NoneJewish community members are set to gather in solidarity in the wake of Friday’s firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue. Religious leaders have described a heightened sense of fear in the community since Friday’s attack in Melbourne’s southeast. More than a thousand community members are expected to meet at an undisclosed location in Ripponlea to “stand against hate” on Sunday. The rally will finish with flowers being laid at the synagogue. “This rally is a moment to unite, reflect and reaffirm our shared commitment to resilience and togetherness in our community,” organisers J-United said. The Adass Isreal Synagogue remains closed to the public after it was set alight by two masked men in what police have described as a targeted attack. Two of its three buildings were gutted and two congregants who were inside at the time preparing for morning prayers were evacuated, one suffering minor injuries. Police have confirmed they are also investigating reports of a bullet found on a footpath near the Synagogue in Glen Eira Road on Saturday afternoon. Orthodox Jewish parents and children walking through the Ripponlea neighbourhood in Melbourne’s southeast on Saturday paused to take in the damage. The attack on a place of worship, which was built by Holocaust survivors, has led to a heightened sense of fear in the community, Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed increased police patrols to bolster safety into the coming week and pledged $100,000 towards rebuilding. Despite condemning the attack, she is not expected to attend Sunday’s rally. Politicians and religious leaders unanimously condemned the anti-Semitic arson attack, with Mr Albanese offering to send in Australian Federal Police to help with the Victoria Police investigation. It has also prompted NSW to consider new laws to better protect religious freedoms. Premier Chris Minns said NSW would consider reforms to laws regulating protests outside religious institutions and places of worship that aimed to intimidate or prevent people from practising their faith. He said the government would aim to balance people’s rights to religious freedoms with the right to protest. The incident prompted Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hit out at the Australian government, saying he expected action to prevent future violence. In response, the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network said any attack on a place of worship was an unacceptable act of hate via social media but accused Mr Netanyahu of seeking to sow division as a distraction from his government’s actions. Former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to set up a police task force devoted to stamping out anti-Semitism and declare the Ripponlea attack a terrorist act. A pro-Palestine rally is expected to be held outside the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne CBD on Sunday that will end with a march through the CBD. That rally has been running weekly for the past year.
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ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — Google, already facing a possible breakup of the company over its ubiquitous search engine , is fighting to beat back another attack by the U.S. Department of Justice alleging monopolistic conduct, this time over technology that puts online advertising in front of consumers. The Justice Department and Google made closing arguments Monday in a trial alleging Google's advertising technology constitutes an illegal monopoly. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema in Alexandria, Virginia, will decide the case and is expected to issue a written ruling by the end of the year. If Brinkema finds Google has engaged in illegal, monopolistic conduct, she will then hold further hearings to explore what remedies should be imposed. The Justice Department, along with a coalition of states, has already said it believes Google should be forced to sell off parts of its ad tech business, which generates tens of billions of dollars annually for the Mountain View, California-based company. After roughly a month of trial testimony earlier this year, the arguments in the case remain the same. During three hours of arguments Monday, Brinkema, who sometimes tips her hand during legal arguments, did little to indicate how she might rule. She did, though, question the applicability of a key antitrust case Google cites in its defense. The Justice Department contends Google built and maintained a monopoly in “open-web display advertising,” essentially the rectangular ads that appear on the top and right-hand side of the page when one browses websites. Google dominates all facets of the market. A technology called DoubleClick is used pervasively by news sites and other online publishers, while Google Ads maintains a cache of advertisers large and small looking to place their ads on the right webpage in front of the right consumer. In between is another Google product, AdExchange, that conducts nearly instantaneous auctions matching advertisers to publishers. In court papers, Justice Department lawyers say Google “is more concerned with acquiring and preserving its trifecta of monopolies than serving its own publisher and advertiser customers or winning on the merits.” As a result, content providers and news organizations have never been able to generate the online revenue they should due to Google’s excessive fees for brokering transactions between advertisers and publishers, the government says. Google argues the government's case improperly focuses on a narrow niche of online advertising. If one looks more broadly at online advertising to include social media, streaming TV services, and app-based advertising, Google says it