The man has been seen by several residents in Greenmeadow, on the west side of Cwmbran. He has been knocking on doors, taking pictures and looking around properties. One resident, Lucy Marie said: "I genuinely believe he's information gathering, seeing how easily your property could be broken into." "When he came to my house you could see in through my very large kitchen windows and it appeared I was home alone with a baby. I genuinely believe he was casing the property. It's easy to get info on who lives in a house. And I think he was checking how easy of a target we would be." The company, the man has claimed to be working for, Bron Afon, have confirmed that the man does not work for them. Bron Afon said: "We have heard reports of someone in Cwmbran claiming to be from Bron Afon, who is knocking on doors and leaving leaflets about damp and mould. "This person does not work for Bron Afon. If any of our colleagues or our contractors visit you, they will always carry a photo ID card. "If you have concerns about letting anyone into your home, please contact the police on 101. If you have any issues with damp and mould, please report it via our website or call us on 01633 620 111 as soon as possible." A similar incident happened in New Inn where Philip Diggins, a New Inn resident, said: "A man who was posting leaflets in homes in Princes Walk/Golf Road area. The man went into the garden of one home and picked up some taps and was about to steal them when the owners saw him. "The man saw that he was being watched, dropped the items, left and went on his way delivering leaflets." A spokesperson for Gwent Police said: "We received a report of attempted theft from a garden of an address in Princes Walk, New Inn at around 12.55pm on Sunday 15 December. "Officers attended and conducted a search of the area but not individuals were found. "Anyone with information, including CCTV or dashcam, can contact us online, through social media or calling 101 quoting log reference 2400413904."

In a chat with Forbes , Celtics star Jayson Tatum opened up on his NBA journey and what he expects after capturing his first championship. As he invoked the name of Kobe Bryant, Tatum explained that his hunger for success was not even close to being satisfied. Forbes: "All-NBA, champion, gold medal... specifically on the court, what else do you want to accomplish?" Jayson Tatum: "I want to continue to keep getting better. As a kid, I was very motivated. I set a bunch of goals for myself and I've been blessed in real-time to slowly check off certain boxes that I wanted to accomplish. I want to win MVP one day, I want to win more championships. I want to be the Finals MVP. Those are at the top of the list of things I still want to accomplish." Forbes: "When you consider those and obviously in the past you've spoken about being the face of the NBA. Is that the blueprint to getting there? How do you see yourself achieving that?" Jayson Tatum: "That's an opinion thing because if you ask 10 different people you might get 10 different answers. You put yourself in that conversation and people might see you in that light. How you carry yourself, how you represent yourself in certain situations. And obviously in your style of play. How you connect with the fans, how you dominate the game. Winning championships for sure helps." Forbes: "Speaking of the face of the NBA, you have spoken at length about your relationship with another face: Kobe Bryant. I'm curious, as you go forward, what do you model after him?" Jayson Tatum: "Being relentless. Kobe didn't stop at being satisfied with one championship or two or three, he ended up winning five. And he didn't have any regrets when he left. That's what I admire about him the most, he gave everything he had to the game of basketball." Tatum and the Celtics are only a few months removed from their Finals win over the Mavericks. Tatum was a beast in the series with averages of 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 5 games. While he didn't win Finals MVP ( the honor went to Jaylen Brown ), the Celtics are in a good position to make another Finals trip in this campaign. With Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzinis, the Celtics are the favorites to come out of the East, and they are already 2nd in the standings at 17-4. As a hardcore Kobe Bryant fan , Tatum has always incorporated elements of Kobe's game into his arsenal and that includes his insatiable drive to win. In 20 years in the NBA, Kobe maximized his career as a 5x champion, former MVP, and 18x All-Star. Just like Kobe , Tatum wants to be more than a one-hit wonder. He wants to win multiple titles and win as many awards as he can before his skills start to fade. With one title in the books at 26 years old, he's off to a pretty good start so far but the job is not yet finished. The next game for the Celtics is tomorrow, December 4th, at TD Garen against the Pistons at 7:30 PM EST. They play the Bucks on Friday, December 6th before a matchup against the Grizzlies on December 7th at 8:00 PM EST. This article first appeared on Fadeaway World and was syndicated with permission.

