietary brands and popular licenses, including Carpool Karaoke and Sesame Street. Singing Machine products incorporate the latest technology and provide access to over 100,000 songs for streaming through its mobile app and select WiFi-capable products and is also developing the world’s first globally available, fully integrated in-car karaoke system. The Company also has a new philanthropic initiative, CARE-eoke by Singing Machine , to focus on the social impact of karaoke for children and adults of all ages who would benefit from singing. Their products are sold in over 25,000 locations worldwide, including Amazon, Costco, Sam’s Club, Target, and Walmart. To learn more, go to www.singingmachine.com . Investor Relations Contact: investors@algoholdings.com www.algoholdings.com Forward Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which statements are subject to considerable risks and uncertainties. The Company intends such forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release, including statements about our beliefs and expectations, are "forward-looking statements" and should be evaluated as such. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “seeks,” “should,” “suggest”, “will,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements relating to the timing, size and expected gross proceeds of the Offering, the completion of the Offering, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the Offering and sale of securities, the Company’s ability to complete the Offering, and the intended use of proceeds from the Offering. The Company has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and projections about future events. Forward-looking statements are subject to and involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements predicted, assumed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to market conditions and the satisfaction of closing conditions related to the Offering, risks disclosed in the section titled “Risk Factors” included in the Registration Statement on Form S-1 initially filed with the SEC on November 12, 2024, and risks disclosed under item 1A. “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recently filed Form 10-KT filed with the SEC and the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. This press release speaks as of the date indicated above. The Company undertakes no obligation and expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

Donald Trump’s decision to appoint former US Senator David Perdue as ambassador to Beijing signals a pragmatic approach to US-China relations that’s likely to be welcomed by international investors. As a former CEO with a wealth of experience in Asia, Perdue brings a business-savvy perspective to the diplomatic arena at a time when US-China relations are increasingly influential in global markets. With tensions between the two economic superpowers at a peak, Perdue’s appointment could help steer diplomatic conversations toward more economically advantageous outcomes, benefiting global investors. The US-China economic relationship has been a central focus of international investment strategies, and Perdue’s experience gives him a unique insight into this critical area. As a former Fortune 500 chief executive and a US senator who has lived in Hong Kong and Singapore, Perdue possesses deep connections and an understanding of the commercial and political nuances of the Asian market. For investors, this connection could be seen as a positive development in terms of shaping a more stable and productive relationship between the US and China, offering new investment opportunities and strategies in Asia. What sets Perdue apart from other diplomatic appointments is his focus on business and economic negotiations. Unlike the more hard-line foreign policy approach seen in other senior appointments, such as Marco Rubio for Secretary of State and Mike Waltz for National Security Advisor, Perdue’s background as a corporate leader suggests a more economically focused strategy. This could be of particular interest to investors, as business-driven diplomacy offers more predictability and less volatility, especially when it comes to trade agreements and economic partnerships. For investors in sectors that are heavily intertwined with US-China trade, Perdue’s appointment offers potential stability. The former senator’s expertise could help facilitate trade negotiations, ensuring a more predictable environment for companies with business interests in China. His strategic leadership may be crucial in navigating the delicate trade relationships between the US and China, as businesses continue to seek clarity on tariffs, trade barriers, and the future of the global supply chain. While Trump’s administration has been marked by a strong stance against Chinese trade practices in the past, Perdue’s appointment could suggest a shift toward maintaining the US’s economic interests while continuing engagement with China. This approach is likely to lead to a more balanced negotiation strategy that offers benefits for both economies. For international investors, this means a reduction in geopolitical uncertainty and potential pathways for the US and China to work collaboratively rather than competitively. Perdue’s appointment also aligns with the growing trend of leveraging corporate experience in high-level diplomatic roles. As global trade expands, and cross-border economic relationships become more complex, traditional diplomacy may no longer be enough to address the needs of modern economies. His background in business provides him with the tools to engage China on an economic level that is less concerned with ideological divides and more focused on pragmatic solutions for trade and investment. The shift toward a more business-focused diplomatic approach is likely to be reassuring for investors who have faced a challenging environment in the wake of tariffs and trade restrictions. Perdue’s track record in navigating complex international markets suggests that he can foster stronger business ties, reduce the risk of sudden policy shifts and create a more conducive environment for investment. With China being the world’s second largest economy, strengthening ties with Washington will be crucial for sustaining global market growth. Moreover, Perdue’s deep understanding of the Chinese market and business culture offers investors a unique advantage. Companies and financial institutions that are actively engaged in Asia will benefit from having someone in a key diplomatic position who knows how to drive economic deals forward. Investors in sectors such as technology, finance, and manufacturing — industries that rely heavily on US-China relations — are likely to view this appointment as a positive development for long-term stability. While Perdue’s appointment represents a more pragmatic approach to US-China relations, it also highlights a broader trend of economic diplomacy that could shape future global investment strategies. As geopolitical tensions continue to rise, investors will look for signs that global economic relations are moving towards cooperative, rather than confrontational, solutions. Perdue’s appointment, therefore, offers hope that the US can maintain a productive working relationship with China, keeping markets stable and ensuring that international trade continues to flourish. For international investors, particularly those with exposure to the US and Chinese markets, Perdue’s appointment as ambassador to Beijing is seen as a potentially pivotal moment. By aligning economic and diplomatic interests, Perdue has the opportunity to shape US-China relations in ways that benefit investors and ensure continued growth in the global economy.

