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Alberta Surrenders to the Australian Coal LobbyCU Buffs seniors proud of legacy left behind and the standard set for future successPolice in the US hunting for the man who shot dead United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York street have found money from the Monopoly board game inside a backpack they believe the gunman used. Two knowledgeable sources told NBC News, Sky News' US partner, that the fake bank notes were discovered in the bag, which police found in Central Park after . Police still have no idea of the gunman's name or whereabouts or his motive for the killing but believe the man likely took a bus out of New York soon after the brazen ambush. On Friday, , but no weapon has been recovered from it or from other searches carried out by officers, two senior law enforcement officials close to the investigation told NBC News. Their enquiries, though, remain very much ongoing and fluid, they said. Other sources familiar with the case told NBC a jacket was found inside the bag, but it is unclear if it is the one worn at time of the shooting. NYPD officers have returned to Central Park to search near where the backpack was found and also in wooded sections and fountain areas for other evidence, according to three sources who spoke to NBC. Atlanta, from where the gunman travelled to New York by bus, is one focus of the investigation, with detectives searching for video from that bus station and others along the Greyhound Bus route, three sources close to the investigation told NBC. Mr Thompson, head of the US's largest health insurer, was gunned down outside his company's annual investor meeting at a hotel near to Radio City Music Hall and the Rockefeller Centre in midtown Manhattan. Video found by detectives shows the man riding a bicycle into the park and later taking a taxi to a bus station from where he could travel to New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington DC, according to the city's chief of detectives, Joseph Kenny. Otherwise, the gunman hid his identity with a mask during almost all of his time in the city, including during the attack and even while he ate. On Friday, the FBI announced it was offering a $50,000 (£39,100) reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
WACO, Texas (AP) — Sawyer Robertson threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns as Baylor won its sixth straight to keep alive its slim hopes for a berth in the Big 12 championship game, beating Kansas 45-17 on Saturday. The Bears (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions in the first half to take a 21-7 lead, then found the end zone on all three of their drives in the third quarter. Bryson Washington ran for 192 yards on 27 carries that included a 10-yard TD run and punching in from the 1 in the second half for Baylor. “I’m proud of that team in the locker room there, just the grit they showed,” Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. “To go through the season we’ve had and not let the outside on the inside, all those things are just really hard.” Kansas (5-7, 4-5) entered on a three-game winning streak — all against ranked teams — to be in position for bowl eligibility with a win. But the Jayhawks had no answers for Baylor’s offense. “It’s extremely disappointing because this team has overcome so much,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “It’s been a roller-coaster year in many ways, and we didn’t fulfill expectations. We battled back. The locker room stayed together. To play a team like this that is playing really well and playing physical, and to do it on the road, is a challenge, and one that we didn’t answer.” Devin Neal ran for 133 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries for Kansas. Jalon Daniels was 12-of-23 passing for 280 yards passing, and had two passes intercepted by Baylor safety Devyn Bobby. Baylor, which started 0-3 in league play, had to wait for the outcomes of games later Saturday. Arizona had to beat Arizona State, Kansas State had to beat Iowa State and Houston had to beat BYU for the Bears to get into next week’s conference title game. “I feel like what is being built here can be sustained because of the quality of people we have," Aranda said. Robertson was 23-for-31 passing, with TDs of 36- and 39-yards to Monaray Baldwin in the first quarter before a 14-yard score to Josh Cameron in the second. Baldwin caught seven passes for 119 yards, and Cameron added eight receptions for 102. “To finish the game and the season the way we did, it’s super special," Robertson said. Kansas: The Jayhawks rarely had issues moving the ball in the first half. Despite trailing 21-10 at intermission, the Jayhawks had outgained Baylor 301-283. Their problems came with holding onto the ball and scoring when they had the chance. Tabor Allen missed a 38-yard field goal to end the Jayhawks’ first possession, and they had promising drives end on a Daniels interception and Tevita Noa fumble after a 39-yard reception. Baylor: The Bears made a remarkable turnaround in the second half of the season. They began the year with coach Dave Aranda’s future considered tenuous at best, and a 2-4 start only made calls for him to be replaced louder. But Aranda and Baylor haven’t lost since Oct. 5 against Iowa State. Baylor’s first two TDs came off the same route from Baldwin, and the second was nearly a replay of the first. Baldwin lined up in the slot to the right side in a one-on-one matchup with Kansas safety Marvin Grant and ran right by him and down the sideline. The only difference in the plays was that Baldwin had to adjust and keep his feet in bounds as he went to the ground in the end zone for the first score. Robertson hit him in stride as he crossed the goal line on the second. “He’s such a good teammate, a good athlete, fun to throw to, because he can run by anybody," Robertson said. "But it was the same route, just different formations.” Kansas’ season is over. Baylor has to wait to see when and where it will play its next game. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Andrew Callahan: It’s time to forget about Jerod Mayo getting fired
