Sheriff sued for blocking social media comments after ‘Whoppergate’ feudWHEELING, W.Va. , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WesBanco, Inc. ("WesBanco") (Nasdaq: WSBC) and Premier Financial Corp. ("Premier") (Nasdaq: PFC) today announced that WesBanco's shareholders and Premier's shareholders have each voted overwhelmingly to adopt and approve, as applicable, all proposals relating to the previously announced merger agreement for WesBanco to acquire Premier. The votes were held at the respective special meetings of WesBanco's shareholders and Premier's shareholders today. Approximately 85% of the votes cast at WesBanco's special meeting voted to approve the merger and to approve the proposal to issue shares of WesBanco common stock as described in the joint proxy statement/prospectus for the special meeting, and approximately 68% of the outstanding shares of Premier common stock voted to approve the proposal to adopt the merger agreement. "Shareholder approval is a key milestone that reflects strong confidence in the opportunities this merger creates for our communities, customers, employees and shareholders," said Jeff Jackson , President and Chief Executive Officer of WesBanco. "With this step complete, we look forward to receiving the required regulatory approvals and then scheduling the closing of the merger, so we can bring our community commitment and the resources of a stronger organization to all of our communities." With the completion of this critical milestone, the companies believe the merger is on track to close during the first quarter of 2025. The transaction remains subject to the completion of customary closing conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals. The merger will create a regional financial services institution with approximately $27 billion in assets, significant economies of scale, and strong pro forma profitability metrics. With complementary and contiguous geographic footprints, the combined company would be the 8th largest bank in Ohio , based on deposit market share, have increased presence in Indiana , and serve customers in nine states. About WesBanco, Inc. With over 150 years as a community-focused, regional financial services partner, WesBanco Inc. (NASDAQ: WSBC) and its subsidiaries build lasting prosperity through relationships and solutions that empower our customers for success in their financial journeys. Customers across our eight-state footprint choose WesBanco for the comprehensive range and personalized delivery of our retail and commercial banking solutions, as well as trust, brokerage, wealth management and insurance services, all designed to advance their financial goals. Through the strength of our teams, we leverage large bank capabilities and local focus to help make every community we serve a better place for people and businesses to thrive. Headquartered in Wheeling, West Virginia , WesBanco has $18.5 billion in total assets, with our Trust and Investment Services holding $6.1 billion of assets under management and securities account values (including annuities) of $1.9 billion through our broker/dealer, as of September 30, 2024 . Learn more at www.wesbanco.com and follow @WesBanco on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. About Premier Financial Corp. Premier Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: PFC), headquartered in Defiance, Ohio , is the holding company for Premier Bank. Premier Bank, headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio , operates 73 branches and nine loan offices in Ohio , Michigan , Indiana and Pennsylvania and also serves clients through a team of wealth professionals dedicated to each community banking branch. For more information, visit Premier's website at www.PremierFinCorp.com . Matters set forth in this press release contain certain forward-looking statements, including certain plans, expectations, goals, and projections, and including statements about the benefits of the proposed Merger between WesBanco and Premier, that are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ materially from those contained or implied by such statements for a variety of factors including: the effects of changing regional and national economic conditions, changes in interest rates, spreads on earning assets and interest-bearing liabilities, and associated interest rate sensitivity; sources of liquidity available to WesBanco and its related subsidiary operations; potential future credit losses and the credit risk of commercial, real estate, and consumer loan customers and their borrowing activities; actions of the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Institution Regulatory Authority, the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, the Securities Investors Protection Corporation, and other regulatory bodies; potential legislative and federal and state regulatory actions and reform, including, without limitation, the impact of the implementation of the Dodd-Frank Act; adverse decisions of federal and state courts; fraud , scams and schemes of third parties; cyber-security breaches; competitive conditions in the financial services industry; rapidly changing technology affecting financial services; marketability of debt instruments and corresponding impact on fair value adjustments; and/or other external developments materially impacting WesBanco's operational and financial