Accordion expands its global data & analytics hub in Hyd
A Caerphilly borough primary school has been praised for its 'happy, inclusive learning community' following an inspection. Cwmcarn Primary School was given the positive report following the Estyn inspection on September 23. The school has 220 pupils, including 21 nursery children. Inspectors said that: "Cwmcarn Primary School is a happy, inclusive learning community where pupils feel safe and secure." They said that the headteacher, governors, and staff are 'very proud of the school' and share a vision that focuses on the well-being and progress of all pupils, including those in the Special Resource Bases (SRBs). The report said: "Working relationships between staff and pupils are strong and these contribute positively to the way pupils behave in and around the school. "Pupils are polite and courteous to each other and other adults. "They are confident when discussing their work and keen to explain what they are doing and what they have learnt to their peers and staff." The report also praised the provision for pupils with additional learning needs (ALN), particularly those in the SRB classes, as 'highly successful.' The school's ALN co-ordinator has worked with staff to develop robust procedures to support pupils with ALN. As a result, most pupils, including those at risk of underachievement because of the impact of socioeconomic disadvantage, make good progress. The report said: "Leaders place a high priority on pupil attendance and work with families effectively to ensure that their children attend school regularly. "This has had a positive impact on attendance figures." However, the report also highlighted areas for improvement. It said: "The provision for Welsh is underdeveloped and staff do not provide enough opportunities for outdoor learning." The report made two recommendations to help the school continue to improve: to strengthen the provision for pupils to develop their Welsh language skills, and to develop the use of the outdoors as a learning environment. The report concluded: "Cwmcarn Primary School is a highly inclusive school that places a clear priority on the well-being of its pupils. "This supportive ethos, alongside effective teaching, ensures that most pupils make good progress in their learning and well-being."
We’re officially coming up on Grammy season — but right before that, in this week between Christmas and New Year’s, it’s Grammy commemoration season, thanks to a couple of two-hour throwback specials that are premiering on CBS this weekend. First, on Friday night, comes “Grammy Greats: The Stories Behind the Songs,” dedicated to the winners in the Song of the Year category. Following that on Sunday is “Grammy Greats: The Most Memorable Moments,” a show largely comprised of some of the unusual or remarkable duet pairings that have been put together for the annual awards telecast over the years, along with singular moments. Both specials are the handiwork of producer Ken Ehrlich , who bring serious enyclopedic and institutional knowledge to these “clip shows” — he was behind every Grammys telecast (bar one) from 1980 through 2020. Besides finding the right excerpts and stories to tell, Ehrlich interviewed many of the artists that are featured on the two specials, including Billie Eilish and Finneas, Joni Mitchell, Dua Lipa, Sting, Elton John, John Mayer, Annie Lennox, St. Vincent, Bonnie Raitt, LL Cool J, Luke Combs, Kenny Loggins and Brandi Carlile. The weekend’s twin Grammy specials complete a trifecta in which Ehrlich produced three shows that are airing on CBS in the course of one week; the first was an Andrea Bocelli Christmas special that premiered on Christmas Eve. It’s not quite a first for him, to be responsible for that much concentrated starpower in one relative fell swoop, but it’s the first time he’s had quite that much content on the air at once in 25 years, as he explains. Ehrlich sat down to talk with Variety about “Grammy Greats: The Stories Behind the Songs,” which bows Friday at 9 p.m. ET/PT, and the “Memorable Moments” show, which premieres Sunday in the same time slot. (Gayle King cohosts both specials; country star Mickey Guyton shares duties on the former, while Jimmy Jim is the cohost of the latter.) CBS is not going to bill this as Ken Ehrlich Week, but with your three specials on the network in less than seven days, maybe we are free to unofficially call it that. I’d stay away from that. That sounds so bad! But I will tell you that that there is a precedent. In Thanksgiving 1999, we did three big specials on one weekend — Ricky Martin, Shania and Celine. We did multiple specials with all of them, but the one with Ricky was his first, and I remember (the period) because we opened the show in Liberty State Park across from the Twin Towers, which were still up. So that was three one-hour shows in one weekend. The Andrea Bocelli special you did that ran Christmas Eve was done in something of a hurry, as we understand it. But you must have had quite a while to do the two Grammy commemorative specials, there are so many stars you got to sit down to do interviews for those. The Grammy shows we did over the summer. We had done Elton (John’s Gershwin Prize special for PBS in April or May, and then in July we started doing these Grammy clip shows. They weren’t hard to do, but they were labor-intensive, because for the two shows I probably did 15 or 16 interviews, maybe more, and most of them were in person. Sting was in person, John Mayer was in person, Billie Eilish and Finneas... and Annie Lennox, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, St. Vincent, Mark Ronson, all in person. There were a few who we interviewed virtually — Dua Lipa, Lady A, Keith Urban. It filled the summer, and we delivered the two shows in early September. They were fun to do. The Bocelli show didn’t exist until about five weeks ago. We just pitched it as... I don’t want to say as a whim. But I was talking to