No. 22 Illinois 38, Northwestern 28Fall is the best time to think about cooking soup. Here’s 5 recipes you’ll want to tryORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — In losing Sunday’s battle with the Buffalo Bills, perhaps the best team in football, Jerod Mayo won the war. Best I can tell, he’s staying put. For 2025, and maybe beyond. To his angry fan base and incredulous pockets of the New England Patriots’ media corps, remember Mayo’s future doesn’t hinge on winning this season. It’s not about what you want, or what I think. It’s about the Krafts, who hand-picked Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick four and a half years before he actually did, believing in him, and finding reasons to maintain that belief. In the eyes of someone who wants to believe, Sunday supplied enough reason. The Patriots led at halftime, then lost by three as 14-point underdogs. They became the first team since mid-October to hold the Bills under 30 points. Drake Maye outplayed the next MVP of the league for most of the game and took another step toward his destiny as a franchise quarterback, If that sounds like a low bar, that’s because it is. Such is life in Year 1 of a rebuild, a multi-year process ownership has committed to seeing through to the end with their organizational pillars now in place: Mayo, Maye and de facto GM Eliot Wolf. As frustrating as this 3-12 campaign has been, there are always nuggets of optimism amid the rubble of a losing season; particularly if you want to find them. The Krafts do, and so does Maye, who loves his head coach, by the way; calling questions about Mayo’s job security “BS.” “We’ve got his back,” Maye said post-game. Maye’s voice matters. Certainly more than any number of fans or media members. Ever since media-fueled speculation that Mayo could get canned at the end of his first season began rising, the caveat has always been the same: if, a Gillette Stadium-sized “if,” the Patriots bomb atomically down the stretch, ownership could pull the plug on Mayo. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport became the latest to join that chorus Sunday with this pregame report: “The Krafts want to keep Jerod Mayo,” he said. “They believe he is the leader for the organization for the future, and they knew it would be a multi-year process to get this thing right. Now if things go off the rails, if they really start to struggle and he loses the locker room the last couple games of the season, we’ve seen this thing turn. “But as of now, the Patriots believe Jerod Mayo is their leader for the future.” Well, Mayo hasn’t lost the locker room. That’s a fact. To a man, both in public and from those I’ve spoken to in private, Patriots players believe in their head coach. Mayo might be a players’ coach, yes, in the best and worst senses. But the Patriots were a few plays away Sunday from pulling off their largest upset since Super Bowl XXXVI. “I think we’re building something good,” Maye said. The Patriots also played their best half of football this season against their toughest opponent yet. Another fact. Now, to the frustrated, I am with you. To the shocked, I understand. But to the trigger-happy, lay down your arms. Mayo, by all accounts, is returning in 2025. Alex Van Pelt, however, is another story. In the same vein that the Krafts could have viewed Sunday’s performance as a reason to save Mayo — despite his pathetic punt at midfield, down 10 with just eight and a half minutes left — they could have convinced themselves their offensive coordinator is the real problem. After all, team president Jonathan Kraft was visibly exasperated over Van Pelt’s play-calling during the Pats’ loss at Arizona a week earlier. Four days later, Van Pelt told reporters he had yet to hear from his boss. Well, that time may be coming. Trailing by three in the fourth quarter Sunday, Van Pelt called a pass that resulted in an unnecessary lateral and game-winning touchdown for Buffalo. His offense later operated like it was taking a Sunday drive with the game on the line, using up 3:16 of the final 4:19 en route to its final touchdown. Van Pelt, finally, weaponized Maye’s legs in critical situations, something that arguably should have been done weeks ago. Not to mention, Van Pelt’s top running back can’t stop fumbling, and the offensive line remains a hot mess. Call him Alex Van Fall Guy. Because Van Pelt’s offense, for the first time in a while, under-performed relative to Mayo’s defense. On merit, he deserves to stay; a case that’s harder to make for defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington. But it’s not about merit this season. It’s not about what you want. It’s not about what I think. It’s about the Krafts; what they see, what they want, what they believe. Even in defeat. ____
10 notable books of 2024, from Sarah J. Maas to Melania TrumpBOSTON, Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- X4 Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: XFOR), a company driven to improve the lives of people with rare diseases of the immune system, today announced that, effective on December 2, 2024, the company issued inducement awards to new employees under the X4 Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2019 Inducement Equity Incentive Plan (the “2019 Inducement Plan”). The 2019 Inducement Plan is used exclusively for the grant of equity awards to individuals who were not previously an employee of X4. The inducement awards consist of options to purchase an aggregate of 396,824 shares of X4’s common stock. These stock awards were granted as an inducement material to the new employees entering into employment with X4 in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and were approved by X4’s Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The options have a ten-year term and an exercise price of $0.371 per share, which is equal to the closing price of X4’s common stock on December 2, 2024. Each option will vest over a four-year period, with 25% of the shares vesting after 12 months and the remaining shares vesting monthly over the following 36 months, subject to the employee’s continued employment with X4 on such vesting dates. The options are subject to the terms and conditions of the 2019 Inducement Plan and the terms and conditions of an award agreement covering the grant. About X4 Pharmaceuticals X4 is delivering progress for patients by developing and commercializing innovative therapies for those with rare diseases of the immune system and significant unmet needs. Leveraging our expertise in CXCR4 and immune system biology, we have successfully developed mavorixafor, which has received U.S. approval as XOLREMDI® (mavorixafor) capsules in its first indication. We are also evaluating the use of mavorixafor in additional potential indications. X4 corporate headquarters are in Boston, Massachusetts and our research center of excellence is in Vienna, Austria. For more information, please visit our website at www.x4pharma.com . Company Contact: José Juves Head of Corporate & Patient Affairs jose.juves@x4pharma.com Investor Contact: Daniel Ferry Managing Director, LifeSci Advisors daniel@lifesciadvisors.com (617) 430-7576Automatic voter registration set to get underway in Wales