controls as little as 10% of the market, a share that is dwindling as it faces increased and evolving competition. Google alleges in court papers that the government’s lawsuit “boil(s) down to the persistent complaints of a handful of Google’s rivals and several mammoth publishers.” Google also says it has invested billions in technology that facilitates the efficient match of advertisers to interested consumers and it should not be forced to share its technology and success with competitors. “Requiring a company to do further engineering work to make its technology and customers accessible by all of its competitors on their preferred terms has never been compelled by U.S. antitrust law,” the company wrote. Brinkema, during Monday's arguments, also sought clarity on Google’s market share, a number the two sides dispute, depending on how broadly the market is defined. Historically, courts have been unwilling to declare an illegal monopoly in markets in which a company holds less than a 70% market share. Google says that when online display advertising is viewed as a whole, it holds only a 10% market share, and dwindling. The Justice Department contends, though, that when focusing on open-web display advertising, Google controls 91% of the market for publisher ad servers and 87% of the market for advertiser ad networks. Google says that the “open web display advertising” market is gerrymandered by the Justice Department to make Google look bad, and that nobody in the industry looks at that category of ads without considering the ability of advertisers to switch to other forms of advertising, like in mobile apps. The Justice Department also contends that the public is harmed by the excessive rates Google charges to facilitate ad purchases, saying the company takes 36 cents on the dollar when it facilitates the transaction end to end. Google says its “take rate” has dropped to 31% and continues to decrease, and it says that rate is lower than that of its competitors. “When you have an integrated system, one of the benefits is lower prices," Google lawyer Karen Dunn said Monday. The Virginia case is separate from an ongoing lawsuit brought against Google in the District of Columbia over its namesake search engine. In that case, the judge determined it constitutes an illegal monopoly but has not decided what remedy to impose. The Justice Department said last week it will seek to force Google to sell its Chrome web browser , among a host of other penalties. Google has said the department's request is overkill and unhinged from legitimate regulation. In Monday's arguments, Justice Department lawyer Aaron Teitelbaum cited the search engine case when he highlighted an email from a Google executive, David Rosenblatt, who said in a 2009 email that Google’s goal was to “do to display what Google did to search," which Teitelbaum said showed the company's intent to achieve market dominance. “Google did not achieve its trifecta of monopolies by accident,” Teitelbaum said.After-hours movers: Zscaler, Honeywell, Microchip Technology and more
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American rugby sevens star Ilona Maher will join 15-a-side club Bristol in January in a bid to play in next year's women's Rugby World Cup, the English club announced on Monday. Maher, 28, helped the USA to a bronze medal at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris and is the sport's most popular player on social media. "This is a huge coup to be able to bring Ilona Maher to Bristol Bears on a short-term deal," Bristol head coach Dave Ward said. "She is one of the biggest names in women's sport, let alone rugby, and we believe she will add real value to our programme on and off the field." Last week Maher finished second on US television show "Dancing with the Stars", and she was on the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition in July. Maher has signed a three-month deal with Bristol ahead of the World Cup, which starts in England in August. She made her 15-a-side debut for the USA in 2021. "I am excited to join the Bristol Bears and put myself in the best position to earn a spot to represent USA in the 2025 Rugby World Cup alongside such a talented and driven group as the Bears," Maher said in a club statement. Bristol's first game next month is on January 4 against local rivals and Premiership Women's Rugby champions Gloucester-Hartpury, in a repeat of last season's final. obo/iwd/mwLosses for big technology stocks pulled major indexes lower on Wall Street. The S&P 500 fell 0.4% Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.3% from its record high a day earlier, and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.6%. Losses for Nvidia, Microsoft and Broadcom were the biggest weights on the market. Dell sank 12.2% after reporting revenue that fell shy of forecasts, and HP dropped 11.4% after giving a weaker-than-expected outlook. Treasury yields fell in the bond market. U.S. financial markets will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving, and will reopen for a half day on Friday. On Wednesday: The S&P 500 fell 22.89 points, or 0.4%, to 5,998.74. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 138.25 points, or 0.3%, to 44,722.06. The Nasdaq composite fell 115.10 points, or 0.6%, to 19,060.48. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 1.88 points, or 0.1%, to 2,426.19. For the week: The S&P 500 is up 29.40 points, or 0.5%. The Dow is up 425.55 points, or 1%. The Nasdaq is up 56.83 points, or 0.3%. The Russell 2000 is up 19.52 points, or 0.8%. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,228.91 points, or 25.8%. The Dow is up 7,032.52 points, or 18.7%. The Nasdaq is up 4,449.12 points, or 27%. The Russell 2000 is up 399.12 points, or 19.7%.