$49M still outstanding two years after Alberta announced Turkish pain medication purchaseLOS ANGELES (AP) — Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell says it was a really easy decision to sign with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the presence of three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani played a part, too. Snell was introduced Tuesday at Dodger Stadium accompanied by his agent Scott Boras. The left-hander finalized a $182 million, five-year contract last Saturday. “It was really easy just cause me and Haeley wanted to live here, it’s something we’ve been talking about for a while,” Snell said, referring to his girlfriend. “Then you look at the team. You look at what they’ve built, what they’re doing. It’s just something you want to be a part of.” Last month, Snell opted out of his deal with San Francisco to become a free agent for the second consecutive offseason after he was slowed by injuries during his lone year with the San Francisco Giants. Snell gets a $52 million signing bonus, payable on Jan. 25, and annual salaries of $26 million, of which $13.2 million each year will be deferred . Because Snell is a Washington state resident, the signing bonus will not be subject to California income tax. “It just played out the way that people around me felt comfortable with, I felt comfortable with, they felt comfortable with,” Snell said. “We talked and found something that could work for both of us. You want your worth, you want your respect, and you want enough time to where you can really make a name for yourself. I've made a name for myself outside of LA, but I'm going to be invested.” Two-way star Ohtani, who signed a record $700 million, 10-year deal a year ago, had a historic first season with the Dodgers. He helped them win the franchise's eighth World Series while playing only as designated hitter and became MVP in the National League for the first time after twice winning the award while in the American League. “It helps with him in the lineup for sure. That’s big motivation,” Snell said. “You want to be around players like that when you’re trying to be one of the best in the game. Yeah, it played a big part.” Snell joins Ohtani and fellow Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto atop Los Angeles’ rotation. All-Star Tyler Glasnow will be back after having his first season in LA derailed by a sprained elbow. Ohtani didn’t pitch this year while recovering from right elbow surgery but is expected back on the mound in 2025. The rest of the rotation includes Tony Gonsolin, Landon Knack, Dustin May, Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan. “I pitched on six-man, five-man, four-man rotations,” Snell said. “I'm good with it all as long as we have a plan, we'll execute it.” Snell, who turns 32 on Wednesday, went 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts this year, throwing a no-hitter at Cincinnati on Aug. 2 for one of only 16 individual shutouts in the major leagues this season. He struck out 145 and walked 44 in 104 innings. He was sidelined between April 19 and May 22 by a strained left adductor and between June 2 and July 9 by a strained left groin. Snell won Cy Young Awards in 2018 with Tampa Bay and 2023 with San Diego. He is 76-58 with a 3.19 ERA in nine seasons with the Rays (2016-20), Padres (2021-23) and Giants. He has known Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, since he was 18. In the aftermath of winning the World Series and discussing how the Dodgers could repeat next year, Friedman said, “All conversations kept coming back to Blake.” “Usually in major league free agency, you're buying the backside of a guy's career, the accomplishments that they have had,” he said. “With Blake, one thing that's really exciting for us is, as much success as he's had, we feel like there's more in there." Snell was 2-2 against the Dodgers in his career. “We couldn’t beat him, so we’re going to have him join us,” Friedman said. .___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024-- Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE: BFA, BFB) announced today that its Board of Directors approved an increase of 4% to the quarterly cash dividend from $0.2178 per share to $0.2265 per share on its Class A and Class B Common Stock. As a result, the indicated annual cash dividend will rise from $0.8712 per share to $0.9060 per share. The dividend is payable on January 2, 2025, to stockholders of record on December 6, 2024. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Tech founders and Silicon Valley VCs who supported — and threw their money behind — Donald Trump are being handsomely rewarded by the President-elect. Shortly after winning the 2024 election, Trump appointed one of his biggest supporters, Elon Musk , to head up a new agency called the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Now, Trump is rewarding another wealthy tech founder for their loyalty: investor and podcaster David Sacks. "I am pleased to announce that David O. Sacks will be the 'White House A.I. & Crypto Czar,'" Trump announced in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. "In this important role, David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness." According to Trump, Sacks' role will be to "safeguard Free Speech online" and "work on a legal framework" for the cryptocurrency industry. Trump also shared that Sacks would lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Sacks will be involved in crucial policy aspects of both a burgeoning technology in AI and a crypto industry ripe with fraud but expecting favorable treatment after throwing its support behind Trump. "Congrats to czar @DavidSacks!" OpenAI's Sam Altman posted on X shortly after the announcement from Trump. Who is David Sacks? Regular users of Musk's X , formerly Twitter, may have seen Sacks pop-up on the platform from time to time. Sacks' opinions obsessing over Russia's war with Ukraine have previously gone viral. He has often been critiqued for his seemingly pro-Russia and anti-Ukraine positions as well as fearmongering over a potential World War III. However, Sacks and Musk actually have history with each other — and a similar background. Like Musk, Sacks emigrated to the U.S. from South Africa. And in 1999, Sacks worked with Peter Thiel at PayPal, joining Musk as a member in the "PayPal Mafia," a group of early PayPal employees and founders who went on to find greater success founding their own tech startups. In 2008, Sacks co-founded Yammer, a social media platform for enterprises. Microsoft acquired Yammer in 2012 for $1.2 billion. Microsoft would go on to integrate Yammer within its Microsoft 365 products. Since then, Sacks has invested in a number of tech startups and companies. He founded a VC firm called Craft Ventures in 2017. In 2020, Sacks started the All-In podcast alongside Jason Calacanis, Chamath Palihapitiya, and David Friedberg. The podcast, where the four entrepreneurs discuss business and current events, has gained popularity in tech circles. Over time, the show has shown increasing support for right-wing politics, including hosting Trump for an interview in June and featuring Sacks broadcasting live from the Republican National Convention during the summer. Sacks, specifically, has been increasingly making a name for himself in right-wing circles, opposing prominent progressive politicians and public servants over recent years. And while Sacks previously said that Trump's role in the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol disqualified the former president from serving again, the VC quickly changed his tune and hosted a high-ticket fundraiser for Trump's campaign earlier this year. For Sacks, it appears like the pro-Trump move has paid off — barring any future falling outs with the 47th President.