AQABA, Jordan — Top U.S. officials were in the Middle East on Thursday, pushing for stability in Syria and an end to Israel’s 14-month war in the Gaza Strip in a last-ditch diplomatic push by the outgoing Biden administration before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in a few weeks. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Jordan and Turkey for talks on how to ensure a peaceful transition of power in Syria following the ouster of longtime President Bashar Assad , while White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan was in Israel in a bid to wrap up a ceasefire with Hamas militants. A ceasefire would give President Joe Biden a final diplomatic victory after a turbulent term in which his administration has been unable to halt a brutal war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives in Gaza and plunged the territory into a humanitarian crisis. Trump has demanded the immediate release of hostages , threatening on social media that otherwise there would be “HELL TO PAY,” and has urged the U.S. not to get involved in Syria , where some 900 troops are based to combat the Islamic State militant group. Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv, Sullivan expressed cautious optimism that conditions were ripe for halting the long-running conflict before the Biden administration leaves office. “I wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t think this thing was just waiting until after January 20,” he said. That’s when Trump will be inaugurated. The war erupted with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack, in which militants killed some 1,200 people in Israel and took 250 others hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed nearly 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza health officials, caused widespread displacement and led to severe hunger across the territory. U.S.-led ceasefire efforts have repeatedly faltered throughout the war, with the warring sides blaming each other for the failure. Israel has said it is seeking the destruction of Hamas’ governing and military capabilities, and at times has pressed ahead with the offensive in the face of U.S. calls for restraint. Hamas, meanwhile, has stuck to its demands that any ceasefire include a permanent end to the fighting and full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The U.S. has backed Israel with key military and diplomatic support. But at times, it also has appeared helpless in urging Israel to minimize civilian casualties and to enable the delivery of more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Sullivan said the rapid-fire changes across the region have improved the chances for success. He said Israel’s ceasefire with Hezbollah last month, ending more than a year of fighting, the collapse of Syria’s government and the heavy blow Israel has inflicted on Hamas have all changed the negotiating climate. He also said there has been good cooperation with the incoming Trump administration , with widespread agreement between them. “The surround sound of these negotiations is different today than it has been in the past,” Sullivan told reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I got the sense from the prime minister that he’s ready to do the deal,” Sullivan added. “We see movement from Hamas.” Sullivan is now scheduled to head to Qatar and Egypt — two Middle Eastern powers that have served as mediators throughout the war. Any deal would include the release of hostages held by Hamas, an exchange of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and a surge in badly needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel says Hamas is holding about 100 hostages — at least one-third of whom are believed to have died. As Sullivan was in Israel, Blinken was meeting with Jordanian and Turkish leaders to push for a peaceful transition of power in post-Assad Syria. “We’re back in the region at a time of both real promise but also peril for Syria and for its neighbors,” Blinken told reporters in Aqaba, Jordan, after meeting with King Abdullah II. He said the U.S. was working with its partners across the region to help Syria “transition away from Assad’s brutal dictatorship” and toward a new government that isn’t dominated by any single religious or ethnic group or by an outside power or the Islamic State militant group. “We’re determined to do everything we can, working in close coordination with partners, to help the Syrian people realize that aspiration,” Blinken said. Syria is home to an array of armed groups with competing interests and allies. In northern Syria, U.S.-backed Kurdish separatists are battling to fend off fighters supported by Turkey. In the country’s center and northeast, the extremist Islamic State group maintains a presence that generates concern for the U.S. And the rebels, hailing mainly from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, face the daunting task of creating a transitional government for the war-ravaged country. The leader of Syria’s biggest rebel faction is a former al-Qaida commander whose Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group is poised to chart the country’s future. The U.S. and the U.N. have designated the hard-line Sunni Islamist group a terrorist organization. The goal of creating a free and pluralistic Syria will be a challenge given the bad blood stretching across Syria’s sectarian lines after over half a century of Assad family rule and more than 13 years of civil war that claimed an estimated 500,000 lives. Blinken started his trip in Jordan, a close U.S. ally whose fragile economy has been strained over the years by an influx of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. Next, he was headed to Turkey — a backer of Sunni rebels but a foe of the Kurds. Israel, meanwhile, has sent troops into Syria — its northern neighbor — and seized a former buffer zone that had been demilitarized since a 1974 truce. Israel has described the move as defensive, meant to protect its border and to prevent armed groups from seizing weapons left behind by Assad’s army. Netanyahu said Thursday that the move was temporary. But he said Israel would remain inside Syria until another party can secure the border, raising the likelihood of a prolonged and open-ended presence. Sullivan tried to play down the Israeli move, noting that Assad was toppled just days ago and it is too early to jump to any conclusions. But Blinken was more cautious as he called for restraint by all regional players with interests in Syria. He said the U.S. is “already talking to Israel” and others about the future of Syria. “Across the board, when it comes to any actors who have real interests in Syria, it’s also really important at this time that we all try to make sure that we’re not sparking any additional conflicts,” he said. Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Chris Megerian contributed from Washington.
