MARA Holdings, Inc. Completes $850 Million Offering of Zero-Coupon Convertible Senior Notes due 2031

Getting benched may have been the best thing that happened to Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson. Both second-year quarterbacks are playing well since returning to the starting lineup. Young has steadily improved after coming back in Week 8. He’s displayed the skills that earned him a Heisman Trophy at Alabama and convinced the Carolina Panthers to draft him ahead of C.J. Stroud with the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. Young had his best game on Sunday, nearly leading Carolina to an overtime win over Tampa Bay if it weren’t for Chuba Hubbard’s fumble in field-goal range. He threw for 298 yards and a go-ahead touchdown pass in the final minute of a 26-23 loss. Young almost led the Panthers to a win over the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs a week earlier only to see Patrick Mahomes drive Kansas City into position for a winning field goal as time expired. People are also reading... Rookie coach Dave Canales benched Young for veteran Andy Dalton after just two games in which he had a 44.1 passer rating. The 23-year-old has completed 60.4% of his passes for 1,062 yards, six TDs and three interceptions — none in the past three games — while going 2-3 in the five starts since Young got another opportunity to lead the Panthers (3-9). Richardson has led Indianapolis to a pair of comeback wins late in the fourth quarter in three starts after he regained his starting job. The Colts (6-7) selected Richardson No. 4 last year and he started just 10 games before coach Shane Steichen benched him for Joe Flacco in Week 9. Richardson completed only 44.4% of his passes with four TDs and seven picks in his first six starts. He’s improved to 52.4% with three TDs and two picks since coming back. The 22-year-old tossed a 3-yard TD pass to Alec Pierce on fourth-and-goal with 12 seconds remaining and then ran in for a 2-point conversion to lift the Colts to a 25-24 win over New England on Sunday. Young and Richardson both have a long way to go to prove they can be franchise quarterbacks. But there’s far more optimism now that they’re not busts. Young is on his third head coach and second offensive coordinator in two seasons. Canales is known for getting the best out of quarterbacks, helping Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield revive their careers. He made a bold decision to bench Young after just two games but that allowed him to watch, grow and learn without the pressure of having to perform. Now it appears Young might have a future in Carolina when that seemed unlikely in September. Richardson just needs more experience. He threw only 393 passes in college and started four games as a rookie before he was injured. Steichen’s decision to bench him for Flacco didn’t work out. Flacco, who was the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year last year after leading Cleveland to the playoffs by going 4-1 in five starts, struggled in two games. Still, that gave Richardson a chance to reset after tapping out for a play in the game before he was benched. Quarterbacks need time to develop. They can’t be judged fairly after one or two seasons, especially when they were high draft picks who joined bad teams that lacked talent. Clock management blunders Matt Eberflus lost his job as Chicago’s head coach a day after he watched the offense run out of time with a timeout in hand, missing an opportunity to push Detroit to overtime on Thanksgiving. But Antonio Pierce made an even worse decision on Black Friday that cost the Raiders a chance to beat the Chiefs. Aidan O’Donnell drove Las Vegas to the Chiefs 32 with 15 seconds left. Instead of trying for a game-winning field goal down 19-17, Pierce wanted O’Donnell to take the snap, allow more time to tick and throw the ball away. But O’Donnell wasn’t ready for the snap, the Chiefs recovered the fumble and escaped with the win. aManaging the clock shouldn’t be this difficult for NFL head coaches. Tucker’s troubles Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is having the worst season of his 13-year career. If he wasn’t one of the best kickers in NFL history, Baltimore would’ve made a switch already. But coach John Harbaugh has too much respect for Tucker, who began the season as the most accurate kicker in league history. Tucker has missed a career-high eight field-goal attempts, including two in a 24-19 loss to Philadelphia. Harbaugh, a former special teams coach, isn’t planning to replace Tucker. But the Ravens (8-5) have Super Bowl aspirations and Tucker needs to straighten things out. One solution would be to place him on injured reserve to work on his technique. In this case, Tucker has earned the right not to be released. Plus, he’s signed through 2027. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Analysis: After Juan Soto's megadeal, could MLB see a $1 billion contract? Probably not soonMLB Rumors: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays Not 'Close' to Contract Extension

NSW Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News. A mainstream primary school in Sydney’s northwest surged ahead of academically selective and elite private institutions to achieve some of the best NAPLAN results in the state. Non-selective Oakhill Drive Public School in Castle Hill leapfrogged multiple public schools with academically selective opportunity classes and some of the state’s most expensive private schools into the top 20, ranking 16th in this year’s NAPLAN results for Year 5 students . It was also a marked improvement from their still competitive results in 2023, jumping from 42nd in the state. The school’s outstanding results are attributable to a marked improvement in their reading, writing, spelling, and grammar results. The Daily Telegraph’s analysis of the state’s highest performing schools in this year’s NAPLAN has revealed the most improved primary and high schools, and the top performing mainstream schools that outperformed both academically selective and elite private institutions. Every school’s performance has been analysed by averaging Year 5 and Year 9 