Social media users are misrepresenting a Vermont Supreme Court ruling , claiming that it gives schools permission to vaccinate children even if their parents do not consent. The ruling addressed a lawsuit filed by Dario and Shujen Politella against Windham Southeast School District and state officials over the mistaken vaccination of their child against COVID-19 in 2021, when he was 6 years old. A lower court had dismissed the original complaint, as well as an amended version. An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was filed on Nov. 19. But the ruling by Vermont's high court is not as far-reaching as some online have claimed. In reality, it concluded that anyone protected under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, or PREP, Act is immune to state lawsuits. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that schools can vaccinate children against their parents' wishes. THE FACTS: The claim stems from a July 26 ruling by the Vermont Supreme Court, which found that anyone protected by the PREP Act is immune to state lawsuits, including the officials named in the Politella's suit. The ruling does not authorize schools to vaccinate children at their discretion. According to the lawsuit, the Politella's son — referred to as L.P. — was given one dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic held at Academy School in Brattleboro even though his father, Dario, told the school's assistant principal a few days before that his son was not to receive a vaccination. In what officials described as a mistake, L.P. was removed from class and had a “handwritten label” put on his shirt with the name and date of birth of another student, L.K., who had already been vaccinated that day. L.P. was then vaccinated. Ultimately, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that officials involved in the case could not be sued. “We conclude that the PREP Act immunizes every defendant in this case and this fact alone is enough to dismiss the case,” the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling reads. “We conclude that when the federal PREP Act immunizes a defendant, the PREP Act bars all state-law claims against that defendant as a matter of law.” The PREP Act , enacted by Congress in 2005, authorizes the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a declaration in the event of a public health emergency providing immunity from liability for activities related to medical countermeasures, such as the administration of a vaccine, except in cases of “willful misconduct" that result in “death or serious physical injury.” A declaration against COVID-19 was issued on March 17, 2020. It is set to expire on Dec. 31. Federals suits claiming willful misconduct are filed in Washington. Social media users described the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling as having consequences beyond what it actually says. Story continues below video “The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that schools can force-vaccinate children for Covid against the wishes of their parents,” reads one X post that had been liked and shared approximately 16,600 times as of Tuesday. “The high court ruled on a case involving a 6-year-old boy who was forced to take a Covid mRNA injection by his school. However, his family had explicitly stated that they didn't want their child to receive the ‘vaccines.’” Other users alleged that the ruling gives schools permission to give students any vaccine without parental consent, not just ones for COVID-19. Rod Smolla, president of the Vermont Law and Graduate School and an expert on constitutional law, told The Associated Press that the ruling “merely holds that the federal statute at issue, the PREP Act, preempts state lawsuits in cases in which officials mistakenly administer a vaccination without consent.” “Nothing in the Vermont Supreme Court opinion states that school officials can vaccinate a child against the instructions of the parent,” he wrote in an email. Asked whether the claims spreading online have any merit, Ronald Ferrara, an attorney representing the Politellas, told the AP that although the ruling doesn't say schools can vaccinate students regardless of parental consent, officials could interpret it to mean that they could get away with doing so under the PREP Act, at least when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines. He explained that the U.S. Supreme Court appeal seeks to clarify whether the Vermont Supreme Court interpreted the PREP Act beyond what Congress intended. “The Politella’s fundamental liberty interest to decide whether their son should receive elective medical treatment was denied by agents of the State and School,” he wrote in an email to the AP. “The Vermont Court misconstrues the scope of PREP Act immunity (which is conditioned upon informed consent for medical treatments unapproved by FDA), to cover this denial of rights and its underlying battery.” Ferrara added that he was not aware of the claims spreading online, but that he “can understand how lay people may conflate the court's mistaken grant of immunity for misconduct as tantamount to blessing such misconduct.” John Klar, who also represents the Politellas, went a step further, telling the AP that the Vermont Supreme Court ruling means that “as a matter of law” schools can get away with vaccinating students without parental consent and that parents can only sue on the federal level if death or serious bodily injury results. — Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck .

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 4:39 p.m. ESTSocial media users are misrepresenting a Vermont Supreme Court ruling , claiming that it gives schools permission to vaccinate children even if their parents do not consent. The ruling addressed a lawsuit filed by Dario and Shujen Politella against Windham Southeast School District and state officials over the mistaken vaccination of their child against COVID-19 in 2021, when he was 6 years old. A lower court had dismissed the original complaint, as well as an amended version. An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was filed on Nov. 19. But the ruling by Vermont's high court is not as far-reaching as some online have claimed. In reality, it concluded that anyone protected under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, or PREP, Act is immune to state lawsuits. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that schools can vaccinate children against their parents' wishes. THE FACTS: The claim stems from a July 26 ruling by the Vermont Supreme Court, which found that anyone protected by the PREP Act is immune to state lawsuits, including the officials named in the Politella's suit. The ruling does not authorize schools to vaccinate children at their discretion. According to the lawsuit, the Politella's son — referred to as L.P. — was given one dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic held at Academy School in Brattleboro even though his father, Dario, told the school's assistant principal a few days before that his son was not to receive a vaccination. In what officials described as a mistake, L.P. was removed from class and had a “handwritten label” put on his shirt with the name and date of birth of another student, L.K., who had already been vaccinated that day. L.P. was then vaccinated. Ultimately, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that officials involved in the case could not be sued. “We conclude that the PREP Act immunizes every defendant in this case and this fact alone is enough to dismiss the case,” the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling reads. “We conclude that when the federal PREP Act immunizes a defendant, the PREP Act bars all state-law claims against that defendant as a matter of law.” The PREP Act , enacted by Congress in 2005, authorizes the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a declaration in the event of a public health emergency providing immunity from liability for activities related to medical countermeasures, such as the administration of a vaccine, except in cases of “willful misconduct" that result in “death or serious physical injury.” A declaration against COVID-19 was issued on March 17, 2020. It is set to expire on Dec. 31. Federals suits claiming willful misconduct are filed in Washington. Social media users described the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling as having consequences beyond what it actually says. “The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that schools can force-vaccinate children for Covid against the wishes of their parents,” reads one X post that had been liked and shared approximately 16,600 times as of Tuesday. “The high court ruled on a case involving a 6-year-old boy who was forced to take a Covid mRNA injection by his school. However, his family had explicitly stated that they didn't want their child to receive the ‘vaccines.’” Other users alleged that the ruling gives schools permission to give students any vaccine without parental consent, not just ones for COVID-19. Rod Smolla, president of the Vermont Law and Graduate School and an expert on constitutional law, told The Associated Press that the ruling “merely holds that the federal statute at issue, the PREP Act, preempts state lawsuits in cases in which officials mistakenly administer a vaccination without consent.” “Nothing in the Vermont Supreme Court opinion states that school officials can vaccinate a child against the instructions of the parent,” he wrote in an email. Asked whether the claims spreading online have any merit, Ronald Ferrara, an attorney representing the Politellas, told the AP that although the ruling doesn't say schools can vaccinate students regardless of parental consent, officials could interpret it to mean that they could get away with doing so under the PREP Act, at least when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines. He explained that the U.S. Supreme Court appeal seeks to clarify whether the Vermont Supreme Court interpreted the PREP Act beyond what Congress intended. “The Politella’s fundamental liberty interest to decide whether their son should receive elective medical treatment was denied by agents of the State and School,” he wrote in an email to the AP. “The Vermont Court misconstrues the scope of PREP Act immunity (which is conditioned upon informed consent for medical treatments unapproved by FDA), to cover this denial of rights and its underlying battery.” Ferrara added that he was not aware of the claims spreading online, but that he “can understand how lay people may conflate the court's mistaken grant of immunity for misconduct as tantamount to blessing such misconduct.” John Klar, who also represents the Politellas, went a step further, telling the AP that the Vermont Supreme Court ruling means that “as a matter of law” schools can get away with vaccinating students without parental consent and that parents can only sue on the federal level if death or serious bodily injury results. — Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck .

Sam Darnold sensed the backside pressure as soon as he dropped back with Minnesota trailing by four points late in the fourth quarter in Seattle, so he moved into a safe space in the pocket and did precisely what the Vikings would prefer him to do with the game on the line. He threw the ball down the field to Justin Jefferson. The perfectly placed throw near the sideline beat double coverage for a 39-yard touchdown that put the Vikings back in front with 3:51 remaining in a 27-24 victory over the Seahawks on Sunday. “It was a great call,” said Jefferson, who had 10 receptions for 144 yards and two scores, all season highs. “I’m not going to say too much about that play, but something went on where me and Sam were on the same page, and he found me and we went up.” The Vikings were understandably coy about the context around the go-ahead touchdown , when Darnold made a difficult on-the-run pass just over cornerback Tariq Woolen that Jefferson deftly twisted to catch next to his backside hip so he could shield the ball from late-breaking safety Julian Love. Darnold saw Love's shoulders initially shaded inside just enough to believe he couldn't retreat fast enough to prevent Jefferson from getting the ball. Jefferson also applied some improvisation to his route that Darnold clearly and properly read during the play. “I want those guys to have some freedom in those moments,” coach Kevin O'Connell said. “We do a lot of things with Justin and Sam, seeing the coverage and then with some route opportunities to get to at the line of scrimmage, and I think those guys have just gotten so comfortable with that stuff.” Darnold's long-delayed breakout performance under O'Connell has been one of the stories of the NFL this season, one that wouldn't have unfolded as neatly for the third overall pick in the 2018 draft without such synergy between him and his superstar wide receiver. If the Vikings (13-2) win their last two games, they will not only be NFC North champions for the second time in three years but also get the No. 1 seed and the lone first-round bye in the NFC for the playoffs. “Every single game we’re finding different ways to overcome adversity, overcome the different stuff defenses have thrown towards us," Jefferson said. “Sam has done a great job being a leader.” What's working The pass rush was strong, with Andrew Van Ginkel recording two sacks and pressure leading to both interceptions of Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. The Vikings were credited with eight hits on Smith. What needs help The Vikings converted only three of 12 third downs, their second-worst rate of the season. Stock up Theo Jackson, who saw significant playing time at safety with Harrison Smith out, had the game-sealing interception with 49 seconds left. Stock down Tight end Josh Oliver has played 47% of the snaps the last two games, his two lowest usage rates of the season. He dropped the only pass he was thrown on Sunday. Injury report The defense ought to get a big boost this week with the expected return of the 13-year veteran Smith from his first absence in two years when he was sidelined at Seattle with a foot injury. Linebacker Ivan Pace, who has missed four games on injured reserve with a hamstring strain, is also on track to be back with his return to practice. Backup defensive lineman Jalen Redmond, who didn't play against the Seahawks because of a concussion, has made progress through the protocol, O'Connell said. Backup cornerback Fabian Moreau, who was inactive at Seattle with a hip injury, will continue to be evaluated throughout the week. Key number 13.6% — That's the third-down conversion allowance rate for the Vikings over the last two games, with Chicago and Seattle combining to go just 3 for 22. The Vikings rank second in the NFL in third-down defense at 33.7% for the season and also rank second on fourth down at 36.7%. Up next The Vikings host Green Bay on Sunday, with the kickoff moved to the late afternoon showcase spot on Fox. If Minnesota loses to the Packers, the Lions will clinch the NFC North and the Vikings would open the playoffs on the road as the No. 5 seed at best. Even if the Lions were to lose at San Francisco on Monday night, the Vikings would need to win at Detroit on Jan. 5 to take the division title. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Dave Campbell, The Associated PressTrump offers Hegseth a public show of supportNio ( NIO 2.98% ) , one of the leading electric vehicle (EV) makers in China, posted a messy third-quarter earnings report on Nov. 20. Its revenue dipped 2% year over year to 18.67 billion yuan ($2.66 billion) and missed analysts' estimates by 0.47 billion yuan. Its net loss widened from 3.95 billion yuan to 5.06 billion yuan ($721 million), or 2.14 yuan ($0.31) per American depositary receipt (ADR) -- which also missed the consensus forecast by 0.22 yuan. Those headline numbers were disappointing, but Nio's stock barely budged after the report. That might be because its stock already sank nearly 50% this year and remains more than 25% below its initial public offering (IPO) price . So should you buy, sell, or hold Nio's stock today? What sets Nio apart from its competitors? Nio sells a wide range of electric sedans and SUVs. It sells most of its vehicles in China, but it's been gradually expanding into Europe. It stands out from the competition because its batteries can be quickly swapped out at its battery-swapping stations. Nio's namesake ET, ES, and EC-series vehicles target the premium market. Its Onvo sub-brand sells cheaper smart vehicles, and its new Firefly sub-brand will roll out its first plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) for overseas markets in 2026. How fast is Nio growing? Nio started delivering its first vehicles in 2018. It attracted a lot of attention when its deliveries more than doubled in 2020 and 2021, but it lost its momentum in 2021 and 2022 as China's EV market cooled off. Macro headwinds, weather-related disruptions, and intense competition exacerbated its slowdown. Metric 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 9M 2024 Deliveries 20,565 43,728 91,429 122,486 160,038 149,281 Growth (YOY) 81% 113% 109% 34% 31% 36% Data source: Nio. YOY = Year over year. But in the first nine months