performance, the businesses of the WesBanco and Premier may not be integrated successfully or such integration may take longer to accomplish than expected; the expected cost savings and any revenue synergies from the proposed Merger may not be fully realized within the expected timeframes; disruption from the proposed Merger may make it more difficult to maintain relationships with clients, associates, or suppliers; the required governmental approvals of the proposed Merger may not be obtained on the expected terms and schedule; changes in economic conditions; movements in interest rates; competitive pressures on product pricing and services; success and timing of other business strategies; the nature, extent, and timing of governmental actions and reforms; and extended disruption of vital infrastructure; and other factors described in WesBanco's 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K, Premier's 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K, and documents subsequently filed by WesBanco and Premier with the SEC. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are based on information available at the time of the release. Neither WesBanco nor Premier assumes any obligation to update any forward-looking statement. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wesbanco-inc-and-premier-financial-corp-announce-shareholder-approvals-of-merger-agreement-302329433.html SOURCE WesBanco, Inc.ROSEVILLE Calif. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Children in Northern California now have a cuddly companion to bring them comfort through their cancer treatment journey. Aflac Incorporated , a leading provider of health supplemental insurance in the U.S. donated the robotic ducks to Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance in Roseville Thursday. The event marks nearly 200 ducks given to Keaton's in the last two years and more than 33,000 ducks distributed free of charge since the program began in 2018. "Approximately 26 children are diagnosed with cancer each day in the United States , including the brave 'Child Cancer Warriors' supported by Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance," said Ines Rodriguez Gutzmer , Aflac senior vice president and chief Communications officer. "These incredible children, and their families, embody determination and resilience – and most of all, as we saw today, their joyful spirit continues to shine. We're thankful to the team at Keaton's for allowing us to be a part of the great work they do each and every day. Together, we're making a difference in the lives of the children, their families and their communities." My Special Aflac Duck is a social robot powered by innovative technology that helps kids prepare for medical procedures, communicate their feelings, practice distraction techniques and more. The robotic companion was designed in consult with more than 100 children, families and medical professionals in conjunction with Empath Labs. A three-year study revealed that patients reported a reduction in distress, nausea, pain and procedural anxiety compared to those in the study who had not yet received a duck. In addition, parents and caregivers reported a reduction in stress and anxiety, showing how My Special Aflac Duck helps children's support system. The duck delivery Thursday coincided with Keaton's annual Operation Gobble, where more than 20 families received Thanksgiving meal kits. "We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Aflac to ensure that young cancer warriors and their families receive the personalized support they need throughout their journey" said Jessica Alonso , Executive Director of Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance. "This generous contribution of My Special Aflac Ducks will have a meaningful impact on the children we serve. These comforting, interactive companions provide emotional support and help children navigate the complexities of treatment, bringing much-needed smiles and strength to families during some of their most challenging moments. Together, we are empowering those we serve to face cancer with courage and hope." Since its debut in 2018 , My Special Aflac Duck has received numerous awards; it was named one of Time Magazine's 50 Best Inventions and collected the Best in Show at CES and South by Southwest, among others. The My Special Aflac Duck program is a hallmark of Aflac's more than $184 million given toward pediatric cancer and blood disorder treatment, as part of the company's commitment to support the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta . Health care providers, support organizations and families can order My Special Aflac Duck free of charge for children 3 years or older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease at MySpecialAflacDuck.com . ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than 68 years to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan . In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products. 1 In Japan , Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol . Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability." 1 LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report Media contact: Jon Sullivan , 706-763-4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young , 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or dyoung@aflac.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/my-special-aflac-duck-lands-in-the-sacramento-valley-302313728.html SOURCE Aflac
