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wow888 app Bill Shorten represents the best in Australian politics. And the worst. In his valedictory speech to the House on Thursday, ending 17 years in parliament, he spoke of the achievement in government that was “closest to my heart” – the National Disability Insurance Scheme. “The NDIS belongs alongside Medicare and superannuation as examples of Australian exceptionalism.” Illustration by Simon Letch Credit: Shorten is rightly proud of the NDIS. It was a world-first undertaking and instantly set the standard for the way that civilised societies should treat their disabled citizens. It was not all his work. As Shorten acknowledged, it was Kevin Rudd who gave him his start in the field by appointing him as the parliamentary secretary for disabilities in 2007. “I thought I knew hardship, having seen disadvantage representing workers,” Shorten told the House. “But nothing had prepared me for the way literally hundreds of thousands of Australians with disability and their carers were sentenced to a second-class life of lesser opportunity.” And it was Julia Gillard who committed her government to implementing it. Shorten recalls asking the then prime minister to do just one thing: “I asked her to meet five people in my office and leave her phone outside for an hour and a half.” She heard their stories and was persuaded. Credit must also go to Tony Abbott, the opposition leader who embraced the idea. As he said: “Normally I’m Mr No, but on this occasion I’m Mr Yes!” It’s hard for any major reform to endure without bipartisan support; Abbott gave it that support. Bill Shorten delivers his valedictory speech in the House of Representatives on Thursday. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer But Shorten can take most of the credit for creating the scheme when Labor was in power in 2007-2013, and for repairing it now that Labor is in power once more. By the time Anthony Albanese gave Shorten responsibility for the NDIS in 2022, it had veered out of control. It had become an open secret that it was rife with rorting. Not rorted by the disabled people receiving help, but by the companies and individuals who were supposed to help them and who then billed the government for services provided. The incoming minister was appalled to discover that, if a service provider sent their invoice to the National Disability Insurance Agency between 5pm and 6.30pm, they were paid immediately without any verification. And that 92 per cent of them were unregistered. And that there was no specified list of authorised services. Providers were charging the public purse some outrageous sums for some outrageous supposed needs: “What we have seen is the rise of opportunistic, unethical providers,” Shorten said earlier this year. “They’re selling snake oil. They’re selling stuff which frankly doesn’t work and shouldn’t be being paid for.” That included airline lounge memberships, sex work, pet costs, cigarettes and vapes, illegal drugs, tarot card reading, clothes, guns and cuddle therapy. So Shorten published a list of approved services, the first one, last month, banning all those categories, among others. Shorten’s awkward munching helped make democracy sausage word of the year in 2016. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen It’s no wonder that the costs of the NDIS blew out spectacularly. It’s now on track to become the most expensive item on the federal budget, overtaking the age pension, by 2030. The original 2011 estimates for the scheme were that it would cover 411,000 people and cost $13.6 billion a year. This year it has 660,000 participants with budgeted cost of $42 billion. It’s obvious that the scheme is succeeding in giving life-changing help to many but failing the test of sustainability. Unreformed, the scheme would have to be cut back or shut down. As its father, Shorten was best placed to fix it. And, crucially, the one most trusted to fix it. Last year, the government announced measures to restrain its annual cost growth of 14 per cent to 8 per cent by 2026-27. This is essential to achieve Shorten’s stated aim – to make it “politician-proof”. Among other reforms, he replaced 10 of the 11 top managers and recruited Kurt Fearnley as chair. Shorten persuaded state governments to increase their share of funding from next July. He tripled the number of staff at the Quality and Safeguards Commission to improve scrutiny. He created a Fraud Fusion Taskforce which, over its two-year lifespan, has put 50 people before the courts, prevented $60 million in fraud and currently has more than $1 billion in payments under investigation. Shorten played a key role in removing Kevin Rudd as PM in 2010 and then reinstalling him, at Julia Gillard’s expense, in 2013. Credit: Andrew Meares He’s not quite finished, but he has put the scheme on “train tracks” to sustainability , as he puts it. Compared with the outlay growth anticipated in 2022, Shorten’s reforms will have saved the taxpayer well over $100 billion over the course of a decade. In creating – and then repairing – such an important improvement to the lives of Australia’s people, Shorten shows Australian politics at its best. But he was also one of the faction chiefs who connived to destroy two elected Labor prime ministers, ushering in the “coup era” of Australian politics, the rampant regicide of the “revolving door” prime ministership that made Australia a laughing stock for a decade. If that only damaged Labor governments and destabilised the political system, that would be bad enough. But it did much more. We can now see that the factional fun and games in the corridors of Canberra inflicted enduring harm on the people’s trust in democracy. Shorten wasn’t the instigator of the threshold event, the 2010 lightning coup against Kevin Rudd. The motive force was Mark Arbib with sidekicks Karl Bitar, David Feeney, Stephen Conroy and Don Farrell. And, of course, the willing participation of Julia Gillard; you can’t have a challenge without a challenger. Shorten, with wife Chloe, concedes defeat after the 2019 election. Credit: AP But Shorten, as leader of elements of the Victorian Right faction, energetically joined the execution of the elected prime minister. He said at the time that he feared that he and his little gang would be cut out of the victors’ circle if the coup succeeded. His motives were self-interested and unprincipled. So he helped remove Rudd and install Gillard. Only to then connive against Gillard and help restore Rudd to the prime ministership as electoral oblivion loomed. The madness, of course, soon infected the Liberals, too. Rudd-Gillard-Rudd was followed by Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison. One consequence is that John Howard was the last Australian prime minister to be re-elected. But democracy is much