Branden Chapmen, my primary contact with the Academy now, and I said, “Hey, do you think they’d be interested in Bocelli?” And we set up a call with the network and they bought it right away. And then I had to go to Bocelli, who I’ve worked with before and really enjoy, and get them to say yes to doing a show literally in a period of three and a half weeks, we put it together. Fortunately, they had these two sold-out concerts booked, one in Vegas and one here in L.A., and we basically moved in on both shows. So I couldn’t get some of the camera angles and other stuff we would normally want because we basically built that one-hour special on top of what his concert was. We also added in a number of Christmas songs that were not gonna be in his regular repertoire for those two concerts. At one point I thought there was some talk about having one of the Grammy shows air somewhere around the nominations and the other one closer to or even after the Grammys. But someone woke up and said, “Hey, let’s put ’em together” (on the weekend between Christmas and New Year’s). So I just basically said, “Hey, whatever you want.” The two Grammy shows both involve a lot of memories of segments you did for the Grammy live telecasts over the years. But I know the one you did for Song of the Year is close to your heart. What was special about having Song of the Year category be the peg for a special, as opposed to Record of the Year, New Artist or any of the other awards you could have commemorated? Honestly, I’ve always felt that songs were my favorite. I don’t want to say they were my favorite category , but that’s my orientation. From the time I first started listening to music, it was all about the songs. I have the fortunate advantage of having had my first musical experiences be prior to the singer-songwriter era, growing up listening to Elvis and the doo-wop stuff. But when I was in college in the ‘60s ad then loving music as I got married and having kids in the ‘70s, it was that stuff that I really loved. My son was visiting over Thanksgiving and he asked me, “Dad, did you used to sing ‘Sweet Baby James’ to me when I was a baby?” I said, “Absolutely.” And I loved those songs because of the lyrics of them most of all. So there’s that background of mine, and combining that with the fact that all these stories behing the songs are so personal, and I had such an involvement with both the writers and the performers, it would only be natural. And the songs that we picked for this show were pretty much handpicked, to be honest with you. There were a few people that just didn’t want to sit down for interviews, but I was actually pleasantly surprised at all of the ones that did. I love reading about songs. I love talking to artists about songs. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve sat with Elton, and then this year Bernie (Taupin) because of the Gershwin show — it just gave me a whole new reason to get chills down my spine, hearing them talk about these songs, and Bernie in particular talking about the lyrics of these songs. It’s just things I never knew. I mean, we read all those books, but there’s something different about just actually hearing them talk about ’em. I love the Luther Vandross/Richard Marx segment (about “Dance With My Father”); there was just such love and sincerity there. I continue to quote the last line of that segment, which is “He was more than just a great artist. He was my friend,” and he cries... I loved talking to Billie and Finneas about “What Was I Made For?” There’s just such a throughline there. It started with “What a Fool Believes,” which was my first Grammy show, in 1980. And then we have Mayer talking about “Daughters,” and Alicia (Keys’) “Fallin’”... I can’t imagine there are many people that are going to tune the show in that aren’t gonna know every song that I did a piece about. These songs are ubiquitous. They’re truly part of our DNA. Actually, Bonnie Raitt’s song, “Just Like That,” which won in 2023, not everyone will know; it wasn’t performed on the telecast that year. People still sometimes wonder what the difference is between Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the Grammys. But since the latter is really supposed to be focused on the songwriting and not the production, it does allow for some nominees occasionally that were not big hits — like Bonnie’s song, which was a real surprise as a winner. A dramatic ballad about an organ transplant is probably never going to win Record, but somehow it prevailed in Song. That was a joy for me, to build that segment and string out of the story of that song, which was so emotional and lived on so many planes. I mean, even the payoff of having Dr. (Jill) Biden present her with the award, and then as Bonnie says in the story, three months later — I don’t know whether it was coincidental or not — (President Joe) Biden passed a transplant law. It just again continues to prove to me the power of music, that it’s not just a bunch of words and music. By the way, nothing wrong with that (more ephemeral pop) either, but when it goes beyond... I did a “Sound Stage” with Bonnie Raitt in 1975. I’ve been in love with her in every way since that time. I didn’t do the show but I actually was very happy with what they did for her on the Kennedy Center Honors show that just ran. You have Brandi Carlile on the show, talking about some of the historic winners, even though she has not yet won Song of the Year herself. Brandi Carlile has at least two or three songs that in my mind are as good or better as any song that did win. I mean, “The Story” is one of my favorite songs of all time, and “The Joke” is an amazing song. I included her in the show because I wanted to hear her perspective about songs. It wasn’t just that she’s a great writer, but she not only is self-analytical, but is analytical in terms of being able to talk about other music in an intelligent but emotional way. I love her so much. Every generation, I picked