students’ reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy results in the 2024 NAPLAN. Year 5 students at mainstream, non-selective schools St Ives North Public School, Cherrybrook Public School, Beaumont Road Public School in Killara, Bronte Public School, and Carlingford West Public School made the top 40 in NSW against some selective schools and many expensive private colleges. St Ives North Public School is one of the highest achieving mainstream primary schools in this year’s NAPLAN. Oakhill Drive Public School, Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga and Redeemer Baptist School in North Parramatta were among the most improved, jumping between 18 and 35 places into the top 30 primary schools across NSW. The top 40 secondary schools in the Year 9 rankings were all fully or partially academically selective public high schools, or elite private colleges. But a number of mainstream public high schools still outperformed some academically selective and many expensive private schools – with single sex education evidently still paying dividends for some despite declining demand for the concept. Willoughby Girls High School was the best performing public high school in the state, ranking 44th in NSW, followed by Cherrybrook Technology High School in 71st and Killara High School taking out the 74th spot. Willoughby Girls High School was the top performing mainstream high school in the state. Out of the top 10 highest achieving mainstream public high schools, five of them were single sex girls schools – Willoughby Girls, Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus, Riverside Girls in Gladesville, Burwood Girls and Strathfield Girls. The 10th best was Epping Boys High School, with coeducational schools taking out the remaining spots. The analysis reveals many public high schools and some cheaper private schools yielded stronger results than the state’s most exclusive colleges. Year 5 students at nine mainstream public schools outperformed those paying $33,012 a year at Newington College in Stanmore and $36,800 a year at The King’s School in North Parramatta, which came 58th and 59th in the state respectively. Mainstream primary schools North Ryde Public School and Kellyville Public School also outclassed elite private schools including Barker College, SCEGGS Redlands and Presbyterian Ladies College, which have Year 5 fees ranging from $31,740 to to $39,300. Al-Faisal College Campbelltown, which came 11th in the state with fees of just over $2100 per year, outperformed many private primary schools charging more five times as much in fees. Mainstream public high school Willoughby Girls also outclassed elite secondary colleges including Loreto Kirribilli, SCEGGS Redlands, Barker College, Newington, Shore, Kambala, The King’s School and Cranbrook School. TOP 10 NON-SELECTIVE PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS Oakhill Drive Public School Castle Hill – 16 St Ives North Public School – 29 Cherrybrook Public School – 33 Beaumont Road Public School Killara – 35 Bronte Public School – 38 Carlingford West Public School – 40 Epping West Public School – 46 John Purchase Public School Cherrybrook – 48 Excelsior Public School Castle Hill – 49 Eastwood Public School – 60 MOST IMPROVED PRIMARY SCHOOLS Oakhill Drive Public School Castle Hill – 42 to 16 Knox Grammar School Wahroonga – 33 to 15 Redeemer Baptist School North Parramatta – 60 to 25 Ironbark Ridge Public School Rouse Hill – 81 to 22 TOP 10 NON-SELECTIVE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS Willoughby Girls High School – 44 Cherrybrook Technology High School – 71 Killara High School – 74 Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus – 76 Carlingford High School – 82 Riverside Girls High School Gladesville – 83 Burwood Girls High School – 92 Strathfield Girls High School – 113 Crestwood High School – 116 Epping Boys High School – 118 MOST IMPROVED HIGH SCHOOLS Conservatorium High School – 15 to 5 SCEGGS Darlinghurst – 33 to 25 Parramatta High School – 43 to 33 Santa Sabina College – 72 to 39 Pacific Hills Christian School – 120 to 72 Strathfield Girls High School – 126 to 113 More Coverage NAPLAN results reveal top schools in NSW Eliza Barr Top performing schools reveal secret to success Eliza Barr Originally published as NSW’s most improved schools revealed in NAPLAN rankings Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories NSW Full list: NAPLAN results for every NSW primary school We’ve crunched the numbers and can reveal how every NSW primary school performed on their 2024 NAPLAN results. SEE HOW YOUR SCHOOL PERFORMED HERE. Read more NSW Cops arrest two men over alleged $1.4m school building frauds The two men – who The Daily Telegraph understands are related – were arrested on Wednesday morning as police seized electronics, $42,400 cash, a ballistics vest, and luxury watches. Read moreHumana Inc. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitorsThere’ll be no complimentary champagne, red carpets or luxury suites as the Ducks welcome visitors from Las Vegas on Wednesday, when they’ll joust with the Golden Knights in search of their first victory in the season series. Vegas captured two prior meetings by 3-1 and 3-2 counts in 2024-25, after their title defense last season was weighed down by losses in three of four matchups with the fledgling Ducks. Frank Vatrano had four goals and six points in those games to pace the Ducks. After pounding the bottom of the ketchup bottle – he has 16 more shots on goal than any other Duck – the sauce is starting to flow for Vatrano, with four goals in his past four games following just one goal against a goalie in his other 18 outings. Last year, when he catapulted over his previous career high of 24 goals to find the twine 37 times, Vatrano wedged a goal between droughts of nine and seven contests before finishing the campaign with seven goals in four games. “Frankie was going to score eventually. He’s a scorer, and those guys go through dry spells,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said. “It doesn’t matter how many games you don’t score in.” All four of Vatrano’s goals featured assists by Troy Terry, who has seven