bigger than politics, politicians, factions, parties, prime ministers and even elections. It is, at core, an act of the people’s confidence in the virtue of collective decision-making, of trust in our fellow citizens and submission to the greater good. So what happens when the people who are supposed to model these ideals expose themselves to be self-interested thugs, grasping opportunists and self-involved narcissists? Unsurprisingly, Australians have been discouraged and disgusted. People’s trust in democracy has not recovered from the era of the disposable leader. The ANU and Griffith University’s Australian Election Study shows that the public disapproved of every leadership coup, regardless of party or personality. Loading The proportion of Australians saying they are “satisfied with democracy” was in a healthy 80 per cent range in the late Howard and early Rudd years, the highest at any time since 1969. It peaked at 86 per cent in 2007, the year Rudd was elected. From the moment he was torn down, this proportion started to shrink non-stop until it hit bottom at 59 per cent in 2019. For perspective, this was its lowest since the dismissal of the Whitlam government. When the pandemic struck, trust in government recovered somewhat. But, to this day, satisfaction with democracy has not recovered to the pre-coup era, according to the Australian Election Study. Does Shorten regret his part in the destruction of two Labor prime ministers, the onset of the coup mania and the enduring damage to Australians’ confidence in democracy? “You do regret your mistakes, you don’t forget your failures,” Shorten said in his valedictory on Thursday, and for a moment the House held its breath in anticipation. Shorten resumed: “Oh, what I would give to go back to election day 2016 and turn that sausage in bread around the right way.” He got a laugh as the audience recalled that much-publicised lapse in democracy sausage etiquette when he approached it from the side instead of the end. But this was not any metaphor for political remorse, however. Asked for his political regrets, Shorten falls back on Frank Sinatra: “Regrets. I’ve had a few, but then again too few to mention.” When I ask him straight whether he regrets his part in the downfall of two Labor prime ministers, he disavows responsibility and only replies: “I regret that the instability occurred.” The journalist David Marr wrote a 2016 assessment of Shorten in the Quarterly Essay . It was titled “Faction Man”. Today, Marr looks back on Shorten’s political career and concludes that “he never ceased being a man of factions”. The best and the worst of Australian politics. Peter Hartcher is political editor. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Political leadership Bill Shorten ALP Kevin Rudd Julia Gillard For subscribers Opinion Peter Hartcher is political editor and international editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Connect via email . Most Viewed in Politics Loading

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The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Nicole Kidman stars as Romy Mathis, the chief executive of Tensile, a robotics business that pioneered automotive warehouses. In the movie’s opening credits, a maze of conveyor belts and bots shuttle boxes this way and that without a human in sight. Romy, too, is a little robotic. She intensely presides over the company. Her eyes are glued to her phone. She gets Botox injections, practices corporate-speak presentations (“Look up, smile and never show your weakness”) and maintains a floor-through New York apartment, along with a mansion in the suburbs that she shares with her theater-director husband ( Antonio Banderas ) and two teenage daughters (Esther McGregor and Vaughan Reilly). But the veneer of control is only that in “Babygirl,” a sometimes campy, frequently entertaining modern update to the erotically charged movies of the 1990s, like “Basic Instinct” and “9 1⁄2 Weeks.” Reijn, the Danish director of “Bodies Bodies Bodies” has critically made her film from a more female point of view, resulting in ever-shifting gender and power dynamics that make “Babygirl” seldom predictable — even if the film is never quite as daring as it seems to thinks it is. The opening moments of “Babygirl,” which A24 releases Wednesday, are of Kidman in close-up and apparent climax. But moments after she and her husband finish and say “I love you,” she retreats down the hall to writhe on the floor while watching cheap, transgressive internet pornography. The breathy soundtrack, by the composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer, heaves and puffs along with the film's main character. One day while walking into the office, Romy is taken by a scene on the street. A violent dog gets loose but a young man, with remarkable calmness, calls to the dog and settles it. She seems infatuated. The young man turns out to be Samuel (Harris Dickinson), one of the interns just starting at Tensile. When they meet inside the building, his manner with her is disarmingly frank. Samuel arranges for a brief meeting with Romy, during which he tells her, point blank, “I think you like to be told what to do.” She doesn't disagree. Some of the same dynamic seen on the sidewalk, of animalistic urges and submission to them, ensues between Samuel and Romy. A great deal of the pleasure in “Babygirl” comes in watching Kidman, who so indelibly depicted uncompromised female desire in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut,” again wade into the mysteries of sexual hunger. “Babygirl,” which Reijn also wrote, is sometimes a bit much. (In one scene, Samuel feeds Romy saucers of milk while George Michael’s “Father Figure” blares.) But its two lead actors are never anything but completely magnetic. Kidman deftly portrays Romy as a woman falling helplessly into an affair; she both knows what she’s doing and doesn’t. Dickinson exudes a disarming intensity; his chemistry with Kidman, despite their quickly forgotten age gap, is visceral. As their affair evolves, Samuel’s sense of control expands and he begins to threaten a call to HR. That he could destroy her doesn’t necessarily make Romy any less interested in seeing him, though there are some delicious post-#MeToo ironies in their clandestine CEO-intern relationship. Also in the mix is Romy’s executive assistant, Esme (Sophie Wilde, also very good), who's eager for her own promotion. Where “Babygirl” heads from here, I won’t say. But the movie is less interested in workplace politics than it is in acknowledging authentic desires, even if they’re a little ludicrous. There’s genuine tenderness in their meetings, no matter the games that are played. Late in the film, Samuel describes it as “two children playing.” As a kind of erotic parable of control, “Babygirl” is also, either fittingly or ironically, shot in the very New York headquarters of its distributor, A24. For a studio that’s sometimes been accused of having a “house style,” here’s a movie that goes one step further by literally moving in. What about that automation stuff earlier? Well, our collective submission to digital overloads might have been a compelling jumping-off point for the film, but along the way, not every thread gets unraveled in the easily distracted “Babygirl.” Saucers of milk will do that. “Babygirl,” an A24 release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “strong sexual content, nudity and language.” Running time: 114 minutes. Three stars out of four.India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms, dies aged 92

Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team supports 800+ agencies during 2024 emergency responsesDrop in Boxing Day footfall ‘signals return to declining pre-pandemic levels’

AI has massively shaped lives over the last few years. One of the biggest changes brought on by AI is the sudden proliferation of AI girlfriends. People have had romantic discussions with AI chatbots since at least 2011. However, major advances in AI technology have made them far more appealing in the last couple of years. There are currently 1,663,200 searches a year for people seeking a girlfriend experience with an AI partner. About a quarter of men between the ages of 18 and 34 have used an AI companion from sites, which has an article about the concept . Men are still ten times more likely to use AI partners than women, but the number of women using them is growing significantly. Washington may become one of the most popular states for AI companions. For some reason, the dating scene has gotten a lot worse recently. A Washington news site published an article earlier this year showing that 900,000 people suddenly became single. Dating is a lot harder in places like Seattle. Many single people may feel AI companions are great alternatives to traditional dating. Of course, there are pros and cons of using an AI companion. But one thing is certain — AI is changing the concept of soulmates forever. There are a number of reasons many Washingtonians are turning to AI companions instead of seeking traditional relationships. Some of the biggest benefits are listed below. AI Companions Are More Accepting of Flaws Washington is a state known for perfectionism. Part of this is due to the fact that the state has a strong tech sector, which attracts many highly talented, intelligent people with Type A personality traits. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult for people seeking traditional connections, especially on dating apps. People in Washington often exclude potential partners for the tiniest of flaws. Some people in online single communities have admitted to breaking up with people because they use emojis in text messages. Men and women are both responsible for this frustrating reality, so many singles are deciding to give up looking for love with another person. This is a huge reason some people are considering AI companions instead. They won't write people off for silly things. AI Companions Are Great for People Frustrated with the Washington “Freeze” The Pacific Northwest is known for being a very introverted region. Many people have talked about the “Seattle freeze,” which has spread to most of the rest of the state. It is difficult to meet new people in the area because people tend to cling to their regular social groups. You can't easily strike up a conversation with someone in a coffee shop and ask them a date like you could in the Midwest or South. AI companions can be perfect for people trying to find their soulmate without wanting to bother people that want to be left alone. AI partners are always available when you want to chat with them. AI Companions Are Perfect for People That Don't Align with The Local Demographics In Washington, it can be difficult for people who deviate from the average resident to find partners. People who feel like they don't fit in may prefer using an AI companion instead. They can customize their companion to satisfy essential dimensions of compatibility. AI Companions Can Be Cheaper than Regular Dating Washington is not a cheap place for singles trying to find a partner. The average cost of a first date is $122 and the cost of premium subscription for most dating apps is $50 to $60 a month. Some AI companion websites are totally free, while others charge different fees. However, almost all of them are cheaper than going on dates. Therefore, having an AI boyfriend or girlfriend may be a great alternative for people living on tight budgets. AI Companions Don't Make You Wait for Love Finding romance the old-fashioned way takes time, even if you are using dating apps. One study found that the average American used online dating for eight months before finding their partner. It can be even harder for older generations. Gen Xers spent nearly 10 months before finding their significant other. People living in Washington may have to wait even longer, since the dating scene is so miserable. Fortunately, you don't have to wait for love with an AI partner. It can be a great option for people who don’t want to spin their wheels on dating apps for months or even years. AI Companions Can Be Great for People Trying to Improve Their Social Skills to Meet Real Partners Many people would like to have a regular relationship but lack the social skills to form one. Younger adults who missed out on formative social experiences during the pandemic and neurodivergent people have the hardest time. AI companions can help these people practice their social skills to become better at dating. This will make it easier for them to find love down the road. AI boyfriends and girlfriends are going to become a lot more popular in the near future. If the social climate in Washington doesn't improve soon, it may be one of the most common states where people have AI companions. There are a lot of great reasons to consider having an AI companion. However, the quality of the experience is going to depend on how you use it. Here are some tips to have the best possible experience with an AI partner. Customize Your AI Partner Based on Important Features of Compatibility Most AI companion websites give you the option to create your partner based on factors that are most important. You can choose the age, physical features, personality type, political orientation and other factors that are important. You will want to spend some time thinking about your ideal partner and customize your AI companion around those traits. Test Different AI Companion Sites to Find One that Works Best There are a number of different AI companion websites. You will want to test them out to find one that best meets your needs. Here are some factors that you