two or three (favorites), and she’s definitely this one. I don’t know anybody like her. And I don’t want to say I discovered her. Elton and I found her about the same time, with “The Story,” because I remember sitting in New Orleans with him and we would talk about new people. That’s all he cared about. So all of a sudden, Brandi Carlile — we almost said it at the same time, and we both said, we love this woman. And then he told me about how the label really fucked that up and didn’t promote it, they didn’t think she was anything, and they dropped her. I think she talks about it on the show, the journey from “The Story” to “The Joke” and then beyond that to “Right on Time.” The story of “Dance With My Father” won’t be familiar to everyone. Richard Marx wrote it at the behest of Luther Vandross, who had the title and wanted something to commemorate his father, and Marx had his own grief issues... and then within days of the mixing, Vandross had a stroke. So Celine ended up singing it on the show, after losing her own dad. I’ve known Richard Marx over the years — never closely, but I thought he was a pretty good writer. It was a compelling way that he told that story. We went to Night Bird Studios, in the basement of whatever that hotel is, and I interviewed him there in a dark room with a piano. And I think it probably was the vibe of that room — that studio combined with the history I have with Luther and just how emotionally involved Richard got in telling the story. It doesn’t always translate on tape, or whatever we use now digitally, but that particular half-hour that I spent with him while he talked about that story and the irony of losing his father and then writing that song and Luther telling his story about his father... I mean, it was just like, God, again, does life imitate art or does art imitate life? And having Celine sing it in a way that was meaningful for her too is kind of the cherry on top of the whole story. Luther had the stroke and couldn’t perform, and I’m pretty sure it was me that said, “Let me see if I can get Celine.” And her father had passed away, so she agreed to do it. There were times when I was taping these interviews with them where they kept wanting to say “you,” and I kept saying, “No, don’t say ‘you,’ just say ‘producers.’” I didn’t want us to seem too self-aggrandizing. Having talked about the Song of the Year show, let’s talk about the Grammy Moments special. Did you have anything in that one that felt most special for you to spotlight? We did a segment about In Memoriam. I know it’s probably morbid to take credit for In Memoriam, but the truth of the matter is, we invented the idea of putting music in the In Memoriam. And it goes back to the Clash tribute that we did (in 2003, after Joe Strummer’s death). Before that, the truth is, there wasn’t time, or we didn’t think there was interest on behalf of a broad, general audience. I never wanted to do an In Memoriam segment. Especially in those days— I think when I first started doing the show, it was two hours. And then shortly after, I think the 25th anniversary, which was 1984, I think that was the first three-hour show. And then it stayed at three, and then it went to three-and-a-half. A lot of people think it’s too long, and there were years that I thought it was too long myself. But I always felt that doing a memorial segment was going to take up valuable time that I could be devoting to something else. So the only reason I agreed to do it that first time, in 2003, for the Clash, was because I could musicalize it, and it gave me a really good excuse to put Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl and Little Steven together on a stage. It was spectacular, and then I liked it and said, “OK, we gotta keep doing it.” I remember the ones that a lot of people don’t remember, like when we did Warren Zevon with “Keep Me in Your Heart” and I put together a bunch of singer-songwriters. Then one year I had Bonnie and Billy Preston saluting Ray Charles, and there was another year I had Bonnie and Alicia doing Etta James. So it was fertile, and I loved doing that segment (for the new special). It’s fun that you have both Dua Lipa and St. Vincent talking about their smoldering medley of “Masseduction”/”One Kiss”, which was on the show right before Dua became really huge. I love Annie Clark, and her team had been after me to try and do something with St. Vincent, and I wanted to put her on the show but I didn’t have any reason. And then, probably a week or 10 days before the show, all of a sudden Dua Lipa came on my radar. It was like, why don’t I put these two people together? It really could be interesting. Nobody had a clue about what it was gonna be, which was great because there wasn’t time to think about it. I don’t think they started rehearsing until Monday of Grammy week. And out of it came this lovely little kind of... How do I say this and not get myself in trouble? I think “homoerotic” is the wrong word. When I was a kid and I used to read illicit literature, it was “sapphic.” And there was nothing wrong with that, you know? I mean, God knows when I did that in 2019, forget about whether the world was ready for it; it was overdue. I’ll take the hit for the Grammy show for not always being the most advanced or forward-thinking, but I tried, you know; there were times. Hip-hop wasn’t always a big part of the Grammys in the genres early years, but there is a segment on the Moments show devoted to how it’s become a bigger piece of the pie. (In earlier years) I don’t want to say I was resistant to hip-hop and rap, but the Grammys for a long time never nominated the right artists anyway, so I was stuck doing Digable Planets. But ultimately I began to embrace it. When Harvey (Mason Jr.) came in, in particular, it became a lot easier to do, and then we did do some of the great things, and Jesse Collins had a lot to do with it too and had some really good ideas. That year that we did the T.I. and MIA and