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Spencer Knight made 20 saves, Mackie Samoskevich scored with less than a second left in the second period, and the Florida Panthers got four goals in the third to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-0 on Saturday and complete a two-day sweep. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Evan Rodrigues and Adam Boqvist also scored for Florida, which won 6-3 at Carolina on Friday. The Panthers have won three straight — that streak following a stretch of six losses in seven games for the Stanley Cup champions. It was Knight's fourth career shutout, his first since Nov. 9, 2022 — also at home against Carolina. Spencer Martin made 23 saves on 28 shots for the Hurricanes, who have dropped four of their last six games (2-3-1). It was Martin's fourth consecutive start for Carolina. Takeaways Hurricanes: This was the first time all season that the Hurricanes failed to get a point in the game immediately following a loss. Carolina was 4-0-1 after a defeat entering Saturday. Panthers: A big day for Samoskevich — his alma mater Michigan beat Ohio State in football on Saturday, that game ending just before the Florida-Carolina game started. The Panthers are 5-0-0 when he scores this season. Sam Reinhart had each of the four most recent Florida goals at 19:59, before Samoskevich got his Saturday. Key moment The Panthers scored two goals 11 seconds apart in the third to make it 5-0, and Yaniv Perets replaced Martin in the Hurricanes' net with 8:12 remaining. It was the second NHL appearance for Perets, who came on once in relief for Carolina last season. Key stat Ekblad's goal was his first in a span of 1,045 regular-season shifts since Feb. 20. Up next Carolina starts a two-game homestand Tuesday against Seattle. Florida goes to Pittsburgh to start a two-game trip on Tuesday. ___ AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL Tim Reynolds, The Associated PressEvery few years, an asteroid that’s about the size of a bus strikes Earth. These rocks are much smaller than the one that drove dinosaurs to extinction , but they can still have a significant impact. And yet, their relatively small sizes made it difficult for surveys to spot them in advance. Now, an international team of astronomers has located more than 100 of these so-called “decameter” asteroids, named because they measure tens of meters in diameter, or roughly 30 to 1,600 feet across. For the study, published Monday in the journal Nature , they employed an image processing technique originally used to search for exoplanets. As a result, they spotted the smallest asteroids ever detected in the main belt , a vast field of rubble between Mars and Jupiter. “These asteroid findings fill an important knowledge gap for tracing the source of meteorites and larger potentially hazardous asteroids in Earth’s vicinity,” study co-author Richard Binzel , a physicist at MIT, tells Sky & Telescope ’s David L. Chandler. Compared to larger asteroids, decameter asteroids have less stable orbits, making it much more likely for them to depart from the main asteroid belt and slam against another cosmic entity, such as Earth. But even a tiny asteroid can cause real damage—the famous Chelyabinsk meteor that exploded over Russia in 2013 was a small decameter asteroid. These events can send “shockwaves through entire regions,” according to a statement from MIT. Given the potential risks, NASA and collaborators like the European Space Agency (ESA) have long worked on developing an early detection system for observing and tracking asteroids. When an asteroid somewhat bigger than a cat flew over Siberia last week, the ESA was able to issue an alert around half a day in advance . While not perfect, our ability to spot asteroids before they hit is improving, astrophysicist Alan Fitzsimmons of Queens University Belfast in Northern Ireland said to New Scientist ’s Matthew Sparkes about the recent warning. In general, the new method for spotting decameter asteroids is expected to contribute greatly toward scientists’ databases as they further refine these warning systems. The research team sifted through existing images of the TRAPPIST-1 star system taken by the James Webb Space Telescope , which had initially been captured to find exoplanets. The method they used, called the “shift and stack” technique, assembles dozens to hundreds of images of fast-moving objects. Eventually, the frames collect into a faint picture that emerges from background noise, or the other random objects that are not the subject of investigation. Usually, this would only be possible if the observer had a good idea of what orbit a certain object moves in, which isn’t the case for asteroids. The MIT team was able to bypass this complication by depending on “powerful computational tools” designed for graphic processing to “search blindly,” testing every possible direction and reasonable speed for the asteroids, explains lead author Artem Burdanov , a research scientist at MIT, to Sky & Telescope . “We decided to push the limits to see how faint objects we could find with this telescope.” From the initial search results, Burdanov and his colleagues found more than 1,000 candidates. Then, they reviewed each image to narrow the list down, eventually confirming the discovery of 138 new decameter asteroids. And they’re hoping to find thousands more in the “archives” of astronomy data that have yet to be analyzed, using the same method, MIT planetary scientist Julien de Wit , a co-author of the study, tells the publication. “This is a totally new, unexplored space we are entering, thanks to modern technologies,” Burdanov adds in the statement. “It’s a good example of what we can do as a field when we look at the data differently. Sometimes there’s a big payoff, and this is one of them.” Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. Gayoung Lee | | READ MORE Gayoung Lee is a science journalist from South Korea, now based in New York. Her main interest lies in exploring the unlikely connections between science and everyday life.
Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 12.12.2024Young staff shun office parties... for ping-pong! Gen Z workers demand sober new craze of sober celebrations as companies seek to avoid sexual harassment claims By CHRIS POLLARD Published: 23:19 GMT, 7 December 2024 | Updated: 23:49 GMT, 7 December 2024 e-mail View comments Boozy office Christmas parties are being replaced by crazy golf and ping-pong tournaments as Gen Z workers demand sober celebrations and companies seek to avoid sexual harassment claims. A huge cultural shift in the last 10 years has led more than one fifth of big firms to shun traditional pubs and bars for their festive events in favour of sober 'activities' – which will leave behind none of the usual embarrassment or the hangover. While the vast majority of work Christmas parties were held in pubs a decade ago, the number of alternative venues has grown steadily in the years since, and 21 per cent of office parties will today be completely alcohol-free. The move comes after new laws made firms responsible for protecting staff against sexual harassment, which includes unwanted drunken fumbling under the mistletoe. But a new generation of young workers are also less likely to drink, and are keen to maintain stricter boundaries between their work and social lives. Fran Hubbard, who runs London-based corporate events firm The Big Smoke, said the idea of what makes a good night out has changed. 'Since Covid, people value their personal time more and don't necessarily want to be stuck in a pub all night,' she said. 'A large proportion of the workforce now doesn't drink at all. Gen-Z employees have much less interest in a 'boozy' team event. 'Companies are also embracing a big shift to wellbeing and health which doesn't sit in line with the traditional Christmas party. Boozy office parties are being replaced with more sober options including crazy golf and ping pong (file photo) 'Employees demand more from their companies - so it isn't just the case of putting money behind the bar.' The Big Smoke, whose clients include corporate giants Facebook, Amazon, Google, PwC, KPMG, Kraft-Heinz alongside the NHS and BBC, says it has seen a 310 per cent increase in December bookings since 2019. Its Apprentice-style 'festive scavenger hunt' – which involves racing against the clock in teams to complete 30 challenges – is proving particularly popular. Pizza chain Pizza Pilgrims, meanwhile, is offering cooking masterclasses which are proving popular with corporate clients. Other hospitality groups are offering indoor ice hockey, Connect 4, mince pie making, and fake snowball throwing. Read More The VERY different face of the festive bash as Gen Zzz kills off the Christmas party The UK's largest recent study of drinking behaviours, from 2019, highlighted the generational divide when it comes to alcohol. It found 16-to-25-year-olds are the most likely generation to be teetotal, with more than one quarter claiming not to drink any alcohol. Meanwhile, just 15 per cent of 55 to 74-year-olds don't drink. But employment lawyer Francesca Lopez, a senior associate at Kingsley Napley solicitors, said the new Worker Protection Act 2023, which came into force in October, will be 'playing on employers' minds' when they are looking at potential party venues. The Act requires employers to 'take reasonable steps' to prevent employees being sexually harassed, a protection which extends to officially-sanctioned events such as Christmas parties. 'Whether it is the reason for kiboshing the traditional Christmas party, I can't say, but it's certainly a factor,' Ms Lopez said. 'We always notice an uptick in our workload around this time of year. 'Lots of companies are moving away from the traditional party where you get everybody into a big room and there's free flowing alcohol. It just creates an environment where colleagues have looser inhibitions, and there's a real risk of sexual harassment. The trend has been put down in a part due to companies wanting to avoid sexual harassment claims (file photo) 'It's not about removing the fun from the Christmas party, it's just a different way of looking at fun. I mean, when has it ever been fun to sexually harass your colleagues?' But criminal solicitor Marcus Johnstone, of PCD Solicitors, cautioned that replacing an open bar with alcohol-free activities won't stop staff from drinking - or insulate companies from liability when things go wrong. 'The reason most people go to the office Christmas party is to get free drinks, and often they will drink as much as they can,' he said. 'Companies can offer knitting lessons instead of booze, but employees who are determined to get drunk will still pile off to the pub anyway, and it will be difficult for the employer to stop that. 'There is always a huge increase in the number of professionals being prosecuted for sexual assault in the aftermath of Christmas party season. The perpetrators are always men and have always been drinking. 'Many don't seem to understand that a drunken 'fumble' with a colleague could be a serious sexual offence that may destroy their career. 'There's no easy answer to any of it, but if people stop drinking of their own accord, it wouldn't be a bad thing.' NHS The Apprentice Google Amazon BBC Share or comment on this article: Young staff shun office parties... for ping-pong! Gen Z workers demand sober new craze of sober celebrations as companies seek to avoid sexual harassment claims e-mail Add comment
WOBURN, Mass., Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bridgeline Digital, Inc. BLIN , a global leader in AI-powered marketing technology, today announced financial results for its fiscal fourth quarter ended September 30, 2024. "HawkSearch is the leader in AI-powered product discovery. This year we nearly doubled our sales contracts, launched a new HawkSearch site every week, had better than 103% net revenue retention for HawkSearch, and released 5 AI products under the HawkSearch brand," said Ari Kahn, Bridgeline's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We begin 2025 with the largest sales pipeline in the company's history, an AI product suite that both existing customer and new customers need, and an outstanding industry reputation from customers and analysts." Financial Highlights – Fourth Quarter of Fiscal Year 2024 Total revenue was $3.9 million, compared to $3.8 million in the prior year period. Subscription and licenses revenue was $3.0 million, compared to $3.1 million in the prior year period. Gross profit was $2.7 million, compared to $2.6 million in the prior year period. Gross margin was 69% compared to 68% in the prior year period. Financial Highlights – Fiscal Year 2024 Total revenue was $15.4 million, compared to $15.9 million in the prior year period. Subscription and licenses revenue was $12.1 million, compared to $12.7 million in the prior year period. Gross profit was $10.4 million, compared to $10.9 million in the prior year period. Gross margin was 68% compared to 68% in the prior year period. Sales Highlights In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024, Bridgeline signed 17 license sales, adding over $360 thousand in annual recurring revenue. For fiscal year 2024, Bridgeline signed 