should consider before giving them a try: Some AI companion sites specialize in serving different audiences. For example, some have a lot of models for people who enjoy anime. Others are great for people seeking partners from a particular country or LGBT partners. Some sites offer a much broader range of options, so it is easier to tweak your partner to meet your needs, regardless of what they are. It is a good idea to research each site before giving it a try. You will want to understand the rules of each site before joining. Some sites are more restrictive on the types of conversations that you are allowed to have with your AI companion. You don't want to create an account and then get in trouble for violating the rules. Make sure that you find a site that lets you have the type of relationship that you are looking for. Look for sites that have a free trial. You will want to experiment with it a bit before paying for a subscription. Make sure you are aware of the features it offers. Some sites allow you to exchange selfies or have video chats with your AI companions. You will want to be aware of these features if they are important to you. Finding the right AI companion site can be just as important as creating the right partner. You may need to experiment a little to find one that is the right fit. Don't Be Shy About Providing Feedback to Your AI Companion Communication is important in any relationship. Relationships with AI companions are no exception. You will want to continually provide feedback to your AI partner, so they can get to know you better and better meet your needs. Some of the things that you should tell your AI partner include the following: Let them know if you prefer having more concise or longer messages. Tell them how you feel about the facial expressions they are making when you are engaging in video chats or exchanging selfies. Provide clear feedback on elements of their personality that you want them to fix, such as wanting them to speak in a kinder or more sarcastic tone. Let them know if you prefer them to get their points across by telling stories or engaging in non-literal communication styles. You will have a much richer relationship with your AI companion if you provide clear feedback. Treat Your AI Companion With Respect and Follow Good Consent Practices Some people believe that they don't need to be respectful to their AI partner, since it doesn't actually have feelings. While it is true that these entities are not sentient, there are a couple of reasons it is still important to be respectful to them: Many AI companion websites have started providing better user experiences for people that are respectful to their AI companion. Many of them also explicitly require you to be respectful in their terms of service. You will have a more enjoyable experience if you are kind to your partner. The habits that you get into with your AI companion will carry over into real relationships. You will be more likely to have a healthy relationship with other people if you practice good habits with your AI companion. You should follow the platinum rule whenever you are engaging with any partner. Your AI companion is no exception. Use Your AI Partner As an Opportunity to Build Your Social Skills A recent article from a major news site shows that Washington is one of the loneliest states in the country. The author cites Census data showing that 43% of Washingtonians are lonely at least some of the time . Your AI companion can help take the edge off your loneliness. However, most people will want to eventually form real relationships with other humans. Fortunately, your AI companion can help with this as well. You may want to consider using your AI relationship to work on your social skills. This will make it easier to date and find friends. Here are some tips for Washington residents who want to use their AI companion to boost their emotional intelligence and dating skills: Ask your AI companion to get ongoing feedback about your conversations. Some people want AI partners that will always agree with and validate them. While this can be enjoyable at first, it is not going to help you improve your social skills. You need to know what you are doing wrong. Make sure you tweak your AI companion to match the personality types of people you will actually be dating. This is important so that you can get targeted feedback. You want to be realistic about the types of people you will be matching with on dating apps or meeting in real life. You don't want to get feedback from the perspective of a dream partner that you will never actually meet, such as someone 20 years younger or a celebrity. Ask your AI companion to pretend to go on a date with you. Request clear feedback on What they did and did not like on the date. This will give you a better sense of what real people are looking for on a date. Have your AI partner explain its emotions while you are video chatting with it. Pay close attention to their facial expressions and other nonverbal communication. At least 80% of communication is nonverbal, so this will help you better understand how to engage with people on dates. AI is transforming love lines in Washington. More people are going to have relationships with AI companions, since they are easier to connect with and are very supportive. They may be ideal partners if the state’s dating scene doesn’t get better anytime soon. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Boxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first “proper Christmas” period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found £4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: “We’ve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. “Figures have come out that things have stabilised, we’re almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.” There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: “It’s the shift to online shopping, it’s the convenience, you’ve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: “We see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so they’ve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they don’t really need to go out again until later on in that week. “We did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.” Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and “a lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own home”, she said. She added: “I feel like it’s becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.” Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend £236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still £50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store – an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. “This year, we’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.” Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.