Yasmine Farias Chavez attends the My Special Aflac Duck ® Delivery at Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance Thursday. The event marks nearly 200 ducks given to Keaton's in the past two years and more than 33,000 ducks distributed free of charge since the program began in 2018. (PRNewsfoto/Aflac) Yasmine Farias Chavez attends the My Special Aflac Duck ® Delivery at Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance Thursday. The event marks nearly 200 ducks given to Keaton's in the past two years and more than 33,000 ducks distributed free of charge since the program began in 2018. (PRNewsfoto/Aflac) Comforting robotic companions donated to pediatric cancer patients courtesy of Aflac ROSEVILLE Calif. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Children in Northern California now have a cuddly companion to bring them comfort through their cancer treatment journey. Aflac Incorporated , a leading provider of health supplemental insurance in the U.S. donated the robotic ducks to Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance in Roseville Thursday. The event marks nearly 200 ducks given to Keaton's in the last two years and more than 33,000 ducks distributed free of charge since the program began in 2018. "Approximately 26 children are diagnosed with cancer each day in the United States , including the brave 'Child Cancer Warriors' supported by Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance," said Ines Rodriguez Gutzmer , Aflac senior vice president and chief Communications officer. "These incredible children, and their families, embody determination and resilience – and most of all, as we saw today, their joyful spirit continues to shine. We're thankful to the team at Keaton's for allowing us to be a part of the great work they do each and every day. Together, we're making a difference in the lives of the children, their families and their communities." My Special Aflac Duck is a social robot powered by innovative technology that helps kids prepare for medical procedures, communicate their feelings, practice distraction techniques and more. The robotic companion was designed in consult with more than 100 children, families and medical professionals in conjunction with Empath Labs. A three-year study revealed that patients reported a reduction in distress, nausea, pain and procedural anxiety compared to those in the study who had not yet received a duck. In addition, parents and caregivers reported a reduction in stress and anxiety, showing how My Special Aflac Duck helps children's support system. The duck delivery Thursday coincided with Keaton's annual Operation Gobble, where more than 20 families received Thanksgiving meal kits. "We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Aflac to ensure that young cancer warriors and their families receive the personalized support they need throughout their journey" said Jessica Alonso , Executive Director of Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance. "This generous contribution of My Special Aflac Ducks will have a meaningful impact on the children we serve. These comforting, interactive companions provide emotional support and help children navigate the complexities of treatment, bringing much-needed smiles and strength to families during some of their most challenging moments. Together, we are empowering those we serve to face cancer with courage and hope." Since its debut in 2018 , My Special Aflac Duck has received numerous awards; it was named one of Time Magazine's 50 Best Inventions and collected the Best in Show at CES and South by Southwest, among others. The My Special Aflac Duck program is a hallmark of Aflac's more than $184 million given toward pediatric cancer and blood disorder treatment, as part of the company's commitment to support the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta . Health care providers, support organizations and families can order My Special Aflac Duck free of charge for children 3 years or older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease at MySpecialAflacDuck.com . ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than 68 years to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan . In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products. 1 In Japan , Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol . Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability." 1 LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report Media contact: Jon Sullivan , 706-763-4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young , 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/my-special-aflac-duck-lands-in-the-sacramento-valley-302313728.html SOURCE Aflac(Bloomberg) — Some of the biggest companies in France now have lower borrowing costs than the sovereign as credit traders fret about fiscal plans that risk toppling the government. Bonds issued by heavyweights including luxury fashion group LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, plane maker Airbus SE and industrial gases firm Air Liquide SA were indicated at lower yields than government bonds, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The twist underscores how global companies, which can generate revenue worldwide, can slough off political risk concerns in their home countries. In France, Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s effort to tame widening budget deficits might result in his ouster, sending a measure of sovereign bond risk there to levels last seen during the euro-area debt crisis. “On Europe, what’s been worrying us is certainly France,” Ella Hoxha, head of fixed income at Newton