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Energy Drink Company Curated Art Basel Rubbish, Selling Pieces of Art For A Good Cause MIAMI , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lucky Energy , known for its full-flavor, deliciously refreshing energy drinks, kicked off its first-ever Art Basel appearance with an unforgettable activation that was as trashy as it was inspiring. Dubbed "Trashy Art," the activation featured models picking up garbage outside the Miami Beach Convention Center on days 1 and 2 of the art fair. The brand curated 30-40 pieces of this rubbish and sold them on ArtBaselTrash.com . All pieces went on sale for $13 - typically an unlucky number, but the brand finds that the most unlucky moments encourage us to "create our own luck." Proceeds of the sale will go towards DonorChoose. "Lucky Energy is a beverage and entertainment company that draws inspiration from pop art and fashion, so showing up in this format at Art Basel is an important milestone for us," said Lucky Energy Founder and CEO Richard Laver . Our "Talking Trash" initiative is a unique expression of our brand identity - it challenges conventional thinking and encourages deeper reflection. We believe it will resonate with our audience, who appreciate our delicious beverages, humor, and charm. Developed by Lucky Energy's in-house team, the website sold tickets to a Miami Heat Game, an unopened can of Lucky Energy Drink with lipstick on the rim, a long piece of black hair (rumored to belong to a famous sister that was once married to a rapper), an empty can of Redbull and more. "As the saying goes, 'art is art is art.' Art exists as its own entity, regardless of definition. With this insight, we ask, why can't trash fall into that category if everything is Art?" said Hamid Saify , CMO of Lucky Energy. "Our depiction of Art was designed to spark conversation and curiosity. As a brand, rethinking cultural norms is in our DNA. When told we can't or shouldn't, we are inspired to prove otherwise. We aim to instill that same 'can do' attitude and motivation in people, giving them the fuel they need to keep going. To make their own luck. This is why we are committed to supporting social causes, with the proceeds of "Trashy Art"' and an additional donation to funding a Miami -based kid's art program through DonorsChoose." Richard Laver founded Lucky Energy after experiencing tragic lows and dizzying heights; he launched the company to inspire people to persevere and keep going as he learned to do. He's the youngest survivor of the Delta 191 flight that killed his father and 136 others. After surviving the crash at just 12 years old, Laver suffered from depression and was homeless by 27. He eventually found the love of his life, Michelle, but during the premature birth of their first child, Kate, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and would need a feeding tube for nourishment. Through a medley of medical complications, he founded Kate Farms (now the #1 recommended plant-based tube-feeding formula) to save her life. In thinking about his next chapter, Laver landed on creating a cleaner alternative to the energy drinks on the market. To learn more about Lucky Energy and Trashy Art, visit www.luckybevco.com and follow @luckyenergyofficial on social media. Please contact Valeria Carrasco at valeria@hallettsconsulting.com with any questions. ABOUT Lucky Energy Drink Lucky Energy is a cleaner, better-for-you energy drink company founded by serial beverage entrepreneur Richard Laver . The brand creates high-quality products to motivate people to keep going . The product line features five flavors—with 5 super ingredients, including maca and beta-alanine, 0 sugar, 0 aftertaste, and only 5 calories. Products are available on Amazon. For more information, visit www.luckybevco.com and follow @luckyfckenergy on social media. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/talking-trash-lucky-energy-debuted-at-art-basel-302329542.html SOURCE Lucky Beverage CompanyIs Belichick Official Move Why Jerry Might Keep McCarthy?
If there’s any chapter of the Beatles ’ saga that Beatles fans the world over feel they know in their bones, it’s the early months of 1964, when the Beatles first came to America — a happening that shook the world, and that changed it profoundly. “Beatles ’64” is a documentary that chronicles the three weeks the Beatles spent in the U.S. starting in February of that year. They came to New York to perform on “The Ed Sullivan Show” (their first appearance on the show was Feb. 9). They then took a train to Washington, D.C., to give a concert at the Washington Coliseum, then flew to Miami Beach, where they did their second “Ed Sullivan” appearance. “Beatles ’64” opens with an extended sequence devoted to the early-’60s reign of John F. Kennedy — because, as has been noted so often, JFK was assassinated just a little over two months before their arrival, and that tragedy set the stage for the Beatles. They lifted America, and the world, out of the cataclysm of JFK’s loss. Other aspects of Beatlemania covered by “Beatles ’64” that may, at first, look overly familiar include the cheekiness of the Beatles at press conferences (asked why their music excites people, John quips, “If we knew, we’d form another group and be managers”) and, of course, the