of 2024, Nio's deliveries accelerated again. That acceleration was driven by its strong sales of ET-series sedans and Onvo smart vehicles in China, as well as its expansion into Europe. By the end of October, its year-to-date deliveries had risen 35% year over year to 170,257 vehicles. Nio expects to deliver 72,000 to 75,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2024, which implies its full-year deliveries will grow 51% to 53% from 2023. Analysts expect its revenue to grow 25% for the full year and rise 42% in 2024. Based on those expectations, Nio's stock looks dirt cheap at a price-to-sales ratio of less than 1. By comparison, Tesla trades at 9 times next year's sales. Will Nio ever turn a profit? Nio's vehicle margin jumped from negative 9.9% in 2019 to positive 20.2% in 2021. However, that figure dropped to 9.5% in 2023 and 9.2% in the first quarter of 2024 as the persistent price war in China's softening EV market throttled its pricing power. That pressure drove a lot of investors away from Nio, but its vehicle margin actually rose to 12.2% in the second quarter of 2024 and 13.1% in the third quarter. During the conference call , CFO Stanley Qu set a target vehicle margin for 15% in the fourth quarter and said that would represent its "baseline" for 2025 as it sold a higher mix of premium vehicles. Qu also expects Nio's gross margin to rise from 9% in the first nine months of 2024 to 20% over the long term as it optimizes its marketing strategies and supply chain. But some of those gains could potentially be offset by the rising tariffs on Chinese EVs in Europe and other overseas markets. Even if Nio's vehicle and gross margins expand, its operating margin will likely stay in the red as it builds more loss-leading battery swapping stations. Analysts expect the company to gradually narrow its net losses through 2026, but it won't come close to breaking even anytime soon. Is it the right time to buy, sell, or hold Nio's stock? I think it's smarter to buy or hold Nio's stock than to sell it. Its deliveries are accelerating, its vehicle margins are rising, and its stock is undervalued. The threat of higher tariffs and the EV price war in China could squeeze its near-term valuations, but its stock could soar if it successfully scales up its business.

Colorado River managers deadlocked on how water will be shared in the futureSUNNYVALE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 23, 2024 / TechStar Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company listed in Hong Kong, announced that it entered a Business Combination Agreement with Seyond, a solution provider of high fidelity, high-performance LiDAR and intelligent sensing systems. Upon completion of the merger, Seyond is expected to be successfully listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The agreed valuation for this De-SPAC transaction is 11.7 billion Hong Kong dollars. Additionally, Seyond has introduced three PIPE investors with a cumulative investment of approximately 553.1 million Hong Kong dollars. Previously, Seyond has garnered investments from a host of prestigious institutions, including NIO Capital, Temasek, ERVC, Gaorong Ventures, Joy Capital, BAI Capital, Shunwei Capital, and Guotai Junan Venture Capital, among others. Established in 2016, Seyond specializes in providing automotive-grade LiDAR solutions for autonomous driving and a variety of automotive and non-automotive applications. As the first company to achieve mass production of automotive-grade high-performance LiDAR, Seyond ranked first globally in sales revenue of passenger car LiDAR solutions in 2022 and 2023. Rigorously tested with proven automotive-grade reliability and lifetime, Falcon, the flagship 1550nm LiDAR sensor for high-level autonomous driving, is mass-produced, with over 400,000 units delivered globally. Additionally, Seyond achieved a design win for its 905nm wavelength LiDAR products with a leading new energy automotive OEM, becoming the only company in the LiDAR industry with mass production experience in both 1550nm and 905nm products. In addition to the automotive market, Seyond is strategically expanding into the robotic and intelligent transportation markets with combined revenue opportunities of over USD 260 billion globally by 2031, aiming to create a more substantial revenue scale. Seyond is looking forward to embarking on this exciting new journey with its investors, partners, and customers. On January 7-10, the company will exhibit its latest technology at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Attendees visiting Booth #5060 will learn how Seyond's LiDAR solutions power intelligent systems worldwide. About Seyond SeyondTM is a global leader in high fidelity LiDAR solutions, powering a safer, smarter and more mobile world across the automotive, intelligent transportation, robotics and infrastructure industries. Seyond delivers a dynamic portfolio of robust, high resolution LiDAR sensors, perception software, and the Seyond ITS Management Platform (SIMPL). Founded in Silicon Valley with a global footprint, Seyond is dedicated to the highest quality engineering and manufacturing, and unwavering commitment to our customers. About TechStar TechStar is a special purpose acquisition company incorporated for the purpose of effecting a business combination with one or more businesses, with efforts concentrated on companies in new economy sectors, including but not limited to innovative technology, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, life sciences, culture and entertainment, consumer and e-commerce, green energy and climate actions industries. TechStar completed an offering comprising 100,100,000 TechStar Class A Shares at an offer price of HK$10.00 per TechStar Class A Share and 50,050,000 TechStar Listed Warrants on December 23, 2022. CONTACT: Name: Sally Frykman Email: sally.frykman@seyond.com SOURCE: Seyond View the original on accesswire.com