6,000 inmates escape from a high-security prison as post-election violence roils MozambiqueTel-Aviv, Israel, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ellomay Capital Ltd. (NYSE American; TASE: ELLO) (“Ellomay” or the “Company”), a renewable energy and power generator and developer of renewable energy and power projects in Europe, USA and Israel, today announced that it will hold an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the “Meeting”) at the Company’s offices at 18 Rothschild Boulevard, 1st Floor, Tel Aviv 6688121, Israel, on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 3:00 p.m., Israel time, and thereafter as it may be adjourned or postponed from time to time. The agenda of the Meeting will be to approve the terms of service and compensation of Mr. Ben Sheizaf, the Company’s Chairman of the Board. Shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 30, 2024 will be entitled to vote at the Meeting or any adjournments or postponements thereof. The Company plans to mail a proxy statement that describes the proposal to be considered at the Meeting and a proxy card on or about December 31, 2024. A proxy statement and proxy card will also be furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 6-K on or about December 23, 2024. The resolution to be presented at the Meeting requires the affirmative vote of holders of at least a majority of the ordinary shares voted at the Meeting on the matter presented for passage, in person or by proxy or via the electronic system of the Israel Securities Authority. Eligible shareholders may present proper proposals for inclusion in the Meeting by submitting their proposals to the Company no later than December 30, 2024. Shareholders may vote their ordinary shares by means of a proxy card, which is required to be received by the Company, along with the documentation set forth in the proxy statement, by 11:00 a.m., Israel time, on January 30, 2025 (four hours prior to the Meeting), to be counted for the Meeting, or through the electronic system of the Israel Securities Authority until six hours prior to the Meeting. About Ellomay Capital Ltd. Ellomay is an Israeli based company whose shares are listed on the NYSE American and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “ELLO”. Since 2009, Ellomay Capital focuses its business in the renewable energy and power sectors in Europe, USA and Israel. To date, Ellomay has evaluated numerous opportunities and invested significant funds in the renewable, clean energy and natural resources industries in Israel, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Texas, USA, including: For more information about Ellomay, visit http://www.ellomay.com . Information Relating to Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements that are based on the current expectations and assumptions of the Company’s management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding the Company’s plans and objectives, expectations and assumptions of management are forward-looking statements. The use of certain words, including the words “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by the Company’s forward-looking statements, including changes in electricity prices and demand, continued war and hostilities in Israel, regulatory changes, including extension of current or approval of new rules and regulations increasing the operating expenses of manufacturers of renewable energy in Spain, increases in interest rates and inflation, changes in the supply and prices of resources required for the operation of the Company’s facilities (such as waste and natural gas) and in the price of oil, the impact of continued military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, technical and other disruptions in the operations or construction of the power plants owned by the Company and general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates, including Israel, Spain, Italy and the United States. These and other risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business are described in greater detail in the filings the Company makes from time to time with Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements are made as of this date and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact: Kalia Rubenbach (Weintraub) CFO Tel: +972 (3) 797-1111 Email: hilai@ellomay.comInnovators from universities and research institutions worldwide are encouraged to submit proposals until January 31, 2025 , at https://bridge.lgensol.com/ . Since its inaugural competition in 2017, BIC has been LG Energy Solution's flagship research contest. This year's edition has been revamped to foster greater collaboration between academia and industry. Selected researchers will receive annual research funding of up to USD 150,000 annually. Additional funding may be granted to projects making significant achievements through extended contracts. "By presenting specific research optics, we aim to go beyond merely supporting academia and maximize the mutual benefits between the industry and academia," said an LG Energy Solution spokesperson. To facilitate active collaboration, LG Energy Solution has introduced the ' BRIDGE ' system, a platform designed to manage open innovation programs like BIC. The system facilitates seamless collaborations with features that help teams working on joint research projects track their objectives and deliverables. LG Energy Solution has unveiled the preselected 18 research topics for collaborative projects on the ' BRIDGE ' platform, such Battery Safety diagnosis algorithm technology and New materials for LFP Batteries topic. At the same time, the contest retains its traditional format to ensure participants are free to propose completely original research ideas. All research proposals must be submitted through the ' BRIDGE ' system. "The BIC platform serves as a bridge of wisdom between members of academia and industry, driving technological innovation for the all-important battery sector," said Je-Young Kim , CTO of LG Energy Solution. "Through this initiative, we aim to provide differentiated value to our customers by strengthening our technology leadership." As of today, LG Energy Solution has supported 26 battery research projects through the 'BIC' initiative, with some evolving into large-scale projects that have received additional funding and resources. Thanks to the success of this competition, the company continues to establish partnerships with world-leading universities and research institutions, reinforcing its commitment to preparing the battery field for the future. About LG Energy Solution LG Energy Solution (KRX: 373220), a split-off from LG Chem, is a leading global manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, mobility, IT, and energy storage systems. With 30 years of experience in revolutionary battery technology and extensive research and development (R&D), the company is the top battery-related patent holder in the world with over 58,000 patents. Its robust global network, which spans North America, Europe, and Asia , includes battery manufacturing facilities established through joint ventures with major automakers. Committed to building sustainable battery ecosystem, LG Energy Solution aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its value chain by 2050, while embodying the value of shared growth and promoting diverse and inclusive corporate culture. To learn more about LG Energy Solution's ideas and innovations, visit https://news.lgensol.com .