83 license sales, adding $2.1 million in annual recurring revenue, totaling $6.2 million in new customer contracts. Demand for AI-powered search is transforming sales, as companies align with customer expectations for smarter search experiences. This surge in demand for higher quality search is driving upgrades to Bridgeline's HawkSearch platform. Product Highlights The Hawk AI Product Suite now includes advanced features like Smart Search, Smart Response, and Smart Tools. A new Smart Agent lets users adjust prompts and foundation model settings through an intuitive interface to optimize interactions with Hawk AI. HawkSearch launched Conversational Search. Powered by GenAI, this feature uses NLP to interpret user intent and phrasing, transforming searches into conversational interactions with accurate, meaningful results. HawkSearch launched Smart Facets for Concept Search. Powered by GenAI, Smart Facets transforms the search experience by enabling users to ask detailed, context-rich questions that automatically select relevant search facets. HawkSearch announced a new Smart Response feature that analyzes PDF content and delivers specific answers to user queries. The innovation includes tools for extracting content from large PDF repositories and using GenAI to create helpful search features such as thumbnails of PDFs, summaries of pages within each PDF, and extraction of other important metadata such as file names and categorization. HawkSearch's Rapid UI Framework had a major update launched, which included a new GenAI capability component that accelerates the integration of Smart Response into search interfaces. Partner Highlights Optimizely is promoting HawkSearch as a top paid app in their app store and HawkSearch-AI was showcased at Opticon 2024 in San Antonio, Texas in November. HawkSearch announced a leading distributor of fasteners and industrial supplies has selected HawkSearch to enhance their on-site search capabilities. This distributor, the first lead from our partner Xngage, will use HawkSearch to power their product discovery on the Optimizely platform using the Xngage XConnect connector for HawkSearch. HawkSearch was named Moblico Partner of the Year. Moblico's integration of HawkSearch's AI capabilities enhances mobile engagement for distributors, optimizing real-time shopping experiences and increasing customer retention. This collaboration allows distributors to provide personalized customer experiences, leading to increased revenue and stronger market positioning. Product Genius Technology, a leading provider of innovative solutions with decades of experience in the fastener industry, partnered with HawkSearch to provide patented search technology to enhance customer engagement and drive sales by simplifying the search, sort and display of complex product categories. Human Element, Inc., a leading eCommerce services agency, will leverage HawkSearch AI-powered search technology to enhance customer engagement and drive sales for eCommerce platforms. Human Element will partner with HawkSearch to expand its offerings for B2B and B2C merchants to include AI-powered search technology, and the partnership gives Adobe Commerce (Magento), BigCommerce, and Shopify platform users easy access to HawkSearch's AI-powered search. Customer Highlights Duda has expanded its partnership with the WooRank SEO platform. The agency now offers WooRank's SEO insights and performance data as part of its top-tier SEO package, enhancing its clients' digital marketing strategies. An aftermarket automotive truck parts retailer has chosen HawkSearch to power product discovery for its eCommerce website. The retailer is set to boost sales using HawkSearch's AI-powered Smart Search which allows customers to enter a concept or question into the search bar and receive more accurate, relevant results tailored to the customer's query. A top 10 U.S. electrical distributor has expanded its license with HawkSearch to enhance its Salesforce B2B Commerce experience. HawkSearch will support over 740 profit centers, improving the distributor's product discovery with the Unit of Measure Conversion feature, while providing additional hosting services to address growing traffic demands. A leader in fastener distribution has selected HawkSearch to enhance its search experience across 15 countries and 12 languages, leveraging HawkSearch's Keyword & Concept Search to improve product discovery. Additionally, it will optimize part number searches, ensure accurate results for terms with varying spacing, support different format variations, and incorporate advanced machine learning and reporting capabilities. A leading manufacturer and distributor of life safety gear, equipment, and training for first responders selected HawkSearch to improve their on-site search and merchandising powered by Salesforce Commerce Cloud. The manufacturer will also leverage Instant Engage for surfacing trending items, categories, and content as soon as the user clicks on the search box. A prominent supplier in the construction materials testing equipment industry has selected HawkSearch and will leverage Instant Engage and Autocomplete to display popular products, category pages, and relevant content as soon as users interact with the search bar. A leading wholesale hardware distributor has selected HawkSearch to deliver an improved product discovery experience with highly relevant, accurate search results and personalized recommendations for their Optimizely Configured Commerce site. Financial Results – Fourth Quarter of Fiscal Year 2024 Total revenue, which is comprised of Licenses and Services revenue, was $3.9 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $3.8 million for the same period in 2023. Subscription and licenses revenue, which is comprised of SaaS licenses, maintenance and hosting revenue and perpetual license revenue was $3.0 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $3.1 million for the same period in 2023. As a percentage of total revenue, Subscription and licenses revenue was 78% of total revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared to 81% for the same period in 2023. Services revenue was $0.8 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $0.7 million for the same period in 2023. As a percentage of total revenue, Services revenue accounted for 22% of total revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared to 19% for the same period in 2023. Cost of revenue was $1.2 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $1.2 million for the same period in 2023. Gross profit was $2.7 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $2.6 million for the same period in 2023. Gross margin was 69% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to 68% for the same period in 2023. Subscription and licenses gross margin was 72% for three months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to 73% for the same period in 2023. Services gross margin was 58% for the three months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to 46% for the same period in 2023. Operating expenses were $3.