helpers over that same four-game span. Terry has created a more commanding presence and assumed an even stronger leadership role this season, one in which the 27-year-old said the Ducks’ young group sometimes made him feel old. Yet Vatrano said he saw “the same player.” “As you get older, you know where you’re going to score your goals from and where you’re going to get your opportunities,” Vatrano, 30, said. “You kind of outsmart guys, knowing where you need to be, knowing where you need to break down the defense and hold onto the puck to make plays. I think it’s just him maturing, playing a lot more games and becoming a veteran in this league.” Yet Terry underwent something of a stylistic transformation offensively last season, which paid dividends as it progressed. He has continued to refine his game, balancing his ability to carry the puck confidently with trust that he’ll be able to recover dumps, chips and other conservative plays that can enable him to continue attacking. Cronin, who described the line of Vatrano, Terry and Ryan Strome as a trio that played like “a fourth line with skill,” credited the relationship Terry has with assistant coach Tim Army for some of his advances. “He’s getting a steady diet and a healthy diet of when to move (the puck) forward and when not to move it forward, to recognize when there’s an opportunity to use your creativity at the offensive blue line and when not to,” Cronin said. The scoring spree of Vatrano and Terry has been timely since Leo Carlsson sustained an upper-body injury four games ago against Seattle. He should be considered doubtful against Vegas. Defenseman Cam Fowler, who had five points against Vegas last season, is again a possibility to skate but hasn’t played since Nov. 5. Vegas will be without a pair of rearguards, Zach Whitecloud and former Duck Ben Hutton, as well as Mark Stone, the Golden Knights’ captain and top scorer on a per-game basis. They’re led in overall points by Jack Eichel and in defensive scoring by former Duck Shea Theodore. Like the Ottawa Senators were in the Ducks’ 4-3 shootout win on Sunday, Vegas will be in the back half of games on consecutive nights after hosting the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Vegas at Ducks When: 7 p.m. Where: Honda Center How to watch: Victory+, KCOP (Ch. 13)

S&P/TSX composite index slightly up Wednesday, U.S. stock markets also riseNYT Strands today — hints, spangram and answers for game #276 (Wednesday, December 4 2024) - Tom's Guide

The US tech giant said it now supported 550,000 jobs in the UK through direct employment, its supply chain and the economy around its App Store – with app developers having earned nearly £9 billion since it launched in 2008. Apple said its engineering teams were carrying out critical work on the firm’s biggest services, including key technology within Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s suite of generative AI-powered tools which are expected to launch in the UK for the first time this week. Elsewhere, the firm said its growing TV empire, spearheaded by its Apple TV+ streaming service and production arm, had also helped boost its investment in the UK with Apple TV+ production in this country tripling in the last two years, the company said. Chief executive Tim Cook said: “We’ve been serving customers in the UK for more than 40 years, and we’re proud of our deep connection with communities across this country. “We’re thrilled to be growing our Apple teams here, and to keep supporting the extraordinary innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of technology in so many ways.” The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said companies such as Apple were “intrinsic” to the UK’s prosperity by boosting jobs. “This government is laser focused on creating the right conditions for growth to help put more money in people’s pockets. “That’s what underpins the Plan for Change and is what has driven £63 billion worth of inward investment in the UK through our first international investment summit. “Companies like Apple are intrinsic to the success of our nation’s prosperity – helping deliver jobs, innovative technology, and boost infrastructure.”I’ve written countless times about GM’s shortsighted move to ditch CarPlay on all its EVs going forward. Meanwhile, other automakers like Ford have doubled down on supporting CarPlay and giving users as many options as possible. In a new interview this week, Hyundai executive Olabisi Boyle said the automaker is still “maintaining Android Auto and CarPlay” ... at least for now. Boyle, who serves as Hyundai’s senior vice president of product planning and mobility strategy, made the comments during an interview with InsideEVs this week . Boyle said that Hyundai’s focus is to “give people all the options” as the market moves toward the future. Boyle likens the situation to the evolving EV charging landscape in the United States. Many automakers, including Hyundai, have announced plans to transition from CCS to NACS for charging in the United States, adopting the charging connector developed first by Tesla. In the interim, however, automakers are focused on supplying customers with adapters to use NACS-enabled chargers in addition to CCS. “Right now, we’re still maintaining Android Auto and CarPlay,” Boyle explained. “It’s a bit like EV charging. As we’re moving, give people all the options. Another example from Boyle: continuing to offer internal combustion engine cars and hybrids as the transition to EVs continues. “Eventually, we’ll all be fully EV,” Boyle explained to InsideEVs . “But it’s going to take some time, and you don’t want your business to fail in between. So you need to have a strategy that can adapt.” On a longer-term timeline, however, Boyle suggests something better than CarPlay and Android Auto could emerge: Whether automaker software and phone-mirroring features coexist in the future or not, Boyle thinks the auto industry will eventually converge on some kind of standard. Knowing what Hyundai has in the pipeline, she says there may be better alternatives to CarPlay and Android Auto “that people are not even imagining now.” That “might be the future,” she said. 9to5Mac’s Take While Boyle’s comments are good news for Hyundai owners in the short term, they don’t exude confidence for the long-term future. The Hyundai executive is clearly suggesting that the company views CarPlay as a stop-gap solution as the automaker continues developing its first-party infotainment technology. On the other hand, GM ditched CarPlay on the promise of eventually building something that rivals Apple’s phone mirroring system. It at least seems like Hyundai knows better than to take that approach. Also worth pointing out is that Hyundai is not on Apple’s list of automakers that have signed on to support next-gen CarPlay. My favorite CarPlay accessories OttoCast Wireless CarPlay Adapter Belkin MagSafe-compatible Car Charger for iPhone CarpodGo Portable Wireless CarPlay Screen iOttie Easy One Touch iPhone Car Mount