On Sunday, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN , denied rumors that he has planned a $600 million wedding to marry his fiancée, Lauren Sanchez. Bezos and several other celebrities reacted to the since-debunked report on social media. What To Know: The Bezos wedding rumor originated on Saturday with a report from the Daily Mail alleging the couple would marry in a $600 million dollar ceremony at Kevin Costner’s Dunbar Ranch in Aspen. Other media outlets picked up the story and billionaire investor Bill Ackman questioned the validity of the report in a response to a story from the NY Post. This is not credible. Unless you are buying each of your guests a house, you can't spend this much money. https://t.co/1TVGOBLe9D Read Next: Honda, Nissan Confirm Merger Plans To Offset Chinese EV Competition: How Mitsubishi Factors In Bezos then responded to Ackman's post with a full denial of the rumored wedding. ‘This whole thing is completely false – none of this is happening,’ he posted on X. ‘The old adage “don’t believe everything you read” is even more true today than it ever has been.’ ‘Now lies can get ALL the way around the world before the truth can get its pants on. So be careful out there folks and don’t be gullible,’ Bezos said. Furthermore, this whole thing is completely false — none of this is happening. The old adage "don't believe everything you read" is even more true today than it ever has been. Now lies can get ALL the way around the world before the truth can get its pants on. So be careful out... https://t.co/wz2SWp6wBZ Elon Musk , currently the richest man in the world, also responded to the social media thread with well-wishes for his rival. Musk said that “even if one is not present,” he hopes Bezos holds “an epic wedding” in the future. Bezos is currently the second-richest man in the world, according to Bloomberg, and the men have battled for first place in the past. That said, I hope you do hold an epic wedding. It's nice to know that epic events are happening somewhere in the world, even if one is not present. A world where there are amazing events somewhere is better than a world where they are happening nowhere. Michael Saylor , chairman of MicroStrategy, Inc. MSTR and outspoken Bitcoin advocate, also responded to Bezos' denial of the $600 million wedding rumors. "$600M would buy a lot of Bitcoin," Saylor posted. $600M would buy a lot of Bitcoin. What Else: Though Bezos denied rumors of an upcoming Aspen nuptial, he did not give any details about when or where a wedding may take place for the couple. Bezos, 60, and Sanchez, 55, have been engaged since May 2023 and have remained relatively tight-lipped regarding their wedding plans. “We're still thinking about the wedding,” Sanchez told Vogue in November 2023. “What it's going to be. Is it going to be big? Is it going to be overseas? We don't know yet. We've only been engaged five months!” she said. Read Next: ‘Mystery Drone’ Sightings Spark Investigations, Politicians Respond: ‘Shoot Them Down,’ Trump Says Image: Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Waltham, Mass., Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nano Dimension Ltd. (Nasdaq: NNDM) (“Nano Dimension” or the “Company”), a supplier of Additive Manufacturing solutions, today shared its response to a December 20, 2024 lawsuit filed by Desktop Metal, Inc. (NYSE: DM) (“Desktop Metal”) against the Company in the Delaware Court of Chancery alleging Nano Dimension has failed to use its reasonable best efforts to obtain regulatory approval in connection with the merger agreement between the parties dated July 2, 2024 (the “Merger Agreement”). The Company believes the lawsuit is without merit and inconsistent with the terms of the Merger Agreement, particularly with respect to the Company’s right to work through the review process that is under way with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States ("CFIUS"). The Company believes the lawsuit is nothing more than an effort by Desktop Metal to prevent the Company from exercising its rights under the Merger Agreement and to impose deadlines and obligations that are inconsistent with that agreement. The Company intends to vigorously defend itself and preserve its rights under the Merger Agreement. About Nano Dimension Ltd. Nano Dimension (Nasdaq: NNDM) offers a variety of Digital Manufacturing technologies serving customers across vertical target markets such as aerospace and defense, advanced automotive, high-tech industrial, specialty medical technology, and R&D and academia. With its suite of digital manufacturing technologies, Nano Dimension is enabling its customers with prototyping and high-mix-low-volume production, along with IP security, design-for-manufacturing capabilities, and more sustainable means of fabrication. For more information, please visit https://www.nano-di.com/ Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For example, Nano is using forward-looking statements in this press release when it discusses (i) its beliefs regarding the merits of the lawsuit filed by Desktop Metal, (ii) its beliefs regarding the lawsuit with respect to Nano’s rights under the Merger Agreement and (iii) its intention to vigorously defend itself against the lawsuit and preserve its rights under the Merger Agreement. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding Nano’s future intentions, strategic plan, events or developments that Nano intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Such statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions made based on information currently available to management. When used in this communication, the words “outlook,” “guidance,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “should,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “intends,” “projects,” “could,” “would,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “plan,” “target,” or the negative of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company’s actual results and performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, we caution you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on the current expectations of Nano, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Factors and risks that may cause Nano’s actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, (i) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the proposed transaction; (ii) the satisfaction of the closing conditions of the proposed transaction; and (iii) other risks related to the completion of the proposed transaction and actions related thereto. Except as otherwise required by law, Nano undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this communication. Nano is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites. Nano Dimension Contacts Investors: Julien Lederman, VP Corporate Development | ir@nano-di.com Media: Kal Goldberg / Bryan Locke / Kelsey Markovich | NanoDimension@fgsglobal.com