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $10.8 million for the same period in 2023 which included a goodwill impairment of $7.5 million. Operating loss for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was $0.5 million, as compared to $8.2 million for the same period in 2023 which included the impact of a goodwill impairment. The warrant liability revaluation resulted in a nominal non-cash loss attributable to the change in the fair value of the warrant liabilities for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. This compares to a non-cash gain from revaluation of $0.2 million for the same period in 2023. Net loss for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, was $0.4 million, compared to a net loss of $8.1 million for the same period in 2023 which included the impact of goodwill impairment. Financial Results – Year-to-Date Twelve Months of Fiscal Year 2024 Total revenue, which is comprised of Licenses and Services revenue, was $15.4 million for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $15.9 million for the same period in 2023. Subscription and licenses revenue, which is comprised of SaaS licenses, maintenance and hosting revenue and perpetual license revenue was $12.1 million for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $12.7 million for the same period in 2023. As a percentage of total revenue, Subscription and licenses revenue was 79% of total revenue for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, compared to 80% for the same period in 2023. Services revenue was $3.2 million for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $3.1 million for the same period in 2023. As a percentage of total revenue, Services revenue accounted for 21% of total revenue for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, compared to 20% for the same period in 2023. Cost of revenue was $4.9 million for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $5.0 million for the same period in 2023. Gross profit was $10.4 million for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $10.9 million for the same period in 2023. Gross margin was 68% for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to 68% for the same period in 2023. Subscription and licenses gross margin were 72% for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to 74% for the same period in 2023. Services gross margin was 52% for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to 48% for the same period in 2023. Operating expenses were $12.5 million for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $20.8 million for the same period in 2023 which included a goodwill impairment of $7.5 million. Operating loss for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, was $2.0 million, as compared to an operating loss of $9.9 million for the same period in 2023 which included the impact of the goodwill impairment. The warrant liability revaluation resulted in a $0.1 million non-cash gain attributable to the change in the fair value of the warrant liabilities for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024. This compares to a non-cash gain the change in the fair value of $0.6 million for the same period in 2023. Net loss for the twelve months ended September 30, 2024, was $2.0 million, compared to a net loss of $9.4 million for the same period in 2023, which included the impact of the goodwill impairment. Conference Call Bridgeline Digital, Inc. will hold a conference call today, December 23, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss these results. The Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, Ari Kahn, and Chief Financial Officer, Thomas Windhausen, will host the call, followed by a question-and-answer period. The details of the conference call and replay are as follows: Bridgeline Digital Fourth Quarter 2024 Earnings Call Monday, December 23, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. ET Registration: https://register.vevent.com/register/BIa2b7e1f034b94ac0a2c6017e5f9e8d15 Listen Only: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/7vs4y5pi Participants can register for the conference call using the above URL above. Once registered, participants will receive dial-in numbers and unique PIN number. Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release contains the following Non-GAAP financial measures: Adjusted EBITDA, Non-GAAP adjusted net income (loss), and Non-GAAP adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation expense, impairment of goodwill and intangible assets, non-cash warrant related income/expense, changes in fair value of contingent consideration, restructuring and acquisition-related costs, amortization of debt discounts, preferred stock dividends and any related tax effects. Bridgeline uses Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP adjusted net income (loss) as supplemental measures of our performance that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"). Non-GAAP adjusted net income (loss) and Non-GAAP adjusted net income (loss) per diluted share are calculated as net income (loss) or net income (loss) per share on a diluted basis, excluding, where applicable, amortization of intangible assets, change in fair value of warrants, stock-based compensation, restructuring and acquisition-related costs, goodwill impairment charges, preferred stock dividends and any related tax effects. Bridgeline's management does not consider these Non-GAAP measures in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The principal limitation of these Non-GAAP financial measures is that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recorded in the Company's financial statements. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expenses and income are excluded or included in determining these Non-GAAP financial measures. To compensate for these limitations, Bridgeline management presents Non-GAAP financial measures in connection with GAAP results. Bridgeline urges investors to review the reconciliation of its Non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP financial measures, which is included in this press release, and not to rely on any single financial measure to evaluate Bridgeline's financial performance. Our definitions of Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income (loss) may differ from and therefore may not be comparable with similarly titled measures used by other companies, thereby limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. As a result of the limitations that Adjusted EBITDA and Non-GAAP adjusted net income (loss) have as an analytical tool, investors should not consider them in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our operating results as reported under GAAP. Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 All statements included in this press release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. These "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These statements appear in a number of places and include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Bridgeline Digital, Inc. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, but not limited to, business operations and the business of our customers, suppliers and partners; our ability to retain and upgrade current customers, increasing our recurring revenue, our ability to attract new customers, our revenue growth rate; our history of net loss and our ability to achieve or maintain profitability, instability in the financial markets, including the banking sector; our liability for any unauthorized access to our data or our users' content, including through privacy and data security breaches; any decline in demand for our platform or products; changes in the interoperability of our platform across devices, operating systems, and third party applications that we do not control; competition in our markets; our ability to respond to rapid technological changes, extend our platform, develop new features or products, or gain market acceptance for such new features or products, particularly in light of potential disruptions to the productivity of our employees resulting from remote work; our ability to manage our growth or plan for future growth, and our acquisition of other businesses and the potential of such acquisitions to require significant management attention, disrupt our business, or dilute stockholder value; the volatility of the market price of our common stock, the ability to maintain our listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market; or our ability to maintain an effective system of internal controls as well as other risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any of such risks could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Bridgeline Digital, Inc. assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release, except as required by applicable law. About Bridgeline Digital Bridgeline is a marketing technology company that offers a suite of products that help companies grow online revenue by driving more traffic to their websites, converting more visitors to purchasers, and increasing average order value. To learn more, please visit www.bridgeline.com or call (800) 603-9936. Contact: Bridgeline Digital, Inc. Thomas R. Windhausen Chief Financial Officer twindhausen@bridgeline.com BRIDGELINE DIGITAL, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (in thousands, except share and per share data) (Unaudited) ASSETS September 30, September 30, 2024 2023 Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,390 $ 2,377 Accounts receivable, net 1,288 1,004 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 269 278 Total current assets 2,947 3,659 Property and equipment, net 74 151 Operating lease assets 163 390 Intangible assets, net 3,908 4,890 Goodwill, net 8,468 8,468 Other assets 42 73 Total assets $ 15,602 $ 17,631 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Current portion of long-term debt $ 282 $ 267 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 157 148 Accounts payable 1,112 1,255 Accrued liabilities 988 995 Deferred revenue 2,189 2,084 Total current liabilities 4,728 4,749 Long-term debt, net of current portion 244 435 Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion 6 241 Warrant liabilities 98 174 Other long-term liabilities 520 572 Total liabilities 5,596 6,171 Commitments and contingencies Stockholders' equity: Preferred stock - $0.001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; Series C Convertible Preferred stock: 11,000 shares authorized; 350 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 and 2023 - - Series D Convertible Preferred stock: 4,200 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding at September 2024 and 2023 Common stock - $0.001 par value; 50,000,000 shares authorized;10,417,609 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 and 2023 10 10 Additional paid-in-capital 101,833 101,275 Accumulated deficit (91,538 ) (89,577 ) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (299 ) (248 ) Total stockholders' equity 10,006 11,460 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 15,602 $ 17,631 BRIDGELINE DIGITAL, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (in thousands, except share and per share data) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenue: Subscription and perpetual licenses $ 3,025 $ 3,072 $ 12,134 $ 12,742 Digital engagement services 838 726 3,224 3,143 Total net revenue 3,863 3,798 15,358 15,885 Cost of revenue: Subscription and perpetual licenses 859 815 3,392 3,364 Digital engagement services 352 391 1,532 1,650 Total cost of revenue 1,211 1,206 4,924 5,014 Gross profit 2,652 2,592 10,434 10,871 Operating expenses: Sales and marketing 912 965 3,715 4,757 General and administrative 857 806 3,282 3,173 Research and development 1,022 1,070 4,160 3,679 Depreciation and amortization 201 385 1,086 1,528 Goodwill impairment - 7,517 - 7,517 Restructuring and acquisition related expenses 142 75 210 132 Total operating expenses 3,134 10,818 12,453 20,786 Loss from operations (482 ) (8,226 ) (2,019 ) (9,915 ) Interest expense and other, net (3 ) (170 ) (61 ) (189 ) Change in fair value of warrant liabilities (5 ) 214 76 575 Income (loss) before income taxes (490 ) (8,182 ) (2,004 ) (9,529 ) Provision for (benefit from) income taxes (58 ) (119 ) (43 ) (94 ) Net (loss) income $ (432 ) $ (8,063 ) $ (1,961 ) $ (9,435 ) Net (loss) income per share attributable to common shareholders: Basic net (loss) income per share $ (0.04 ) $ (0.77 ) $ (0.19 ) $ (0.91 ) Diluted net (loss) income per share $ (0.04 ) $ (0.77 ) $ (0.19 ) $ (0.91 ) Number of weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 10,417,609 10,417,609 10,417,609 10,417,609 Diluted 10,417,609 10,417,609 10,417,609 10,424,187 BRIDGELINE DIGITAL, INC. RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP RESULTS (in thousands, except per share data) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Reconciliation of GAAP net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA: GAAP net loss $ (432 ) $ (8,063 ) $ (1,961 ) $ (9,435 ) Provision for income taxes (58 ) (119 ) (43 ) (94 ) Interest expense and other, net 3 170 61 189 Change in fair value of warrants 5 (214 ) (76 ) (575 ) Amortization of intangible assets 186 346 982 1,378 Depreciation and other amortization 22 45 130 177 Goodwill impairment - 7,517 - 7,517 Restructuring and acquisition related charges 142 75 210 132 Stock-based compensation 137 126 505 402 Adjusted EBITDA $ 5 $ (117 ) $ (192 ) $ (309 ) Reconciliation of GAAP net income (loss) to non-GAAP adjusted net income (loss): GAAP net loss $ (432 ) $ (8,063 ) $ (1,961 ) $ (9,435 ) Change in fair value of warrants 5 (214 ) (76 ) (575 ) Amortization of intangible assets 186 346 982 1,378 Goodwill impairment - 7,517 - 7,517 Restructuring and acquisition related charges 142 75 210 132 Stock-based compensation 137 126 505 402 Non-GAAP adjusted net loss $ 38 $ (213 ) $ (340 ) $ (581 ) Reconciliation of GAAP net earnings (loss) per diluted share to non-GAAP adjusted net earnings (loss) per diluted share: GAAP net loss per diluted share $ (0.04 ) $ (0.77 ) $ (0.19 ) $ (0.91 ) Change in fair value of warrants 0.00 (0.02 ) (0.01 ) (0.06 ) Amortization of intangible assets 0.02 0.03 0.09 0.13 Goodwill impairment - 0.72 - 0.72 Restructuring and acquisition related charges 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.01 Stock-based compensation 0.01 0.01 0.05 0.04 Non-GAAP adjusted net loss per diluted share $ 0.00 $ (0.02 ) $ (0.03 ) $ (0.06 ) © 2024 Benzinga.com. 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