A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok's petition to overturn the law — which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — and rebuffed the company's challenge of the statute, which it argued had ran afoul of the First Amendment. “The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” said the court's opinion, which was written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.” TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, though its unclear whether the court will take up the case. “The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue," TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people,” Hughes said. Unless stopped, he argued the statute “will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025.” Though the case is squarely in the court system, its also possible the two companies might be thrown some sort of a lifeline by President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the presidential campaign that he is now against such action . The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a years-long saga in Washington over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government sees as a national security threat due to its connections to China. “Today’s decision is an important step in blocking the Chinese government from weaponizing TikTok to collect sensitive information about millions of Americans, to covertly manipulate the content delivered to American audiences, and to undermine our national security,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement Friday. The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including sensitive information on viewing habits , that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect — a concern mirrored by the European Union on Friday as it scrutinizes the video-sharing app’s role in the Romanian elections. TikTok, which sued the government over the law in May, has long denied it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. Its attorneys have accurately pointed out that the U.S. hasn’t provided evidence to show that the company handed over user data to the Chinese government, or manipulated content for Beijing’s benefit in the U.S. They have also argued the law is predicated on future risks, which the Department of Justice has emphasized pointing in part to unspecified action it claims the two companies have taken in the past due to demands from the Chinese government. Friday’s ruling came after the appeals court panel, composed of two Republican and one Democrat appointed judges, heard oral arguments in September. In the hearing, which lasted more than two hours, the panel appeared to grapple with how TikTok’s foreign ownership affects its rights under the Constitution and how far the government could go to curtail potential influence from abroad on a foreign-owned platform. On Friday, all three of them denied TikTok’s petition. In the court's ruling, Ginsburg, a Republican appointee, rejected TikTok's main legal arguments against the law, including that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. He also said the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to "suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok. “Content on the platform could in principle remain unchanged after divestiture, and people in the United States would remain free to read and share as much PRC propaganda (or any other content) as they desire on TikTok or any other platform of their choosing,” Ginsburg wrote, using the abbreviation for the People’s Republic of China. Judge Sri Srinivasan, the chief judge on the court, issued a concurring opinion. TikTok’s lawsuit was consolidated with a second legal challenge brought by several content creators - for which the company is covering legal costs - as well as a third one filed on behalf of conservative creators who work with a nonprofit called BASED Politics Inc. Other organizations, including the Knight First Amendment Institute, had also filed amicus briefs supporting TikTok. “This is a deeply misguided ruling that reads important First Amendment precedents too narrowly and gives the government sweeping power to restrict Americans’ access to information, ideas, and media from abroad,” said Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the organization. “We hope that the appeals court’s ruling won’t be the last word.” Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, lawmakers who had pushed for the legislation celebrated the court's ruling. "I am optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok to allow its continued use in the United States and I look forward to welcoming the app in America under new ownership,” said Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China. Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who co-authored the law, said “it's time for ByteDance to accept” the law. To assuage concerns about the company’s owners, TikTok says it has invested more than $2 billion to bolster protections around U.S. user data. The company has also argued the government’s broader concerns could have been resolved in a draft agreement it provided the Biden administration more than two years ago during talks between the two sides. It has blamed the government for walking away from further negotiations on the agreement, which the Justice Department argues is insufficient. Attorneys for the two companies have claimed it’s impossible to divest the platform commercially and technologically. They also say any sale of TikTok without the coveted algorithm - the platform’s secret sauce that Chinese authorities would likely block under any divesture plan - would turn the U.S. version of TikTok into an island disconnected from other global content. Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in purchasing the platform. Both men said earlier this year that they were launching a consortium to purchase TikTok’s U.S. business. This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said unnamed participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital.The Digital Dialogue: Freedom Network convenes stakeholders for Internet governance, media sustainability The image released on July 5, 2024 shows Senator Farhatullah Babar addressing an event. — Facebook@PHRN.PAKISTAN ISLAMABAD: Human rights activist and former Senator Farhatullah Babar said on Friday that access to digital spaces and uninterrupted Internet should also be fundamental rights alongside citizens’ existing right to information. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); He was delivering the keynote address at The Digital Dialogue, a summit on public interest media, technology and digital citizenship organized by Freedom Network in Islamabad, which brought together over 50 experts and practitioners from the fields of digital journalism, the tech sector, academia and civil society to talk about solutions for shaping Pakistan’s digital future. Babar urged the participants to take the conversation to the relevant parliamentary committees to explain the pitfalls and best practices of Internet governance, emphasizing the need to broaden the discussion on a legal framework for digital rights and ensure the inclusion of all stakeholders in this dialogue. Iqbal Khattak, the Executive Director of Freedom Network, said the summit was intended to provide a collaborative forum for voices ignored in media and Internet policy and aims to foster dialogue on the challenges and opportunities for Pakistan’s digital media and tech sectors,” he said. “We are meeting at a time when equitable access and progressive policies are needed to help Pakistan prepare for its digital future.” The summit also saw the launch of the Pakistan Digital Transformation Report 2024, published by Freedom Network and IDRAC (Ideas for Development, Research and Change). While introducing the report’s findings, media development expert Adnan Rehmat, the author of the report, said Pakistan is one of the world’s 10 most digitalized societies in terms of the number of people with Internet access and social media users. “Pakistan has a stated policy of aiding and fast-tracking digitalization of democracy, governance, economy and social development,” he said. “The country’s journey toward deep and irreversible digital transformation has been gaining momentum in recent years. Rehmat said some of the key achievements related to digital transformation have been economic growth and innovation. “The increasing digitalization of government departments and online government services for citizens and the IT-enabled services sector have exhibited tremendous potential to improve governance; drive economic growth, foster innovation and improve the quality of life through digital transformation,” he said. He also listed key challenges during the year such as the still-limited infrastructure and inadequate investments that are preventing the realization of a digital society. “This includes a dichotomous approach to viewing access to the Internet as a key priority for the national digitalization drive including the digital economy and yet also myopically seeing the Internet as a dangerous power in the hands of people when it comes to freedom of expression and democratic engagement online,” he added. The report ranked setbacks with the overall negative impact that hindered the digital transformation process during 2024 in the domains of digital freedom of expression and right to information, content regulation and privacy concerns, digital politics, digital economy, Internet, and investments in tech entrepreneurism. The summit also featured discussions on digital media viability, online citizenship, tech sector collaboration and public interest journalism for marginalised communities. At the summit panel on the financial sustainability of independent digital news media, panellists discussed strategies for diversifying revenues. Talha Ahad, the CEO of Centrum Media, said digital media outlets must understand the value they can offer through their journalism and never compromise on content quality because it leads to credibility with the audience and revenue. Media viability strategist Momina Mindeel said digital media need to collaborate and explore innovative ways to engage with their audiences including through offline events. Arsalan Ali, the co-founder and CEO of Times of Karachi, said investment and advertising opportunities are available for digital media but they need to be consistent in their news operations to benefit from these chances. The panel on digital citizenship discussed meaningful online participation for citizens. Digital rights activist Usama Khilji said it is important to hold the government accountable because cyber laws are selectively implemented to infringe upon the rights of the public rather than using a citizen-centric approach that respects digital rights. Digital expert Usman Zafar said it is important to include education on digital critical thinking in the curriculum so young people can learn which online information is good and which is harmful. “People are genuinely confused about finding information online and they want to know where to look for it,” he said. “Education, sensitization and skill-building in digital literacy are the steps we should take.” Journalist Qurrat ul Ain Shirazi said the local digital news media do not have the support and resources that international digital media possess so they have to make extra efforts to provide ethical and reliable information, otherwise calls for their regulation will increase. The panel on collaborative pathways saw participation from the financial and tech sectors and civil society representatives. Laraib Farhat, manager of policy and government relations at P@SHA, said a consultative process for digital policymaking is often ignored in Pakistan. “We should strike a balance between the need for regulation and for facilitation,” Ms. Farhat said. “We should not regulate so much that we choke society.” Mutaher Khan, a business journalist and founder of Data Darbar, said incentives for digital startup growth are still missing and the growth potential is further affected by external factors such as Internet slowdowns and app bans. “The media and civil society must engage with the tech sector in order for their interventions to be scaled up,” he said. Mubariz Siddiqui, a tech lawyer and entrepreneur, said Pakistan is still far from global standards in its digital policies. He said the compliance procedures for foreign investment in technology continue to be so intrusive that they discourage potential investors. “A little foresight can help Pakistan avoid the negative impact of its digital policies on trade,” he said. IRADA programme manager Salwa Rana said the policy intent of control continues to prevail about Internet governance rather than considerations for safe and open Internet access.