Investment Management said at a Bloomberg Intelligence conference on Thursday. “It’s rare in markets that you see dislocations of the spreads that we saw in the summer and we’ve now re-established at a higher level.” It “doesn’t feel like things will be better over the next year.” Traders are more relaxed about the multinational groups because their reliance on exports means their borrowing costs haven’t been affected as badly as the state has been. Air Liquide, for example, only derived about 12% of its revenue last year domestically, data compiled by Bloomberg show. For LVMH, the maker of Fendi handbags and Krug champagne, it was about 8%. “Rather than driving fear of contagion, the widening in OAT spreads appears to have been treated as an idiosyncratic and transitory issue,” Goldman Sachs credit strategists including Lotfi Karoui wrote in a note to clients this week, referring to French government debt. An escalation of fiscal concerns “is a bigger risk to sentiment than weak growth.” Credit Edge Podcast: The $2 Trillion Opportunity In Home Equity Lending Political Risk Blue chip debt trading at yields below sovereign levels usually arises during times of elevated political concern. Some Italian corporates similarly saw their yields fall below the country’s government bonds in 2018 when populist leaders set a budget target that threatened the nation’s financial stability. Government debt is also more liquid and therefore easier to sell short, pushing its yields higher. This has practical implications for investors. The more government bonds lose ground, the more overvalued corporate bonds will appear. France still has a AA- credit score at S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings, which is higher than around 95% of the €447 billion ($472 billion) French corporate bond market that’s rated, Bloomberg indexes show. However, because of the euro currency bloc, France’s debt does not typically act as the safe reference for company borrowings. That role is instead typically played by German bunds, regardless of the borrower’s domicile in the region. Spreads over that benchmark remain positive, reducing the chances of a rotation out of corporate credit and into government debt. French government bonds “are not bunds or US Treasuries. They are more of a soft rather than a hard valuation boundary for a corporate bond,” said Marco Stoeckle, head of credit strategy at Commerzbank AG. Week in Review On the Move —With assistance from Dan Wilchins.
NoneBy MICHAEL R. SISAK NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs tried for a third time Friday to persuade a judge to let him leave jail while he awaits his sex trafficking trial, but a decision won’t come until next week. Judge Arun Subramanian said at a hearing that he will release his decision on Combs’ latest request for bail after Combs’ lawyers and federal prosecutors file letters addressing outstanding issues. Those letters are due at noon on Monday, Subramanian said. Combs’ lawyers pitched having him await trial under around-the-clock surveillance either his mansion on an island near Miami Beach or — after the judge scoffed at that location — an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Their plan essentially amounts to putting Combs on house arrest, with strict limits on who he has contact with. But prosecutors argue that Combs has routinely flouted jail rules and can’t be trusted not to interfere with witnesses or the judicial process. “The argument that he’s a lawless person who doesn’t follow instructions isn’t factually accurate,” Combs lawyer Anthony Ricco argued. “The idea that he’s an out-of-control individual who has to be detained isn’t factually accurate.” Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years with help from a network of associates and employees while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. His trial is slated to begin May 5. The Bad Boy Records founder remains locked up at a Brooklyn federal jail, where he spent his Nov. 4 birthday. Two other judges previously concluded that Combs would be a danger to the community if he is released and an appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs his bail request. Friday’s hearing was the second time Combs was in court this week. On Tuesday, a judge blocked prosecutors from using as evidence papers that were seized from his cell during jail-wide sweep for contraband and weapons at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. As he entered through a side door, Combs waved to relatives including his mother and several of his children in the courtroom gallery, tapping his hand to his heart and blowing kisses at them. He then hugged his lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, before taking a seat at the defense table. He was not handcuffed or shackled and wore a beige jail uniform, occasionally pulling a pair of reading glasses from his pocket as he peered at papers in front of him. Prosecutors maintain that no bail conditions will mitigate the “risk of obstruction and dangerousness to others” of releasing Combs from jail. Prosecutors contend that while locked up the “I’ll Be Missing You” artist has orchestrated social media campaigns aimed at tainting the jury pool. They allege that he has also attempted to publicly leak materials he thinks would be helpful to his case and is contacting potential witnesses via third parties. “Simply put, the defendant cannot be trusted,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik argued. Combs’ lawyer Teny Geragos countered that, given the strict release conditions proposed, “it would be impossible for him not to follow rules.”