transference of rapture that took place between the Beatles and their fans, the majority of whom were teenage girls. The screaming, the crying, the ecstatic delirium — everywhere they went, the Beatles set off paroxysms of bliss, which they, in their performances, reflected back. But we’ve seen all this before. The powerful pull of “Beatles ’64,” which counts Martin Scorsese as its lead producer and was directed by David Tedeschi (the editor of Scorsese’s two-part HBO film “George Harrison: Living in the Material World” and the co-director of his 2022 David Johansen doc “Personality Crisis: One Night Only”), is that it takes this fabled, high-swoon moment of pop-music history, almost all of which we now view through a mythological lens, and humanizes it in an exhilarating way. The movie, which premieres Nov. 29 on Disney+, is built around footage, originally shot by cinéma verité legends David and Albert Maysles, that was first seen in their 1964 documentary “What’s Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A.” But “Beatles ’64” also includes 17 minutes that never made it into that film. The Maysles, following the Beatles around, shot 11 hours of material, and Scorsese and Tedeschi have gone back to all that 16mm footage, which has been entrancingly restored by Peter Jackson’s WingNut Studios. Black-and-white sequences of the Beatles sitting around their Plaza Hotel suite, or of their fans gathered in the street below, now look and feel like they were shot yesterday. The technological upgrade is stunning, but the reason the footage feels so alive is that the Maysles were extraordinary filmmakers who always caught the reality behind the mythology (which is why their work has always stood the test of time). They interviewed many of those Beatle fans, and while we tend to view those girls as cliché teenyboppers — the latest iteration of a line that started with the fans of Frank Sinatra and Elvis — the Maysles present them as the individuals they are. What we see is that a lot of the girls are shockingly unshy and mindful about their worship of the Beatles. Another thing that sets “Beatles ’64” apart is that the film is full of incisive commentary: latter-day reminiscences by several of those fans, as well as meditations on the meaning of it all by figures like David Lynch, Joe Queenan, Jamie Bernstein, and Smokey Robinson, who speaks with fierce perception about the nature of women’s unguarded emotionalism in dictating the shape of pop-music culture. Whether it’s Jamie Bernstein (Leonard’s daughter) talking about how she dragged the family TV into the dining room to watch the Sullivan show, or David Lynch evoking what it is that music like that of the early Beatles does to you, or Betty Friedan, in an old TV clip, speaking with daunting eloquence about how the Beatles incarnated a new vision of masculinity that threw over the old clenched model, these testimonials color in the consuming quality of our collective passion for the Fab Four. Early on, there’s a sequence of the Beatles in transit, each of them putting on headphones that let them hear recordings of their voices. There’s something touchingly metaphorical about that. The Beatles would preside over a world where projections of who they were took on a life weirdly separate from themselves. The documentary shows you that they understood this, instinctively, from day one. Seated in their “prison” of a suite in the Plaza, whiling away the hours (scenes that might have been the model for “A Hard Day’s Night”), always cutting up with that whimsical Liverpool put-on that takes everything just so lightly , as if it weren’t real, they were perfectly positioned, as personalities, to become the eye of the new media storm. The movie intercuts later footage as well: interviews with the Beatles from the ’70s (like, for instance, John Lennon on “The Tomorrow Show”), along with comments from Paul and Ringo today, all of which lends context to the notion that the Beatles, in 1964, were once-in-a-century artists channeling something larger than themselves. Raised in the gritty port city of Liverpool after WWII, they grew up in a hardscrabble hellhole, and there’s something almost poetic about the global electricity they set off by coming to the United States, a country that had always been predicated on “the pursuit of happiness.” With the Beatles, the pursuit, at long last, was over. Happiness had arrived . They were the ones who told America, and the world: You deserve something that feels as good as this. You can feel that in the live performances, which have been remastered by Giles Martin so that we hear how inspired their playing was even underneath all that screaming. Songs like “Please Please Me” and “This Boy” electrify with a new fervor, and there’s a sequence from the Washington, D.C., show of Paul singing “Long Tall Sally” that lifts that song into its own Little Richard–meets–Beatles dimension of reckless jubilance. When Paul sings, “Have some fun tonight!,” he turns it into the credo of a new era. The Maysles, God bless them, covered the waterfront. They interview residents of Harlem about the Beatles (we hear enthusiasm from the teenagers, skepticism from slightly older folks who feel the sting of appropriation). And they record a family, the Gonzalezes, watching that first Beatles appearance on “Ed Sullivan” in their kitchen. Their teenage daughter is quiet yet transfixed, lifted