Princess Kate inadvertently hinted at a massive change in her life during a key royal appointment today, a body language expert has said. The Princess of Wales , 42, was among the first senior royals to arrive at the annual Christmas Carol service held at Westminster Abbey this evening, appearing initially solo before she was joined by her husband, Prince William , and three children. The younger royals joined after visiting the "kindness tree" on which Prince Louis could be seen leaving a message for the late Queen and Prince Philip . The message read: "Thank you to granny and grandpa because they have played games with me." Princess Kate came with no such message, but body language experts who have carefully studied her body language have noticed subtle changes to her composure that speak volumes. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror , Judi James said she appears to have "changed her body language rituals" and even appeared to emulate the King. Ms James started with the Princess' arrival, saying she emerged with a "radiant" smile before cementing her place as the "leader of the event". She said: "Kate's smile on her lone arrival was classic Kate, a radiant, perfect Duchenne smile that threw a warm and grateful-looking connecting tie-sign to the fans outside. "Her lack of a bag to carry suggested confidence as she has at times used her bags as barriers when she has been feeling vulnerable. Here she just touched the fingers of both hands together or gesticulated as she spoke to again suggest confidence and to define her role as leader of this event." When she entered the service, the expert added, she expressed an all new "dimension" to her behaviour, with Ms James catching the Princess' emotion at attending alongside other cancer survivors. She continued: "But when she was greeting the guests inside, we saw a new dimension to Kate's body language rituals. "She has always been politely animated but here she was much more openly expressive and emotional with her facial expressions. This is a very moving service for Kate, with other cancer sufferers attending, and that seemed to reflect in her animated expressions that ranged from nose-wrinkled, dimpled laughter to a much more empathetic and concerned look, with steepled brows and the saddest eye expression accompanying a kind mouth smile." Ms James added that, at one point during the service, she appeared to mirror King Charles III. She said: "At one point she even seemed to be mirroring her father-in-law, arching her back slightly and performing the kind of playful chuckle that is Charles's signature look when he is meeting guests." Despite this, the strongest mirroring came from Prince William and his eldest son, Prince George , 11, Ms James suggested. She said: "The strongest mirroring though came between William and George. The father and son have famously adopted mirrored poses but it's usual that, with age, the tendency can decline. "Here the opposite seems to be true though, with each mirroring the other now, sitting or standing in identical poses for much of the time."

Ensuring a reliable supply of critical battery raw materials will be crucial to the global push to net-zero, especially with demand for battery electric vehicles (BEV) picking up pace towards the end of this decade, a new report by McKinsey finds. By 2030, McKinsey estimates that worldwide demand for passenger cars in the BEV segment will grow sixfold from 2021 through 2030, with annual unit sales increasing to roughly 28 million from 4.5 million during that period. Such a projection, the consultancy says, means that the industry is “likely to confront persistent long-term challenges” in keeping with demand. In particular, its reports highlights that automotive OEMs are giving more attention to reducing Scope 3 emissions from material usage, which contribute a large portion of what batteries emit. As a result, battery materials sourcing has become ever more important for battery producers. Based on the latest estimates, McKinsey’s analysis projects that demand will outpace base-case supply for certain materials, requiring additional investment and leading to fear of shortages and price volatility, among other challenges. Supply shortages looming Based on current market observations, battery manufacturers can expect challenges securing supply of several essential battery raw materials by 2030, McKinsey’s report finds. Battery makers use more than 80% of all lithium that is mined today, and that share could grow to 95% by 2030. With technological advancements shifting in favor of lithium-heavy batteries, lithium mining will need to increase substantially to meet 2030 demand, McKinsey says. For nickel, fears of a shortage prompted by the shift to BEVs have already triggered significant investments in new mines, particularly in Southeast Asia, but even more supply will need to be brought online. McKinsey’s report suggests the possibility of a slight shortage in 2030 as the battery sector continues to vie with steel and other sectors for Class 1 nickel. While the share of cobalt in battery chemistry mix is expected to decrease, the absolute demand for cobalt for all applications could rise by 7.5% a year from 2023 and 2030, McKinsey estimates, adding that shortages of cobalt are unlikely, but its supply will be driven by nickel and copper since it is largely a byproduct of their production. Meanwhile, the supply of manganese is projected to grow moderately through 2030, but an increasing demand for battery-grade material is likely to outpace supply, requiring the development of new refineries. To account for a rapid adoption of LFP (lithium iron phosphate) technology, McKinsey’s study models the 2030 supply and demand balances with two scenarios. Under the base case, only about 20% of the HPMSM (high-purity manganese sulfate monohydrate) supply will meet the requirements of battery applications (30% if all announced projects are realized), which themselves will account for only about 5% of total demand for manganese. In a world where the rapid adoption of LFP technology is coupled with a lower growth in EV production, the demand of battery materials could look different: Global trends Although overall demand for batteries and raw materials is increasing rapidly, supply is — and will remain — largely concentrated in a few naturally endowed countries, including Indonesia for nickel; Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile for lithium; and the DRC for cobalt, McKinsey says. Meanwhile, the refining typically takes place elsewhere, often in China (for cobalt and lithium), Indonesia (nickel), and Brazil (niobium). This value chain setup, according to McKinsey, poses additional considerations for regions such as the European Union and the United States, both of which have high demand for imported materials and often rely heavily on single-country sources. For example, the European Union imports 68% of its cobalt from the DRC, 24% of its nickel from Canada, and 79% of its refined lithium from Chile. Supply chain transparency Moreover, although supply concentration for materials such as refined nickel, cobalt and lithium are knowable, complete visibility into the origin of raw materials is sometimes unattainable. This is the case with high-purity manganese, of which more than 95% is produced in China and minor volumes come from Belgium and Japan; graphite, of which almost all is refined in China; and anode production, on which China has a near monopoly. Limited transparency into the origins of battery raw materials supply also poses broader ESG concerns and attention. For instance, the EU Batteries Regulation aims to make batteries sustainable throughout their entire life cycle, from material sourcing to battery collection, recycling and repurposing. As a result, McKinsey believes the pressure to address ESG concerns will likely increase moving forward. Recent supply chain disruptions, such as those affecting magnesium, silicon and semiconductors in from 2021 to 2023, have increased buyers’ needs to boost supply chain resilience for critical battery raw materials. Buyers’ risks of import dependency are further heightened by recent trade restrictions introduced by exporters, including China’s export controls on some materials (such as synthetic graphite and natural flake graphite products used in BEVs) and Indonesia’s ban on nickel ore exports.12 Information Technology Stocks Moving In Friday's Pre-Market Session