Jay and Kanye, in 2009, it was great fun.... And this show with that epic 15-minute segment that they did on the showlast year, which was really well done. It was a mishmosh, it was a melange, but it was good. Prince and Beyonce performing together is one of the ultimate Grammy moments, so it was a natural to include that. I’m glad we did a Prince piece, because he has a very limited but very impactful Grammy history. He had presented a few times where I had him on, but if you think about it, not much before “Baby I’m a Star” with him and Beyonce. Every year I would call the guy and the first thing out of his mouth was, “Do you have $3 million?” I’d say, “No.” “Well, call me next year.” But for the Beyonce segment, he actually called me, and said, “Hey, I wanna be with Beyonce. Can you do anything? I have this great idea.” And that was when I went to Matthew Knowles, and then wound up with Tina at this studio while Beyonce did a photo shoot, and convincing first her mother that she should do this, because she didn’t want to do it. She was up for “Dangerously in Love” that year and said, “Why do I need to perform with Prince?” (instead of getting a solo slot, though she ultimaely got both). But Prince for me was always... it was a quest. He was incredibly enigmatic. I really was fond of him. He would try and be funny with you, you know? Sly is a better word — that’s what he was. So I tried to give that segment a little bit of who he was. Do you feel like you still care about music as much as you ever did? It’s not for me to say that I’m relevant, but the reality is that I have as good a time talking to 23-year-old kids or 19-year-old kids as I do 50-year-old people. It’s because, for me, the common language is music. I have the son of a cousin who is 21 and came to the sweetening session for the Bocelli show, and after we finished the session, I said, you wanna go to lunch? And we go to lunch, and this 21-year-old kid and I had the best conversation that I’ve had with anybody in the last month. He’s in a band and he loves to gig and he plays around town. We shouldn’t have that much in common, but we fucking do. I was that way when I was 21 years old, and I still do that now that I’m 80. I don’t think I could talk politics necessarily with a 21-year-old kid — although I probably could. But, you know, I just find people who are interested interesting. You are still in touch with the spirit of the age when you fell in love with music. I’ve always been drawn to African American artists. I just have been right from the beginning. That goes back to the doo-wop groups and it goes back to Chuck Berry and Little Richard and the Motown years, the music that I really grew up on. I may have told you the story... When I was a kid, I worked for my dad who owned a textile plant in Cleveland, Ohio. He had all African American employees and I worked with them in the shipping department, in some brutal summers in the ‘50s when there was no air conditioning. I worked there from the time I was about 12 or 13 till I went to college, anyway. And there were these two radio stations in Cleveland we listened to in the shipping department with my two friends, Cliff and Richard — not to be confused with Cliff Richard. Cliff had a toothpick, and Richard had a gold tooth, and they had doo-rags and they were my bosses at the shipping department. And that’s where I first heard blues, and that was the music I grew up on. I also grew up hearing the white versions of everything by the Pat Boones and all of those people. But I loved Black music. You wrote a personal history of your Grammy experiences as a book in 2007 (“At the Grammys!: Behind the Scenes at Music’s Biggest Night”). Did doing these specials give you a similar sensation, looking back? To be honest, of course it did, but I don’t want to admit that, because every once in a while I’m in a room with people that are talking about ancient history and I feel sorry for them. We did four shows this year, including Elton and these three Grammy-branded shows, which is not bad for an old guy. There are four general categories at the Grammys, with Song of the Year obviously being just one. Do you think you and the Academy might hit the other three? I think there’s a thought, both at the Academy and the network, at least for the next couple years when the Grammys change networks, that if people do watch these couple of shows, we’ll do a few more. And I wouldn’t mind that at all. I enjoy doing them and they’re a lot easier to do than a three-and-a-half-hour live show. The only thing I thought about... and I didn’t look it up... There’s a lot of duplication between Record and Album of the Year, so frankly I’d have to do a little bit of a studyto see how much the same names are gonna pop up in both those categories. Actually when we were thinking about these shows, I looked a little bit at country and I looked a little bit at R&B and I thought, hey, there’s some really great performances that were just classic, that I would love to revisit, that didn’t win the album or record or song of the year, but were still great. When people watch ’em, are they as accessible as this show was, or a Record or Album show would be? Maybe, maybe not, but I think they could be fascinating shows. I would love to dig into those catalogs, because there’s so much stuff that we did on that show that nobody ever sees, and no one probably ever will, unless they figure out a way to somehow market them. But many of Grammy’s greatest performances are just undiscovered at this point. I think of a performance we did with Bonnie and Bruce and Allen Toussaint and Dr. John doing “Yes, we Can Can,” the year after Katrina — God, it was unbelievable. So there’s all of that stuff that’s just sitting there. Maybe it’s not as good as I think it was, but they’re truly memorable performances. I’d love to think that as broad as the landscape is now with all these streaming services, there’s got to be a place for these shows.