up high. This is what the revolution looked like. The Beatles brought joy to the world because they felt it. And it was there in the love you can sense they felt for each other. George Harrison talks about how everyone in Liverpool was a comedian, and in the documentary’s offstage sequences we see how the effrontery of all four Beatles — their effortless irreverence — becomes a form of grace. Surrounded by worship, the Beatles thrived because they never took any of it totally seriously. They were ardent musicians but comedians of the soul; that’s why they could mimic, and absorb, a thousand styles. The most profound moment of “Beatles ’64” arrives at the end, when Lennon, in an interview he did for French television, sums up what he thinks the Beatles meant by saying that a new ship was sailing, and that the Beatles were the ones in the crow’s nest, announcing the ship’s arrival. But the ship was bigger than they were. We’re still clinging to the remnants of that ship. But oh, whatever happened to the wisdom of the Beatles’ joy?Dow ends at fresh record as oil prices pull back on ceasefire hopesNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes got back to climbing on Wednesday after the latest update on inflation appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve . The S&P 500 rose 0.8% to break its first two-day losing streak in nearly a month and finished just short of its all-time high. Big Tech stocks led the way, which drove the Nasdaq composite up 1.8% to top the 20,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, meanwhile, lagged the market with a dip of 99 points, or 0.2%. Stocks got a boost as expectations built that Wednesday’s inflation data will allow the Fed to deliver another cut to interest rates at its meeting next week. Traders are betting on a nearly 99% probability of that, according to data from CME Group, up from 89% a day before. If they’re correct, it would be a third straight cut by the Fed after it began lowering rates in September from a two-decade high. It’s hoping to support a slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower rates would give a boost to the economy and to prices for investments, but they could also provide more fuel for inflation. “The data have given the Fed the ‘all clear’ for next week, and today’s inflation data keep a January cut in active discussion,” according to Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times this year , with the latest coming last week. The biggest boosts for the index on Wednesday came from Nvidia and other Big Tech stocks. Their massive growth has made them Wall Street’s biggest stars for years, though other kinds of stocks have recently been catching up somewhat amid hopes for the broader U.S. economy. Tesla jumped 5.9% to finish above $420 at $424.77. It’s a level that Elon Musk made famous in a 2018 tweet when he said he had secured funding to take Tesla private at $420 per share . Stitch Fix soared 44.3% after the company that sends clothes to your door reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave financial forecasts for the current quarter that were better than expected, including for revenue. GE Vernova rallied 5% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500. The energy company that spun out of General Electric said it would pay a 25 cent dividend every three months, and it approved a plan to send up to another $6 billion to its shareholders by buying back its own stock. On the losing end of Wall Street, Dave & Buster’s Entertainment tumbled 20.1% after reporting a worse loss for the latest quarter than expected. It also said CEO Chris Morris has resigned, and the board has been working with an executive-search firm for the last few months to find its next permanent leader. Albertsons fell 1.5% after filing a lawsuit against Kroger, saying it didn’t do enough for their proposed $24.6 billion merger agreement to win regulatory clearance. Albertsons said it’s seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, whose stock rose 1%. A day earlier, judges in separate cases in Oregon and Washington nixed the supermarket giants’ merger. The grocers contended a combination could have helped them compete with big retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon, but critics said it would hurt competition. After terminating the merger agreement with Kroger, Albertsons said it plans to boost its dividend 25% and increased the size of its program to buy back its own stock. Macy’s slipped 0.8% after cutting some of its financial forecasts for the full year of 2024, including for how much profit it expects to make off each $1 of revenue. All told, the S&P 500 rose 49.28 points to 6,084.19. The Dow dipped 99.27 to 44,148.56, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 347.65 to 20,034.89. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.27% from 4.23% late Tuesday. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, edged up to 4.15% from 4.14%. In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of Europe and Asia. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was an outlier and slipped 0.8% as Chinese leaders convened an annual planning meeting in Beijing that is expected to set economic policies and growth targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1%, up for a second straight day as it climbs back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.