Key details about the man accused of killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO

In complaint, Munirathna claims he was attacked with ‘acid-laced eggs’Warhorse says Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is coming out a week early 'so you can start 2025 with the best game there is,' but I feel like there might be another reason

By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70Photos: Pie and cider bring people together at the Willmar Community Center

Cousins' return to Minnesota, his NFL home from 2018 through 2023, on Sunday comes as he is hearing speculation about his job security in Atlanta. Cousins has thrown six interceptions with no touchdowns in the Falcons' three-game losing streak. That includes four picks in last week's 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, his most in a decade. “It’s kind of the challenge always in pro football to be able to get back up off the mat and get back going,” Cousins said after Wednesday's practice. A vote of confidence from coach Raheem Morris can't silence suggestions that it's time to give rookie first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. a chance to jump-start the Falcons' struggling offense. Morris said Sunday he didn't consider removing Cousins from the game, and he repeated his support for the veteran on Wednesday. “Got to go to Minnesota and get a big-time win and Kirk’s ready to go,” Morris said before acknowledging Cousins must bounce back from “obviously a tough game.” “You know, realistically, man he is built for this and he’s ready to go,” Morris said. The losing streak has left the Falcons (6-6) struggling to remain on top of the weak NFC South. They hold the tiebreaker advantage with Tampa Bay (6-6), but need Cousins to end his turnover streak. Cousins, 36, was expected to be the reliable leader on offense after he signed a four-year, $180 million contract. He will be in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. He said he expects a loud reception from Minnesota's fans. “They’re great fans, great football fans,” Cousins said. “As a result I think they’ll make it as hostile as they can for us.” Cousins ranks fifth in the league with 3,052 passing yards. He has 17 touchdown passes and his 13 interceptions are only one shy of his career high. Cousins insists he feels strong in his return from last season's torn Achilles tendon. He was critical of his mental mistakes in the loss to the Chargers. He said he rushed some passes, sometimes lacking the necessary velocity on his throws and giving defensive backs the opportunity to step in front of receivers for interceptions. Atlanta offensive coordinator Zac Robinson also said Cousins' lack of velocity on his throws “just goes back to, you know, decisiveness, being decisive when you do cut it loose. Certainly those things happen with quarterbacks. There might be times where, you know, you’re not as convicted on a throw. And it shows by the way the football comes out.” Morris said he still has confidence in Cousins' arm and the mental side to his game. “He’s done a great job with us, and I have no real qualms about him bouncing back and him being able to play the game the way it needs to be done,” Morris said. “He’s still an elite processor. He has the ability to make all the throws. He’s shown that throughout the year.” Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores also said he expects Cousins will shake out of his slump. “I know the narrative is he had a tough game last week, but he’s played some good football," Flores said. "I think the people in this building know what Kirk can do. He’s a very, very good quarterback.” Added Flores: “He’s a bounce-back type of guy, as we all know. I’m expecting his best, the best version of Kirk, the best version of that offense. It’s going to be a major challenge for us.” Atlanta's offensive production has dipped while the veteran quarterback’s turnovers have been on the rise. The Falcons were held to under 20 points in each of their three straight losses. “Have to just believe that tough times don’t last, tough people do,” Cousins said. “You have to keep pushing.” AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflMichael Croley | (TNS) Bloomberg News In the old days of 2016, when golfers visited the Dormie Club in West End, North Carolina — 15 minutes from the hotbed of American golf, Pinehurst — they were greeted by a small, single-wide trailer and a rugged pine straw parking lot. Related Articles Travel | A preview of some stunning hotels and resorts opening in 2025 Travel | Travel scams that can hurt your credit or finances Travel | Travel: Paddle the Loxahatchee River, one of two National Wild and Scenic Rivers in Florida Travel | A Man Full of Trouble, Philly’s oldest surviving Revolutionary-era bar, is open for the first time in decades Travel | 7 family-friendly ski resorts in the US that won’t break the bank That trailer is now long gone. A gate has been installed at the club’s entrance and a long driveway leads to a grand turnaround that sweeps you past a new modern clubhouse that’s all right angles, with floor-to-ceiling glass. Seconds after you exit your car, valets are zipping up in golf carts, taking your name, then your bags, handing you keys to your own golf cart, and then zipping off to drop your luggage in the four-bedroom