The trunk of my late-model car is filled with old coats, sweatpants and stocking caps. They're not real flashy and you'll find holes if you look real close. But those clothes have come in handy in the chilly Treasure State, where so many of us take pride in making the most of challenging weather days. I think of the Montana defense the same way I do those 30-year-old wind pants I pull out of the trunk to wear at football games. Both have been largely underappreciated the last five weeks. On Saturday in Bozeman, the Griz defense surrendered 34 points, so nobody is going to be comparing them to Pittsburgh's Steel Curtain of 1975. Certainly fans of the maroon and silver had a lot of reasons to be flustered. But take a step back and consider Montana State possessed the ball for almost two-thirds of the first half. Then the Cats had some good field position in the first 13 minutes of the third quarter and Montana's defense refused to relent, clinging to hope despite a 20-3 deficit. "They chucked it down the field a few times and made two catches — it's not a high percentage play for them and we've gotta live with that," Montana coach Bobby Hauck said coming out of the locker room after halftime. "Other than that we're tackling well. I think we're playing pretty well on defense." The most prolific scoring team in the FCS was limited to 20 points through the first 43 minutes. Kudos to the Montana defense for its hustle and heart. It's just that the Grizzly offense, held scoreless in the first half at home last Saturday against Portland State, was held to three points through three quarters in Bozeman against the best defense in the Big Sky Conference. Sure, we all expected Montana to do better in its 123rd annual rivalry game at MSU. Maybe at least score more than one touchdown with so much motivation. But give credit to Montana's defensive coaches for again coming up with a strong game plan against Montana State senior quarterback Tommy Mellott. And credit the defense for its vast improvement since giving up 55 points at home earlier this season to Weber State (3-8) and 49 at Eastern Washington (4-7). Not to beat a dead horse, but I can't help wondering how things might have been different had Clifton McDowell stayed around. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound quarterback led Montana to the FCS title game last December with a knack for picking up tough yards on the ground and doing just enough with his passing. He entered the transfer portal last winter for reasons unreported. Maybe he was looking for more NIL money. Maybe he disliked Montana's weather. You could say it's all ancient history now and doesn't matter. But it does matter. It matters a lot because Montana could have been much better. The banged-up Grizzlies need to regroup in a hurry now with a playoff game — likely at home — coming up next weekend. If the defense plays the way it did against the Bobcats, I like Montana's chances. But something needs to be done with the offense and I'm not even sure what it is at this point. Maybe go back to Keali'i Ah Yat at quarterback, assuming he's healthy, or give 6-4 sophomore Kaden Huot of Helena a few snaps. Montana has beaten only one conference team with a winning record (Northern Arizona), so maybe Griz fans should be grateful their guys are in the playoff mix with an 8-4 record. Any postseason success would feel like a bonus at this point.
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], November 23 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu extended his heartfelt congratulations to senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi for her emphatic victory in the Wayanad by-election on Saturday. Sukhu said that Priyanka Gandhi's record-breaking win marks a "significant milestone" in her electoral journey and will further "strengthen the Congress party." Also Read | Maharashtra Assembly Poll Results Unexpected, Incomprehensible; Something Fishy, Says Uddhav Thackeray. The CM also congratulated senior leaders and party workers for their success in the Jharkhand Assembly elections, emphasizing their dedication and hard work. After winning the Lok Sabha by-poll for Kerala's Wayanad seat, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi thanked voters for giving her "the honour to represent them." Also Read | Pakur Assembly By-Election Result 2024: Nisat Alam, Wife of Former Jharkhand Minister Alamgir Alam, Wins Seat by Highest Margin of 86,029. "I thank the people of Wayanad for giving me the honour to represent them. It's a testament to the fact that my brother worked hard there, their love for him and their trust in me. I feel it's a great honour and I will respect it fully," she told reporters. According to the Election Commission, Priyanka Gandhi won the Wayanad bypoll by 4,10,931 votes by defeating BJP candidate Navya Haridas and CPI candidate Sathyan Mokeri. She won 6,22,338 votes, Sathyan Mokeri bagged 2,11,407 and Navya Haridas managed to win 1,09,939 votes. The Wayanad seat fell vacant as Rahul Gandhi resigned from there after deciding to retain the UP's Rae Bareli constituency, as he had won both seats during the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Meanwhile, CM Sukhu, in response to a question, criticized the BJP for engaging in obstructionist rather than cooperative politics in Himachal Pradesh. He stated, "The BJP evades addressing public concerns and avoids discussing their five-year performance. Instead, they divert attention to matters like toilet tax and samosas. The public deserves to know why the standards of education and healthcare declined during their regime." He said that his government is committed to fulfilling its promises and leading Himachal Pradesh on the path of development. "The people elect a government for five years, and democracy is the voice of the people. However, BJP is creating hurdles in the state's progress," he added. The Chief Minister remarked that the BJP is divided into five factions, each led by Nadda, Anurag Thakur, Jairam Thakur, Rajeev Bindal, and a group of former Congress members who joined the BJP, now referred to as the "East India Company." He stated that the opposition is not engaging in policy-based criticism but is instead targeting him personally. "Despite their efforts, the current state government is steadfast in its commitment to advancing Himachal Pradesh on the path of development. Over the past two years, the government has strengthened the state's economy, which has become a source of concern for the opposition, he added. Sukhu asked former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur to explain why Himachal Pradesh fell to 21st place in qualitative education during the BJP's tenure. He further pointed out that the current government has made significant strides, such as increasing MGNREGA wages by Rs. 60 and reinstating the old pension scheme for government employees. "I want to assure everyone that we will take firm and decisive steps, which will yield positive results. We are moving towards a self-reliant Himachal Pradesh through Vyavstha Parivartan, the foundation for which has already been laid by the present government." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Daily Horoscope For Today, December 3, 2024: Astrological Forecasts For Each Zodiac Sign
Vancouver, BC, Dec. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOBI AI Inc. (FOBI:TSXV) (FOBIF:OTCQB) (" Fobi ” or the " Company ”) announces that it has applied to its principal regulator, the British Columbia Securities Commission (" BCSC ”), for a partial revocation order (the " Partial Revocation Order ”) of the ongoing failure-to-file cease trade order (" FFCTO ”) ordered by the BCSC on November 1, 2024, in order to complete a non-brokered private placement offering (the " Proposed Offering ”) of 56,114,400 units of the Company (the " Units ”) to a single subscriber (the " Subscriber ”) at a price per Unit of US$0.04 for aggregate gross proceeds of US$2,244,576 on a prospectus exempt basis. Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (a " Unit Share ”) and one common share purchase warrant (a " Unit Warrant ”), each of which is exercisable for the purchase of one additional common share in the capital of the Company at a price of US$0.06 per share for a period of two years from the date of the closing of the Proposed Offering. The proceeds from the Proposed Offering will be used to file the outstanding continuous disclosure documents of the Company, cover essential expenses, and subsequently apply for a full revocation of the FFCTO within a reasonable time, among other things. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Proposed Offering as described in the table below. 1.Includes certain amounts payable in U.S. dollars converted to CAD using Bank of Canada exchange rate of 1 USD to 1.4386 CAD on December 24, 2024. 2.US$100,000 converted to CAD using Bank of Canada exchange rate of 1 USD to 1.4386 CAD on December 24, 2024. 3.Based on proceeds of US$2,244,576 using Bank of Canada exchange rate of 1 USD to 1.4386 CAD on December 24, 2024. On closing of the Proposed Offering, the Subscriber is anticipated to hold 19.99% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. The applicable disclosure required under National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues will be included in the press release of the Company announcing the closing of the Proposed Offering. The exercise by the Subscriber of Unit Warrants will be prohibited if such exercise would result in the Subscriber holding 20.0% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the Company. Completion of the Proposed Offering remains conditional on the grant of the Partial Revocation Order by the BCSC, approval of the Proposed Offering by the TSX Venture Exchange (" TSXV ”), and the execution of a subscription agreement, among other things. The Company anticipates filing (i) audited annual financial statements, management's discussion and analysis, and related certifications for the year ended June 30, 2024 (" Annual Filings ”), within 45 days of the closing of the Proposed Offering and (ii) interim financial statements, management's discussion and analysis, and related certifications for the three months ended September 30, 2024, including certifications thereto (" Interim Filings ”), within 15 days of the filing of the Annual Filings, at which time the Company intends to apply for a full revocation of the FFCTO. About Fobi Founded in 2017 in Vancouver, Canada, Fobi is a leading AI and data intelligence company that provides businesses with real-time applications to digitally transform and future-proof their organizations. Fobi enables businesses to action, leverage, and monetize their customer data by powering personalized and data-driven customer experiences, and drives digital sustainability by eliminating the need for paper and reducing unnecessary plastic waste at scale. Fobi works with some of the largest global organizations across retail & CPG, insurance, sports & entertainment, casino gaming, and more. Fobi is a recognized technology and data intelligence leader across North America and Europe, and is the largest data aggregator in Canada's hospitality & tourism industry. For more information, please contact: Forward Looking Statements/Information: This news release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information, including statements regarding the terms of the Proposed Offering, the Partial Revocation Order, the intended use of the proceeds of the Proposed Offering, the time to complete the Annual Filings and Interim Filings, and other statements characterized by words such as "anticipates,” "may,” "can,” "plans,” "believes,” "estimates,” "expects,” "projects,” "targets,” "intends,” "likely,” "will,” "should,” "to be”, "potential” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may”, "should” or "will” occur . Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond the Company's control, including, without limitation, market competition, the impact of general economic and industry conditions, competition, stock market volatility, BCSC and TSXV approval conditions, and the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. Although the Company believes that the expectations in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate. Those factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information. Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: Fobi not receiving approval of the TSXV with respect to any future issuances of securities as required; and changes to volatile exchange rates, market conditions, market competition and other economic and market factors. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of the Company and market conditions. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, as no assurance can be provided as to future plans, operations, and results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to achieve all or any of its proposed objectives. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Zion Williamson's decision to part ways with Creative Arts Agency (CAA) could stem from an unlikely clause in the 24-year-old New Orleans Pelicans star's contract. The star forward split with CAA just recently and it is unclear why the decision was made just 17 games into the 2024-25 NBA season , per The Athletic . Williamson will have to 15 days after firing his previous representation before hiring a new agent. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that the final three years of Williamson's five-year, $197 million contract extension is not guaranteed. Williamson signed the extension in July 2022, with the contract formally set to begin in the 2023-24 season. NBA mirrors NFL warning as FBI involved after Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes incidents Joe Biden makes Boston Celtics blunder as NBA champions visit White House However, because Williamson only played in 29 games during the 2022-23 season, that triggered a clause within his contract that states New Orleans can waive the talented star following the 2024-25 season with no financial repercussions, The Athletic has reported. Additionally, his contract is laden with stipulations which was New Orleans' way of safeguarding itself if Williamson continues to miss time throughout the life of his deal. For example, 20 percent of his salary next year will be guaranteed if he stays below 295 lbs throughout the entirety of the season. Also, 40, 20 and another 20 percent of his contract for next season will guaranteed if he plays in at least 41, 51 and 61 games, respectively. The final two years of Williamson's contract will be fully guaranteed if he can hit the aforementioned milestones for those two seasons. Furthermore, the forward's contract for the 2025-26 season is fully protected, if he is not waived on or before July 15, 2025. Though the Pelicans can choose to waive Williamson after this season because his seemingly never-ending battle with injuries, New Orleans have no incentive to do so . When healthy, Williamson is one of the most explosive and talented young stars in the NBA, showing the Pelicans a glimpse of the team's ceiling. However, Williamson has struggled to stay healthy, playing in more than 60 games just twice in his career. In his first All-Star season in 2020-21, Williamson played 61 games averaging 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists on 61.1 percent shooting from the field, though he missed the next entirely with injuries. In 2023-24, Williamson played in a career-high 70 games, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists, shooting 57.0 percent from the field en route to a play-in tournament appearance against the Los Angeles Lakers. His appearance was shortened however, departing from that game with an injury in the fourth quarter. This season, Williamson has only played in six games as New Orleans struggled with a 4-13 record thus far. However, it appears as if the star will continue to sit out games for the foreseeable future as he recovers from a hamstring strain. ESPN's Shams Charania reported Friday that the former No. 1 overall pick in 2019 is not close to a return, despite having gone "multiple treatments" on his left hamstring. "The Pelicans have been bracing for Williamson to be sideline for at least four to six weeks, which places him out through mid-December, but his absence could extend beyond that as he rehabilitates a body part that has sustain multiple strains over the past few years," he wrote. Williamson has played in 190 games in his five years in the NBA. In that same time span, the 24-year-old has missed 401 total games due to injury.
TikTok has reportedly sought advice from Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of the competing social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), and a close associate of President-elect Donald Trump, as it navigates challenges in the United States. Shou Chew, TikTok’s CEO, is said to have reached out to Musk in recent weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. Leadership at TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, a Chinese tech firm, views Musk as a potential intermediary to the incoming administration. This comes as the app faces mounting pressure over national security concerns, including the possibility of a US ban. The US administration, under outgoing President Joe Biden, had been raising alarms that TikTok could be compelled to share user data with the Chinese government. The company denies this claim. The issue has gathered more steam with the passage of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, signed into law by Biden in April this year. Under the law, ByteDance must divest its US operations of TikTok by January 19, 2025, or face an outright ban. The legislation aims to limit risks associated with foreign-controlled apps, which lawmakers say could endanger American users’ privacy and national security. TikTok has responded by suing the federal government. The company’s legal challenge, TikTok v. Garland, argues that the divestiture mandate violates its First Amendment rights, as well as those of its users. A court ruling is expected before the deadline January deadline. Trump’s politics around TikTok has shifted. The Republican, who previously sought to ban the app during his first term, has signalled opposition to the looming ban, according to advisers. Trump now cites the platform’s popularity and potential economic benefits as reasons to reconsider. President-elect Trump is set to be sworn into office on January 20. Just a day after the ban deadline. TikTok is likely betting on Musk’s mediation to avoid, or possibly reverse this potential ban when the next administration comes into power. With inputs from agencies
Alphabet's chief accounting officer Amie O'Toole sells $232,950 in stockNone
Española police dismiss charge against school board member