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An underdog right-wing politician who opposes funding for Ukraine stunned Romania’s political establishment Sunday, securing a plurality in the country’s first round of presidential elections. Independent candidate Calin Georgescu, who was polling in single digits before the election, won 22.95% of the vote and edged out center-right opponent Elena Lasconi with 19.2%, Reuters reported . The results defied expectations that Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu would lead the race, instead positioning two conservative candidates for a Dec. 8 runoff. Georgescu, a former member of the right-wing populist Alliance for Uniting Romanians (AUR), left the party after senior officials criticized his views on Russia and NATO, the outlet separately reported . “I voted for the unjust, for the humiliated, for those who feel that they do not matter in this world and they are the ones that matter!” Georgescu said in a Facebook post after casting his ballot. “Today, the vote is a prayer for the nation.” Georgescu campaigned primarily on TikTok and leveraged the platform to propel him from political obscurity, according to EuroNews. He also holds a doctorate in soil science and represented Romania on the national committee of the United Nations Environment Program from 1999 to 2012. His runoff opponent, Lasconi, advocates for continued Ukrainian support and increased defense spending. If elected, she would become Romania’s first female president. Georgescu has called for halting aid to Ukraine, according to France 24. Romania shares a 400-mile border with the country. “We have to talk about peace,” Georgescu said in an interview. 🇷🇴 This is Călin Georgescu’s stance, the leading presidential candidate in Romania, on the war between Russia and Ukraine pic.twitter.com/ICHEdaHUAJ — Daily Romania (@daily_romania) November 25, 2024 “I’m talking about our country. You are talking about other countries that is none of our business,” he said. Georgescu has faced accusations of being “pro-Russia,” though he has denied any support or connections to the country, according to Libertatia, a local outlet. He has also drawn criticism for reportedly praising contentious Romanian World War II-era leaders, including Marshal Ion Antonescu and Corneliu Zelea Codreanu. He campaigned on supporting Romanian farmers and increasing domestic food and energy production, RadioFreeEurope reported .Investor Warren Buffett has maintained his Thanksgiving tradition of philanthropy by announcing plans on Monday to donate over $1.1 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to four family foundations. Additionally, he has outlined the future management of his wealth after his death. Previously, Buffett stated that his three children would manage the distribution of his remaining $147.4 billion estate within 10 years after his death. Now, he has named successors for his children, ensuring the continuity of his philanthropic mission even if his children predecease him. Although he did not disclose the names of these successors, he assured that his children know and approve of them. In a letter to shareholders, the 94-year-old Buffett reflected on mortality: “Father time always wins. But he can be fickle – indeed unfair and even cruel – sometimes ending life at birth or soon thereafter while, at other times, waiting a century or so before paying a visit. “To date, I’ve been very lucky, but, before long, he will get around to me. There is, however, a downside to my good fortune in avoiding his notice. The expected life span of my children has materially diminished since the 2006 pledge. They are now 71, 69 and 66.” Buffett reiterated his disinterest in creating dynastic wealth, a stance shared by his first and current wives. While he has provided millions to his children, Howard, Peter, and Susie, he has consistently advocated that wealthy parents should leave their children enough to do anything but not so much that they can do nothing. Buffett’s extraordinary wealth accumulation can be attributed to the power of compounding interest and the growth of Berkshire Hathaway through acquisitions and strategic investments, such as the purchase of Apple shares. Buffett noted, “As a family, we have had everything we needed or simply liked, but we have not sought enjoyment from the fact that others craved what we had.” Had Buffett and his first wife not donated any Berkshire shares, their fortune would now be worth nearly $364 billion, making him the world’s richest person. However, Buffett expressed no regret over his charitable contributions. The family’s significant giving began with the distribution of Susan Buffett’s $3 billion estate after she died in 2004 and escalated with Buffett’s 2006 pledge to make annual gifts to family foundations and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. To date, Buffett has directed $55 billion to the Gates Foundation, leveraging Bill Gates’ existing infrastructure to manage large donations. However, Buffett believes his children are now prepared to handle his philanthropic legacy and plans to cease donations to the Gates Foundation after his death. Alongside his annual summer gifts, Buffett has given additional shares to his family foundations every Thanksgiving for several years. Buffett also advised parents to discuss their wills with their families while alive, as he has done, to explain their decisions and avoid posthumous disputes. He noted that many families experience conflict due to unclear or surprising will provisions. Currently, Buffett remains Berkshire Hathaway’s chairman and CEO with no retirement plans. Most daily operations are managed by others, allowing Buffett to focus on investment decisions. Greg Abel, who oversees non-insurance companies, is designated to succeed Buffett as CEO. Follow us on:
NORTH CANTON, Ohio , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Diebold Nixdorf , Incorporated DBD (the "Company") today announced that it priced its previously announced offering (the "Notes Offering") of $950.0 million aggregate principal amount of 7.750% Senior Secured Notes due 2030 (the "Notes"). The Notes Offering is being conducted in reliance upon one or more exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The Notes will be issued at a price of 100.000% of their principal amount. The Notes Offering is expected to close on December 18, 2024 , subject to market and other conditions, including the consummation of the New Revolving Credit Facility (as defined below). On or about the closing of the Notes Offering, the Company expects to enter into a new $310.0 million revolving credit facility maturing in December 2029 (the "New Revolving Credit Facility"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Notes Offering, together with borrowings under the New Revolving Credit Facility and cash on hand, to (i) repurchase all of the term loans under the Company's existing senior secured term loan facility that are validly submitted for repurchase pursuant to the previously announced Dutch auction, (ii) repay all of the borrowings outstanding under its existing super-priority senior secured revolving credit facility, and (iii) pay all related premiums, fees and expenses. The Company intends to use any remaining net proceeds of the Notes Offering for general corporate purposes, which may include the repayment of debt. The Notes will be the senior secured obligations of the Company and will be guaranteed, on a senior secured basis, jointly and severally, by (i) as of the issue date of the Notes, each of the Company's subsidiaries that is a borrower under or guarantees the obligations under the New Revolving Credit Facility and (ii) following the issue date, any of the Company's existing or future wholly owned domestic subsidiaries (other than certain excluded subsidiaries) that is a borrower under or guarantees the obligations under the New Revolving Credit Facility or incurs or guarantees certain capital markets indebtedness (the "Guarantors"). Additionally, it is expected that the Notes and the related guarantees will be secured by first-priority liens on substantially all of the tangible and intangible assets of the Company and the Guarantors, in each case subject to certain exclusions and permitted liens, which collateral will also secure, on a pari passu basis, the New Revolving Credit Facility. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. The Notes and related guarantees are being offered only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on the exemption from registration set forth in Rule 144A under the Securities Act, and outside the United States , to non-U.S. persons in reliance on the exemption from registration set forth in Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes and the related guarantees have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act, or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction, and may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities or blue sky laws and foreign securities laws. About Diebold Nixdorf Diebold Nixdorf , Incorporated DBD automates, digitizes and transforms the way people bank and shop. As a partner to the majority of the world's top 100 financial institutions and top 25 global retailers, our integrated solutions connect digital and physical channels conveniently, securely and efficiently for millions of consumers each day. The Company has a presence in more than 100 countries with approximately 21,000 employees worldwide. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that are not historical information and are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements give current expectations or forecasts of future events and are not guarantees of future performance. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Refinancing Transactions and the Company's intended use of proceeds of the Notes Offering. Statements can generally be identified as forward looking because they include words such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "will," "estimates," "potential," "target," "predict," "project," "seek," and variations thereof or "could," "should" or words of similar meaning. Statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals are also forward-looking statements, which reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. Although the Company believes that these forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions regarding, among other things, the economy, its knowledge of its business, and key performance indicators that impact the Company, these forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Some of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the Company's ability to consummate the Notes Offering and the other Refinancing Transactions; the Company's recent emergence from its and certain of its U.S. and Canadian subsidiaries' jointly administered cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (the "U.S. Bankruptcy Court") and its voluntary proceedings in the District Court of Amsterdam (the "Dutch Court"), which could adversely affect our business and relationships; the significant variance of our actual financial results from the projections that were filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and Dutch Court; the overall impact of the global supply chain complexities on the Company and its business, including delays in sourcing key components as well as longer transport times, especially for container ships and U.S. trucking, given the Company's reliance on suppliers, subcontractors and availability of raw materials and other components; the Company's ability to generate sufficient cash or have sufficient access to capital resources to service its debt, which, if unsuccessful or insufficient, could force the Company to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures or to dispose of material assets or operations, seek additional debt or equity capital or restructure or refinance its indebtedness; the Company's ability to comply with the covenants contained in the agreements governing its debt; the Company's ability to successfully convert its backlog into sales, including our ability to overcome supply chain and liquidity challenges; the ultimate impact of infectious disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies, including further adverse effects to the Company's supply chain, and maintenance of increased order backlog; the Company's ability to successfully meet its cost-reduction goals and continue to achieve benefits from its cost-reduction initiatives and other strategic initiatives; the success of the Company's new products, including its DN Series line and EASY family of retail checkout solutions, and electronic vehicle charging service business; the impact of a cybersecurity incident or operational failure on the Company's business; the Company's ability to