South Korea's lawmakers on Friday voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, in the second head-of-state ousting this month after a short-lived martial decree on Dec. 3. Han's predecessor, President Yoon Suk Yeol, was impeached a mere two weeks prior. Han's own impeachment plunges South Korea into renewed political turbulence, shaking the foundations of its democratic success story and driving down the Korean won. South Korea's lawmakers on Friday voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, in the second head-of-state ousting this month after a short-lived martial decree on Dec. 3, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap . > 24/7 San Diego news stream: Watch NBC 7 free wherever you are Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is next in line to take on the mantle of the acting presidency, according to South Korean law. Han's predecessor, President Yoon Suk Yeol, was impeached a mere two weeks prior , after imposing martial law for six hours at the start of the month for the first time since the military coup of 1979, citing the need to "protect the constitutional order based on freedom and eradicate shameful pro-North Korea anti-state groups, that are stealing freedom and happiness of our people," according to NBC News . Opposition lawmakers brought the motion against Han on Thursday over the acting president's reluctance to immediately appoint three justices in the Constitutional Court, which is preparing to kick off deliberations on upholding Yoon's impeachment or reinstating him. Han's ruling Power People Party has argued that filling the Constitutional Court vacancies exceeds Han's mandate as acting president. The Constitutional Court held a first hearing on Yoon's case on Friday and has 180 days to reach its conclusion. A simple 151 majority, rather than two-thirds of parliamentary support, was required to pass the Friday vote. The assembly approved Han's impeachment motion with 192-0 in favor, while governing party lawmakers boycotted the poll, according to a Google-translated Yonhap update . The agency reports that acting Han has said he will respect the Friday decision. Han's own impeachment plunges South Korea into renewed political turbulence, shaking the foundations of its democratic success story and driving the Korean won down 0.40% to 1,472.22 after the Friday news. South Korea's Kospi slid 1.02% during the Friday session . Earlier on Friday, the Finance Ministry's Choi warned of the economic and security impact of Han's impeachment vote on Asia's fourth-largest economy. Money Report European markets rise; Novo Nordisk shares up 3.5% Your money habits trace back to childhood, financial psychotherapist says. Here's how to fix them "In a time of global trade wars and national emergencies, the absence of a control tower for state affairs would cause severe damage to our country's credibility, economy, national security and governance continuity," Choi said, according to Yonhap . The International Monetary Fund projects 2.5% growth in South Korea's gross domestic product for 2024, and also a 2.5% inflation print over the period. Also on CNBC Tributes to former Indian PM Manmohan Singh pour in Asia-Pacific markets set to open higher with China's industrial profits on deck Japan stocks rise as government reportedly set to propose record budgetBy MATTHEW BROWN and JACK DURA BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Donald Trump assigned Doug Burgum a singular mission in nominating the governor of oil-rich North Dakota to lead an agency that oversees a half-billion acres of federal land and vast areas offshore: “Drill baby drill.” That dictate from the president-elect’s announcement of Burgum for Secretary of Interior sets the stage for a reignition of the court battles over public lands and waters that helped define Trump’s first term, with environmentalists worried about climate change already pledging their opposition. Burgum is an ultra-wealthy software industry entrepreneur who grew up on his family’s farm. He represents a tame choice compared to other Trump Cabinet picks. Public lands experts said his experience as a popular two-term governor who aligns himself with conservationist Teddy Roosevelt suggests a willingness to collaborate, as opposed to dismantling from within the agency he is tasked with leading. That could help smooth his confirmation and clear the way for the incoming administration to move quickly to open more public lands to development and commercial use. “Burgum strikes me as a credible nominee who could do a credible job as Interior secretary,” said John Leshy, who served as Interior’s solicitor under former President Bill Clinton. “He’s not a right-wing radical on public lands,” added Leshy, professor emeritus at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. The Interior Department manages about one-fifth of the country’s land with a mandate that spans from wildlife conservation and recreation to natural resource extraction and fulfilling treaty obligations with Native American tribes. Most of those lands are in the West, where frictions with private landowners and state officials are commonplace and have sometimes mushroomed into violent confrontations with right-wing groups that reject federal jurisdiction. Burgum if confirmed would be faced with a pending U.S. Supreme Court action from Utah that seeks to assert state power over Interior Department lands. North Dakota’s attorney general has supported the lawsuit, but Burgum’s office declined to say if he backs Utah’s claims. U.S. Justice Department attorneys on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to reject Utah’s lawsuit. They said Utah in 1894 agreed to give up its right to the lands at issue when it became a state. Trump’s narrow focus on fossil fuels is a replay from his 2016 campaign — although minus coal mining, a collapsing industry that he failed to revive in his first term. Trump repeatedly hailed oil as “liquid gold” on the campaign trail this year and largely omitted any mention of coal. About 26% of U.S. oil comes from federal lands and offshore waters overseen by Interior. Production continues to hit record levels under President Joe Biden despite claims by Trump that the Democrat hindered drilling. But industry representatives and their Republican allies say volumes could be further boosted. They want Burgum and the Interior Department to ramp up oil and gas sales from federal lands, in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Alaska. The oil industry also hopes Trump’s government efficiency initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk can dramatically reduce environmental reviews. Biden’s administration reduced the frequency and size of lease sales, and it restored environmental rules that were weakened under Trump . The Democrat as a candidate in 2020 promised further restrictions on drilling to help combat global warming, but he struck a deal for the 2022 climate bill that requires offshore oil and gas sales to be held before renewable energy leases can be sold. “Oil and gas brings billions of dollars of