cottage where you’ll stay. A short walk past an expansive putting green you’ll find the pro shop — and then you’ll see the club’s most elegant feature: its golf course. The changes have all come about because Dormie Club was acquired in 2017 by the Dormie Network, a national group that owns seven private golf facilities from Nebraska to New Jersey. (“Dormie” is a word for being ahead in golf — the names were coincidences.) A key to the network’s success has been its ability to find clubs ripe for acquisition, with outstanding golf courses and existing on-site lodging or the room to build it, says Zach Peed, president of the company and its driving force. After investing in Arbor Links Golf Club in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in late 2015, Peed believed he saw an opening in the golf market: a new model of hospitality for traveling professionals who wanted a pure golf experience that eschewed the pools and pickleball courts of their home clubs. His clubs would become dream golf-only getaways for avid players and their pals. “Dormie Network’s concept was sparked by having played competitive golf in college, combined with an element of experiencing and understanding hospitality,” says Peed. “It made sense to blend the two to create golf trips that had more value than just playing golf. We want genuine hospitality to help create unforgettable memories and new friendships.” Part of that formula has been in the lodging strategy; in North Carolina, 15 four-bedroom cottages now are a short golf cart ride from the main clubhouse. In each, golfers all have their own king-size bed and en suite bathroom. A large common room is dominated by a flatscreen television along with a well-stocked bar and snacks. That ability to be both social, or tucked away in your room, extends to the expansive new clubhouse, where a high-ceilinged bar area with blond wood creates an inviting space for dining and drinking, and several hideaway rooms allow for more private diners with just your group. So far, their commitment to hospitality has been helping them expand in both membership and club usage in the increasingly competitive market for traveling golfers. Major players such as Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst Resort, and the Cabot Collection have created — or renovated — a new paradigm where golfers get dining and lodging that’s as showcase-worthy as the courses they play. Comfortable sheets and options beyond pub food aren’t luxuries anymore, but staples for many group trips. Dormie has answered that call by focusing on both the big details and the small ones, like having the dew wiped off each golf cart at dawn outside guest cottages before the day begins or having a tray of cocktails delivered to golfers as their final putt falls on the 18th green. These touches may seem over-the-top, but they stand out in a world where golf travel is increasingly popular — and expensive — after the pandemic lockdowns. Since 2020 there has been an explosion in participation in the sport, with new golfers picking up the game and avid golfers playing more: According to the National Golf Foundation, a record 531 million rounds were played in 2023, surpassing the high of 529 million set in 2021. Supreme Golf, a public golf booking website, reports in its latest analysis that the average cost of a tee time has increased to $49 in 2024 from $38 in 2019, a 30% increase. Those cost increases are also on par (pun intended) with the costs of private clubs and initiation fees during that same period, where membership rosters that were dwindling pre-COVID now have waitlists 50 to 60 people deep, according to Jason Becker, co-founder and chief executive officer of Golf Life Navigators, which matches homebuyers with golf course communities. “There’s been an absolute run on private golf. If we use southwest Florida as an example, where there are 158 golf communities, this time last November, only five had memberships available,” he said. That inability to find a club close to home has pushed avid golfers to look farther afield, choosing national memberships at clubs that require traveling, usually via plane, to play. Dormie has capitalized on this growing segment, offering two types of memberships: First, a national membership, where members pay an initiation fee and monthly dues just as they would at a local club, but instead of one club they have access to seven. The second option is a signature membership for companies, “which allows businesses to use our properties for entertainment needs and requires a multiyear commitment,” Peed says. The network also offers a limited number of regional memberships for those living within a certain distance of one of its clubs. Dormie Network declined to provide the cost of memberships or monthly dues and wouldn’t give membership numbers, but the clubs are structured to lodge roughly 60 golfers, max, on-site at any given property at any time. The total number of beds across the network’s portfolio of properties has increased from 84 in 2019 to 432 today. It saw a jump from 10,000 room nights in 2019 to 48,000 in 2023. This September, Dormie opened GrayBull in Maxwell, in Nebraska’s, Sandhills region. Dormie Network tabbed David McLay Kidd to build the course, who also built the original course at Oregon’s famed Bandon Dunes. Kidd says of the property GrayBull sits on, “It’s like the Goldilocks thing: not too flat, not too steep. It’s kind of in a bowl that looks inwards, and there are no bad views.” That kind of remote destination, where the long-range views are only Mother Nature or other golf holes, is what drives many traveling golfers these days. Peed says his team leaned on years of knowledge from Dormie’s acquisitions as they built GrayBull, which started construction in 2022. “We had an understanding of how our members and guests use the clubs that allowed us to take a blank canvas in the Sandhills of Nebraska and combine all of the greatest aspects of each Dormie property into one.” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The 26-year-old man charged in last week’s killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom Tuesday, where he was denied bail and his lawyer said he'd fight extradition to New York City, where the attack happened. Luigi Nicholas Mangione was arrested Monday in the Dec. 4 attack on Brian Thompson after police say a worker at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, alerted them to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. When arrested, Mangione had on him a gun that investigators believe was used in the attack and writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. As Mangione was led into the Hollidaysburg courthouse Tuesday, he struggled with officers and shouted something that was partly unintelligible but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He left hours later without saying anything and was driven away. Mangione is being held on Pennsylvania charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Mangione mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. Judge David Consiglio denied bail to Mangione, whose attorney, Thomas Dickey, told the court that his client did not agree to extradition and wants a hearing on the matter. Blair County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney Peter Weeks said that although Mangione will create “extra hoops” for law enforcement to jump through by fighting extradition, it won’t be a substantial barrier to sending him to New York. In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Monday that Mangione also had a ghost gun, a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Officers also found a sound suppressor, or silencer, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” she said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, the commissioner said. Mangione, who comes from a prominent Maryland family, was valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and had degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania. Mangione's grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin, said that Martin had learned that Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life. Friends in Hawaii widely considered Mangione a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit and smiling young man on beaches and at parties. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. last Wednesday. Eleven minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park, according to police. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack, police said. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspect exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Jamie Stengle, Lea Skene, Matt O'Brien, Sean Murphy and Cedar Attanasio contributed to this report.The US tech giant said it now supported 550,000 jobs in the UK through direct employment, its supply chain and the economy around its App Store – with app developers having earned nearly £9 billion since it launched in 2008. Apple said its engineering teams were carrying out critical work on the firm’s biggest services, including key technology within Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s suite of generative AI-powered tools which are expected to launch in the UK for the first time this week. Elsewhere, the firm said its growing TV empire, spearheaded by its Apple TV+ streaming service and production arm, had also helped boost its investment in the UK with Apple TV+ production in this country tripling in the last two years, the company said. Chief executive Tim Cook said: “We’ve been serving customers in the UK for more than 40 years, and we’re proud of our deep connection with communities across this country. “We’re thrilled to be growing our Apple teams here, and to keep supporting the extraordinary innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of technology in so many ways.” The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said companies such as Apple were “intrinsic” to the UK’s prosperity by boosting jobs. “This government is laser focused on creating the right conditions for growth to help put more money in people’s pockets. “That’s what underpins the Plan for Change and is what has driven £63 billion worth of inward investment in the UK through our first international investment summit. “Companies like Apple are intrinsic to the success of our nation’s prosperity – helping deliver jobs, innovative technology, and boost infrastructure.”After Amendment 3′s failure, small hemp retailers may profit from continued recreational pot ban

CVG Announces Election of Jeffrey S. Niew to Board of DirectorsBy JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Related Articles Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70Ex-soldier, Iraq War veteran is Trump’s pick to serve as Army secretary

MARA Holdings, Inc. Completes $850 Million Offering of Zero-Coupon Convertible Senior Notes due 2031NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes fell Thursday following some potentially discouraging data on the economy . The S&P 500 slipped 0.5% for its fourth loss in the last six days. It’s a pause for the index, which has been rallying toward one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 234 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.7% from its record set the day before. A report early in the morning said more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than expected. A separate update, meanwhile, showed that inflation at the wholesale level, before it reaches U.S. consumers, was hotter last month than economists expected. Neither report points to imminent disaster, but they dilute one of the hopes that’s driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year : Inflation is slowing enough to convince the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates, while the economy is remaining solid enough to stay out of a recession. Of the two reports, the weaker update on the job market may be the bigger deal for the market, according to Chris Larkin, managing director, trading and investing, at E-Trade from Morgan Stanley. A surge in egg prices may have been behind the worse-than-expected inflation numbers. “One week doesn’t negate what has been a relatively steady stream of solid labor market data, but the Fed is primed to be sensitive to any signs of a softening jobs picture,” he said. Traders are widely expecting the Fed will ease its main interest rate at its meeting next week. 