attract, retain and motivate key employees; the Company's reliance on suppliers, subcontractors and availability of raw materials and other components; changes in the Company's intention to further repatriate cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments residing in international tax jurisdictions, which could negatively impact foreign and domestic taxes; the Company's success in divesting, reorganizing or exiting non-core and/or non-accretive businesses and its ability to successfully manage acquisitions, divestitures, and alliances; the ultimate outcome of the appeals for the appraisal proceedings initiated in connection with the implementation of the Domination and Profit Loss Transfer Agreement with the former Diebold Nixdorf AG (which was dismissed in the Company's favor at the lower court level in 2022) and the merger/squeeze-out (which was dismissed in the Company's favor at the lower court level in 2023); the impact of market and economic conditions, including the bankruptcies, restructuring or consolidations of financial institutions, which could reduce the Company's customer base and/or adversely affect its customers' ability to make capital expenditures, as well as adversely impact the availability and cost of credit; the impact of competitive pressures, including pricing pressures and technological developments; risks related to our international operations, including geopolitical instability and wars; changes in political, economic or other factors such as currency exchange rates, inflation rates (including the impact of possible currency devaluations in countries experiencing high inflation rates), recessionary or expansive trends, disruption in energy supply, taxes and regulations and laws affecting the worldwide business in each of the Company's operations; the Company's ability to maintain effective internal controls; unanticipated litigation, claims or assessments, as well as the outcome/impact of any current/pending litigation, claims or assessments; the effect of changes in law and regulations or the manner of enforcement in the United States and internationally and the Company's ability to comply with applicable laws and regulations; and other factors included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 as filed with the SEC on March 8, 2024 , and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024 . Except to the extent required by applicable law or regulation, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should consider these factors carefully in evaluating forward-looking statements and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/diebold-nixdorf-prices-offering-of-senior-secured-notes-302329498.html SOURCE Diebold Nixdorf , Incorporated © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.None
Holiday shopping doesn't have to be stressful
US stocks rose Monday, with the Dow finishing at a fresh record as markets greeted Donald Trump's pick for treasury secretary, while oil prices retreated on hopes for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The Dow climbed one percent to a second straight all-time closing high on news of the selection of hedge fund manager Scott Bessent to lead the critical economic policy position. A widely respected figure on Wall Street, Bessent is seen as being in favor of growth and deficit reduction policies and not known overly fond of trade tariffs. The market "breathed a sigh of relief" at Bessent's selection, said Art Hogan from B. Riley Wealth Management. But after an initial surge Monday, the gains in US equities moderated somewhat. While investors are enthusiastic about the possibility of tax cuts and regulatory relief under Trump, "we do have to face the potential for tariffs being a negative as well as a very tight market around immigration, which is not positive for the economy," Hogan said. Earlier, equity gains were limited in Europe as growth concerns returned to the fore with Germany's Thyssenkrupp announcing plans to cut or outsource 11,000 jobs in its languishing steel division. Currently around 27,000 people are employed in the steel division, which has been battered by high production costs and fierce competition from Asian rivals. Elsewhere, crude oil prices fell decisively as Israel's security cabinet prepared to decide whether to accept a ceasefire in its war with Hezbollah, an official said Monday. The United States, the European Union and the United Nations have all pushed in recent days for a truce in the long-running hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, which flared into all-out war in late September. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an Israeli official told AFP the security cabinet "will decide on Tuesday evening on the ceasefire deal." And bitcoin's push toward $100,000 ran out of steam after coming within a whisker of the mark last week, on hopes that Trump would enact policies to bring the cryptocurrency more into the mainstream. Bitcoin was recently trading under $96,000, having set a record high of $99,728.34 Friday -- the digital currency has soared about 50 percent in value since Trump's election. This week's data includes a reading of consumer confidence and an update of personal consumption prices, a key inflation indicator. Those reporting earnings include Best Buy, Dell and Dick's Sporting Goods. New York - Dow: UP 1.0 percent at 44,736.57 (close) New York - S&P 500: UP 0.3 percent at 5,987.37 (close) New York - Nasdaq: UP 0.3 percent at 19,054.84 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 8,291.68 (close) Paris - CAC 40: FLAT at 7,257.47 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.4 percent at 19,405.20 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 38,780.14 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.4 percent at 19,150.99 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,263.76 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0495 from $1.0418 on Friday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2564 from $1.2530 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 154.23 yen from 154.78 yen Euro/pound: UP at 83.51 pence from 83.14 pence West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 3.2 percent at $68.94 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 2.9 percent at $73.01 per barrel bur-jmb/dw
Halifax security forum gathers as Trump's support for Taiwan, Ukraine in question
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