revenue in, but you don’t get that if you don’t have leasing,” said Erik Milito with the National Ocean Industries Association, which represents offshore industries including oil and wind. Trump has vowed to kill offshore wind energy projects. But Milito said he was hopeful that with Burgum in place it would be “green lights ahead for everything, not just oil and gas.” It is unclear if Burgum would revive some of the most controversial steps taken at the agency during Trump’s first term, including relocating senior officials out of Washington, D.C., dismantling parts of the Endangered Species Act and shrinking the size of two national monuments in Utah designated by former President Barack Obama. Officials under Biden spent much of the past four years reversing Trump’s moves. They restored the Utah monuments and rescinded numerous Trump regulations. Onshore oil and gas lease sales plummeted — from more than a million acres sold annually under Trump and other previous administrations, to just 91,712 acres (37,115 hectares) sold last year — while many wind and solar projects advanced. Developing energy leases takes years, and oil companies control millions of acres that remain untapped. Biden’s administration also elevated the importance of conservation in public lands decisions, adopting a rule putting it more on par with oil and gas development. They proposed withdrawing parcels of land in six states from potential future mining to protect a struggling bird species, the greater sage grouse. North Dakota is among Republican states that challenged the Biden administration’s public lands rule. The states said in a June lawsuit that officials acting to prevent climate change have turned laws meant to facilitate development into policies that obstruct drilling, livestock grazing and other uses. Oil production boomed over the past two decades in North Dakota thanks in large part to better drilling techniques. Burgum has been an industry champion and last year signed a repeal of the state’s oil tax trigger — a price-based tax hike industry leaders supported removing. Burgum’s office declined an interview request. In a statement after his nomination, Burgum echoed Trump’s call for U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. The 68-year-old governor also said the Interior post offered an opportunity to improve government relations with developers, tribes, landowners and outdoor enthusiasts “with a focus on maximizing the responsible use of our natural resources with environmental stewardship for the benefit of the American people.” Related Articles National Politics | Attorneys want the US Supreme Court to say Mississippi’s felony voting ban is cruel and unusual National Politics | Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees? National Politics | Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad National Politics | Trump’s team is delaying transition agreements. What does it mean for security checks and governing? National Politics | Judge delays Trump hush money sentencing in order to decide where case should go now Under current Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the agency put greater emphasis on working collaboratively with tribes, including their own energy projects . Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe in New Mexico, also advanced an initiative to solve criminal cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous peoples and helped lead a nationwide reckoning over abuses at federal Indian boarding schools that culminated in a formal public apology from Biden. Burgum has worked with tribes in his state, including on oil development. Badlands Conservation Alliance director Shannon Straight in Bismarck, North Dakota, said Burgum has also been a big supporter of tourism in North Dakota and outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. Yet Straight said that hasn’t translated into additional protections for land in the state. “Theodore Roosevelt had a conservation ethic, and we talk and hold that up as a beautiful standard to live by,” he said. “We haven’t seen it as much on the ground. ... We need to recognize the landscape is only going to be as good as some additional protections.” Burgum has been a cheerleader of the planned Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota. Brown reported from Billings, Montana.Celebrity-inspired Thanksgiving recipes, plus last-minute holiday meal ideas

Day 10 of the went a little retro to make far more accessible than before. has introduced new ways to interact with ChatGPT using a much older form of communication technology: a phone number. Specifically, you can text with ChatGPT through and by calling a toll-free phone number. AI by landline has arrived. Naturally, the number to call or message is 1-800-CHATGPT. You can start a conversation with ChatGPT on WhatsApp by texting 1-800-242-8478 on the app. You can message ChatGPT like any other WhatsApp but get responses matching those from the free tier of ChatGPT on the mobile app or website. Not every ChatGPT feature is available on WhatsApp either. You can’t ask the AI to search for things online or analyze images, at least for now. If you’d rather have your AI answers by audio, you can pick up your phone to dial 1-800-CHATGPT (that’s 1-800-242-8478), and a very friendly, very human-like female voice will answer all the same queries you might type out to send to ChatGPT. The experience is pretty much like ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, where you ask questions, and the AI responds in real-time. It can help you translate a sentence, give recommendations, or chat about whatever’s on your mind. Search AI There are obvious accessibility benefits to OpenAI in making ChatGPT far more globally available, even with all of the limits and caveats. It’s the same reason set up a phone number for Google Assistant that people could call to interact with the voice assistant. But, it also points to how OpenAI and its rivals want to see AI integrated into more communication channels. That’s why both OpenAI and were keen to add ChatGPT capabilities to Siri, augmenting the iOS assistant with the AI model. There are also limits to ChatGPT on WhatsApp and by phone. You can only message ChatGPT on WhatsApp a limited amount a day, though OpenAI is vague about what that limit actually is. You’ll get a warning when you approach the limit, so you’re not surprised by the cutoff. Similarly, ChatGPT phone conversations aren't unlimited. Instead of a message cap, you get 15 minutes a month for verbal interactions with the AI. And the phone number only works in the U.S. for now. An automated phone number was certainly a surprise for OpenAI’s latest ‘present,’ akin to finding an old wooden train under the wrapping paper. I'd expect that OpenAI will probably take a more future-facing approach to the final two gifts before the event ends.Panchayat funds data not uploaded, HC warns Hry of action

'B***h new laws!' California shoplifting suspect surprised stealing is now a felony