Cadiz Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend for Q4 2024 on Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock
Analysis: Protecting QBs from violent late hits like the one that leveled Trevor Lawrence isn't easy
Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• As a lifelong moderate conservative, I often find myself stranded in the political no-man’s-land of today’s hyperpartisan climate. Our nation is divided, with every issue becoming a battleground for competing extremes. While most agree this toxicity is fracturing society, solutions remain elusive. I propose we start with a simple yet radical idea: compromise. To move forward, we must recognize that we have all the necessary voices in the room. We just need to engage with one another. Often, opposing camps share similar goals but diverge on how to achieve them. By focusing on these shared outcomes, and having empathy for one another, we can find common ground. Here I will fly through nine complex and controversial issues. I have no illusion that the task will be easy or that my specific suggestion ought to be the final destination. I do hope to plant seeds for engagement that might lead our policymakers and our people “back to the table.” Immigration: Addressing root causes Immigration reform must begin with empathy. Many fleeing their homelands face unimaginable hardship. While maintaining the rule of law, we could work to address the root causes of migration — poverty, violence and corruption — while crafting fair and enforceable policies. Education: Accountability over dogma The failures of our education system, particularly in underserved urban areas, are undeniable. Instead of throwing money at the problem or fighting over vouchers, why not just emphasize accountability? Transparent performance metrics for teachers and schools could reward excellence and address underperformance, benefiting students above all. There seems to be a tribalized battle over what is taught so why not just let parents make the decision for their children? Gun control: Balancing rights with responsibility The debate over guns often devolves into shouting matches, yet a potential compromise exists. We can protect recreational firearms while restricting military-grade weapons. Universal gun registration should be a nonnegotiable baseline — both a constitutional safeguard and a public safety measure. Gender and tolerance The debate over gender issues highlights our divided values. Here’s a proposal: Tolerate others’ identities and orientations without demanding universal celebration. This balance respects individual freedoms without mandating ideological conformity. Race: Listening over labeling Discussions of race often degenerate into personal accusations of “racist,” or focused oversimplifications that obscure the nuances of systemic issues. We must find a way to both recognize historical harms and envision a path forward to a shared future. Instead of adopting polarizing slogans, we could unite behind the principle that all lives matter equally and listen to diverse perspectives. Only then can we design solutions that work for everyone. The Middle East: Shared humanity The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a powder-keg, and partisanship often blinds us to shared values. While Israel must defend itself, we must also advocate against the collateral suffering of innocent civilians. Uniting against Hamas, a universally recognized evil, could pave the way for a more nuanced discussion of peace and security might be a good start. Abortion: Revisiting reasonable limits Abortion remains among the most divisive issues. Following Roe v. Wade’s repeal, states have implemented extreme laws on both sides. Why not settle on reasonable limits, such as a defined time frame for elective procedures with exceptions for rape and incest — an approach that once reflected national consensus? Health care: Basic coverage for all Our health care system is broken, with costs spiraling out of control. A universal basic care model, offering essential services while allowing supplemental private insurance, could mirror successful systems in other nations. This approach defines just how much health care expense every American is entitled to (as is done in most countries in the West), but allows everyone access to care without dismantling innovation. Restoring civility and responsibility Our society has drifted from virtues like modesty, humility and service. Instead, we’ve become a nation of victims, fixated on entitlements. Fiscal irresponsibility has deepened this crisis, with our national debt threatening future generations. As John F. Kennedy so powerfully urged, we must shift our focus from what the country can do for us to what we can do for the country. A final plea: Compromise over ideology In my decades of political engagement, I’ve seen statesmanship replaced by self-serving partisanship. Leaders now prioritize power over progress, enforcing rigid ideological purity. What lesson does this teach future generations? Tribalism is a destructive force. Let’s look for the values that can unite us. These values are not a sign of weakness, but the foundation of a functioning democracy – and are most likely to a robust shared future. It’s time to step back from the brink. Let’s stop screaming past one another and embrace the timeless principles of tolerance, cooperation and compromise. I’m not necessarily advocating for blanket centrism, but rather believe that only by bringing the best ideas from each side into constructive collaboration can we heal our fractured nation. I know that compromise is not easy and takes commitment, courage and requires seeking to understand before being understood. It also requires trusted relationships. A few years ago, I was in a prayer meeting with eight U.S. Senators in the Capitol. Half were Republicans and half Democrats. I floated the idea of passing a law that would mandate that each member would have to vote against their party lines at least 10% of the time. They loved it, as it would provide political cover for voting their conscience when in disagreement with the party line. It would also be a big incentive for the compromise needed in politics. That might be a great start. Ward Brehm lives in Minneapolis.The fifth seasonColorado adds record insurance coverage for Sanders and Hunter before Alamo Bowl