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The 1000 Hours subseries of the DragonKingKarl Classic Wrestling Show is all about the pioneer era of wrestling with myself, author of the DragonKingKarl Pioneer Era Pro Wrestling Omnibus , as the host. We continue to work our way through the book and are now up to just prior to the 1870 Detroit International Tournament. It was an era when wrestling started to get more organized. Harry Hill comes onto the scene and will play a major role in the development of the game. The early players are coming onto the board, so let’s discuss them. Click Here to Listen (sub needed)

Georgia Leaders Unite in Tribute as Jimmy Carter Dies at 100

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‘Squid Game’ Player 456 Returns to Deadly Arena in Netflix’s Season 2 Trailer - Hollywood ReporterMyHeritage gained a lot of attention for turning old photos into videos with its Deep Nostalgia technology in 2024, and they're also the company behind DeepStory, which makes images speak by creating talking portraits from photos or paintings. Now, the company has upgraded the tech with its new LiveMemory tool. Like Deep Nostalgia, LiveMemory uses AI to make short animated videos from still images that theoretically show what might have happened right after the photo was taken. It's an upgraded version of the same feature, capable of making a kid on a bike in a picture ride away or a couple on their wedding day turn and kiss. Or at least that's the pitch. I decided to try it out myself, as it's easy enough to use if you have an account and the MyHeritage mobile app. However, you only get a few tries with the free trial, and you need to pay up to remove the watermark. To make a LiveMemory, you upload whatever picture you want to see transformed. A few minutes later, you get an email from MyHeritage with the video. To spare my friends and family, I started with a picture of myself and a much-missed pet dog named Malfoy. You can see the resulting video below. Uncanny Nostalgia I was mostly impressed with how much the tech has improved from Deep Nostalgia. The movements of my head and Malfoy's head and body are quite realistic, and his tail, unseen in the photo, does look exactly like his actual tail. Even my wry expression is well observed, considering the AI still had to go on for the video. That said, I don't consider myself that wall-eyed, and while Malfoy's tail looked right, it also looked like it was growing out of the side of his body. We used to joke that Malfoy was a dog built by a committee in the dark, but even he had his tail in the right location. I decided to go simpler and just upload a straightforward portrait of myself at about a year old. You can see how that went below. Boneless boy Again, the expressions are great; it looks like I'm really enjoying a joke, and my head and neck are moving like an actual human being. On the other hand, the AI doesn't seem to realize that the young child in the image would definitely not have that many teeth gleaming in his mouth. Those teeth apparently stole all of the digital bones from my hands. Watching my clay-like fingers squish each other and occasionally pass through each other like monstrous tentacles is more likely to induce nausea than nostalgia. Compare that to the official launch video from MyHeritage, seen below. You can tell that even if there will be a lot of videos that people don't like, the ones that hit the mark will be very popular, just like Deep Nostalgia. Maybe just be careful not to use photos where hands are clasped together like mine. Meta's new AI model tags and tracks every object in your videos How AI animates your old family photos – and where deepfakes are going next ByteDance hits play on AI video creator while Sora seems paused