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. A cut next week would have the Fed following other central banks, which lowered rates on Thursday. The European Central Bank cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point, as many investors expected, and the Swiss National Bank cut its policy rate by a steeper half of a percentage point. Following its decision, Switzerland’s central bank pointed to uncertainty about how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s victory will affect economic policies, as well as about where politics in Europe is heading. Trump has talked up tariffs and other policies that could upend global trade. He rang the bell marking the start of trading at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday to chants of “USA.” On Wall Street, Adobe fell 13.7% and was one of the heaviest weights on the market despite reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The company gave forecasts for profit and revenue in its upcoming fiscal year that fell a bit shy of analysts’. Warner Bros. Discovery soared 15.4% after unveiling a new corporate structure that separates its streaming business and film studios from its traditional television business. CEO David Zaslav said the move “enhances our flexibility with potential future strategic opportunities,” raising speculation about a spinoff or sale. Kroger rose 3.2% after saying it would get back to buying back its own stock now that its attempt to merge with Albertsons is off . Kroger’s board approved a program to repurchase up to $7.5 billion of its stock, replacing an existing $1 billion authorization. All told, the S&P 500 fell 32.94 points to 6,051.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 234.55 to 43,914.12, and the Nasdaq composite sank 132.05 to 19,902.84. In stock markets abroad, European indexes held relatively steady following the European Central Bank’s cut to rates. Asian markets were stronger. Indexes rose 1.2% in Hong Kong and 0.8% in Shanghai as leaders met in Beijing to set economic plans and targets for the coming year. South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.6% for its third straight gain of at least 1%, as it pulls back following last week’s political turmoil where its president briefly declared martial law. In the bond market, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose to 4.33% from 4.27% late Wednesday. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

Article content Wide open spaces, shared interest in hydrogen fuel, Canadian tech know-how, German engineering—there are a number of reasons for Germany’s ambassador to Canada, Tjorven Bellmann, to stop in at Edmonton this week. Alberta and Germany are seasoned trading partners, but business between the two is somewhat lopsided, and not yet back to pre-COVID levels, Bellmann said in an interview with Postmedia Tuesday. Her official introductory visit to Alberta comes early in her tenure because “the ties are very strong,” she said. Bellmann notes an estimated 17 per cent of Albertans have German heritage. “You have the highest number of students who learn German in public schools in Canada,” she said, also touting research ties between Albertan universities and Germany. The two trading partners have an imbalanced exchange of some of the same kinds of products—mechanical, health, and technology. Germany exports $860 million to Alberta, and Alberta exports $120 million to Germany. Alberta will have its own delegation and pavilion at the upcoming Hanover Messer in March, a huge international trade symposium for industrial technologies, where Canada will be the guest country. “I hope that can foster additional business ties and investments in both directions,” Bellmann said. Additionally, Germany invests in Alberta. West of Edmonton, Heidelberg Materials is building the first carbon capture, utilization, and storage facility for the cement industry. Where Alberta-Germany policies part But while Alberta is protesting federal caps on oil and gas, Germany is transitioning energy towards renewables and green energy. “So the energy politics are a bit different in both countries,” Bellmann said. Germany is already at 60 per cent renewables, with the aim of reaching 80 per cent by 2030, she said. A darling of Premier Danielle Smith, hydrogen is of particular interest as a fuel, Bellmann said, with Germany building a hydrogen core network of pipelines in the near future—refurbishing some lines, and building others, until 2032—an initial $19 billion EUR investment. Meeting with Smith on Tuesday afternoon, Bellmann said her message is for cooperation with Alberta in as many ways as possible. “We believe, in spite of maybe different views we have on some of the energy policy, it’s good to seek opportunities together, for example, in the hydrogen area, and that we hope that we can increase the business ties between Germany and Alberta in terms of investment in both directions,” she said. Bellmann said she’s hoping to see increased bilateral connections—youth exchanges, city-to-city, and even province-to-province pairings. “If Alberta is interested, I could very well imagine trying set up something like that, that like we have it with between Bavaria and Quebec, for example, they have offices in both provinces, which helps a lot if you see connections and want to find quick partners. So why not look into that?” G7 coming to Alberta Bellmann has an eye on the next meetup of The Group of Seven (G7), the political and economic forum of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union as a “non-enumerated member.” This year, Canada will host in scenic Kananaskis. “I think for Canada, it’s a big chance, but also a big responsibility to be at the helm of that. We know that we have very experienced partners who are preparing the summit and look forward to it,” Bellmann said, noting the meetup comes at a time of political churn for a number of member countries, with a new American administration and a new German government. As a small group of cooperating nations, the small, close-knit format of the G7 pact is uniquely effective, she said. “It brings together the economically most powerful countries, and it’s been at the forefront, for example, on important issues like supporting Ukraine.” Germany was G7 chair when the Russian war against Ukraine started, and the organization’s format made unprecedented coordination possible, Bellmann said, citing sanctions against Russia, weapons support for Ukraine, support to rebuild the energy net when Russia started bombarding civilian infrastructure and using energy as a weapon, and alternatives after the grain trade was interrupted. “It’s a very dire situation. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has just been in Kyiv yesterday and announced another package of $960 million CAD worth of military aid, which will reach Ukraine in December. He’s also said that we will continue to be Ukraine’s biggest supporter after the U.S. and that we are determined to continue the support, and that Putin is under an illusion if he thinks he can just wait us out,” she said. “It’s very important for allies to continue the support for Ukraine, and then we will see whether there is a political process or not, but it’s also clear from us that there mustn’t be any negotiation on Ukraine. Any process would have to, of course, include the Ukrainian government. And we all want peace, but the question is, on what terms? It can’t be a dictated peace. It has to be a just and lasting peace,” she said. Elsewhere in Eastern Europe, Bellmann pointed out twinned recent deployments in support of NATO—Canada’s contingent from Edmonton to Latvia last week, and Germany sending troops to Lithuania. “That’s in order to ensure that there is no Russian aggression against NATO territory, which is a threshold that Putin has never crossed so far. At the moment, NATO deterrence holds,” she said. The deployment shows strong allies are ready to defend every inch of allied territory, she said. “Russia should never make the mistake of miscalculating,” she said. Husband and wife co-ambassadors Both qualified, experienced diplomats, Bellmann and her husband Matthias Lüttenberg are a first for Canada—two ambassadors for the same country, job sharing the four-year post in eight-month segments. “We have decided to share the position of Ambassador, which is the first time we are doing that as a couple, and also the first time for Canada that a couple here shares that type of position,” Bellmann said. That puts her in the driver’s seat at the embassy in Ottawa until the end of March, and then from April onward until November it will be Lüttenberg. Only one partner at a time makes a salary. It’s not a new phenomenon for Germany; they’re the third couple to do so. “There’s only always one of us who’s in charge at the embassy and one of us who’s in charge at home, with our three children,” she said. “It’s also easier for the host country, if there is a clear division of labor, who’s in charge, and to have a longer period where you really get to know people, so you can start a project, you can finish it and it gives you more continuity,” Bellman said. “For the family, it’s also better if you have continuity at home because otherwise, your mind is constantly on the job. If you rotate every day, you never really stop working. So it’s also a deliberate investment into our children, who have the right to see a bit more of their parents than they did for the past years.” jcarmichael@postmedia.com Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.TORONTO — Canada's main stock index edged higher in trading on Wednesday, helped by strength in the technology sector, while U.S. stock markets also rose. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 5.45 points at 25,641.18. The index took a “breather” Wednesday ahead of key labour market indicators set to be released both in Canada and the U.S. this week, said Angelo Kourkafas, senior investment strategist at Edward Jones. Statistics Canada will report the latest data from the national labour force survey on Friday, the same day the November jobs report is due in the U.S. “That's the last important data point for the Bank of Canada before they meet next week,” said Kourkafas. November was a strong month for equities, he said, so it isn't surprising that investors are digesting the gains while they await new data. He said it’s expected that Statistics Canada will report an acceleration of job gains after last month brought a “relatively weak reading,” with job gains at about half of what analysts were expecting. While Canada’s central bank is expected to cut its key interest rate a fifth straight time on Dec. 11, the size of the cut could depend on that jobs data, he said. “We're now looking at a rebound, but as the Bank of Canada deliberates between a quarter point cut versus half a percentage point cut, I think what we are going to see in terms of unemployment rate and the base of job gains is going to have a say into that,” said Kourkafas, adding that wage growth is another important metric to watch. “If we see steady job growth and slowing wages, that can potentially tilt the Bank of Canada towards a larger cut.” In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 308.51 points at 45,014.04. The S&P 500 index was up 36.61 points at 6,086.49, while the Nasdaq composite was up 254.21 points at 19,735.12. U.S. markets were propelled by strength in the technology sector, said Kourkafas, highlighting strong results in quarterly earnings released this week by Salesforce Inc. and Marvell Technology Inc. “I think today's results highlight that there is still a long runway and still enthusiasm, excitement about artificial intelligence and kind of that multi-year adoption cycle,” he said. The Canadian dollar traded for 71.09 cents US compared with 71.14 cents US on Tuesday. The January crude oil contract was down US$1.40 at US$68.54 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$3.04 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was up US$8.30 at US$2,676.20 an ounce and the March copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.20 a pound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press