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ESPN announces layoffs as part of cost cutting by Disney

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:42 GMT

ESPN began informing employees of layoffs Monday, which are job cuts that are taking place throughout its corporate owner, the Walt Disney Company.Disney CEO Bob Iger announced in February that the company would reduce 7,000 jobs either through not filling positions or layoffs.ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro said in a company memo sent to employees that those affected will hear from their supervisor and someone from human relations this week.“As we advance as a core segment of Disney, with operational control and financial responsibility, we must further identify ways to be efficient and nimble,” Pitaro said in the memo. “We will continue to focus our workforce on initiatives that are most closely aligned with our critical priorities and emphasize decision-making and responsibility deeper into the organization.”ESPN was not part of the first phase of Disney reductions last month. Besides this week’s layoffs, another round of job cuts will take place by the start of summer. Both ph...

19 Kenyan students arrive from Sudan aboard military plane

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:42 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The first group of Kenyan evacuees from Sudan landed in the country’s main airport on Monday.Thirty-nine students — 19 Kenyans along with 19 Somalis and one Saudi Arabian national — alighted from a Kenya Airforce aircraft that landed on Monday night.The students traveled by road to South Sudan where they boarded the military aircraft.The group was received by Defense Minister Aden Duale who said they were all students at an international university in Sudan and that more Kenyans were scheduled to be airlifted home.More evacuations are underway, with the foreign ministry stating three evacuation programs were active.Foreign Affairs Minister Alfred Mutua thanked countries that allowed Kenyans fleeing from Sudan to cross the border and “granted permission for Kenyan planes to overfly their airspace.”A permanent secretary in the ministry, Roseline Njogu, shared photos of students who are part of a group of 29 currently in Gondor, Ethiopia after fleeing Sudan.She sa...

Cadence: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:42 GMT

TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — Cadence Bank (CADE) on Monday reported first-quarter net income of $76.6 million.The bank, based in Tupelo, Mississippi, said it had earnings of 40 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 68 cents per share.The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 66 cents per share.The bank posted revenue of $600.2 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $428.3 million, falling short of Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $456.1 million.Cadence shares have fallen 17% since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Monday, shares hit $20.58, a decrease of 22% in the last 12 months._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CADE at https://www.zacks...

SmarFinancial: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:42 GMT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — SmartFinancial Inc. (SMBK) on Monday reported first-quarter profit of $11.5 million.The Knoxville, Tennessee-based bank said it had earnings of 68 cents per share.The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 60 cents per share.The bank holding company posted revenue of $60.1 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $42.9 million, which missed Street forecasts. Three analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $43.1 million._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on SMBK at https://www.zacks.com/ap/SMBKSource

Severe solar storm creates dazzling auroras farther south

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:42 GMT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — An intense solar storm has the northern lights gracing the skies farther south than usual. A blast of superhot material from the sun late last week hurled scorching gases known as plasma toward Earth at nearly 2 million mph (3 million kph), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Monday. Earth felt the brunt of the storm Sunday, according to NOAA, with forecasters warning operators of power plants and spacecraft of the potential for disruption. Auroras were reported across parts of Europe and Asia. In the U.S., skygazers took in the sights from Wisconsin, Washington state, Colorado, California, New Mexico and even Arizona — mostly a reddish glow instead of the typical green shimmer. “I don’t want any expectations of these green curtains moving back and forth” so far south, said Bill Murtagh, program coordinator at the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado. Although conditions have eased, auroras might still be vi...

Virginia driver’s licenses get new look: Can you spot the state insect?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:42 GMT

Virginia’s new driver’s license design. (Courtesy Virginia DMV)Starting Monday, Virginia is rolling out new designs for driver’s licenses and ID cards.The new designs incorporate enhanced security features that make them more difficult to counterfeit, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. They also feature some new design elements, aiming to “illustrate the beauty of iconic Virginia imagery.”Virginia’s license design was last updated in 2009.The new licenses depicts the inside of the Virginia State Capitol rotunda. (The old license design featured the outside of the state capitol). In addition, the new design shows off the American Dogwood, the official state flower, which is displayed in the center of the rotunda. The new design also features images of Virginia’s official insect, the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly.“The attractive design elements are actually layers of state-of-the-art security features,” said DMV Comm...

Bank of NT Butterfield & Son: Q1 Earnings Snapshot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:42 GMT

HAMILTON, Bermuda (AP) — HAMILTON, Bermuda (AP) — Bank of NT Butterfield & Son Ltd. (NTB) on Monday reported net income of $62.2 million in its first quarter.The bank, based in Hamilton, Bermuda, said it had earnings of $1.24 per share.The community bank posted revenue of $184.6 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $147.5 million, which beat Street forecasts._____This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on NTB at https://www.zacks.com/ap/NTBSource

2 more rock attacks reported, video sought from homes, cars

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:42 GMT

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Residents and drivers in parts of Jefferson and Boulder counties are asked to check their surveillance video from last Wednesday night after more people came forward in the rock attack investigation.Another two vehicles were reportedly involved in a series of roadway rock attacks on the night of April 19, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. The attacks, now seven accounted for, led to the death of a 20-year-old woman and hurt two other drivers. ‘All of a sudden, my front windshield exploded’: Victim describes rock attack On Monday, the Sheriff's Office said the two additional attacks were both on Highway 93. One was reported on Thursday, while another was reported over the weekend. All but one of the cases so far involved a single, large rock. The outlier case, on Highway 93 near Highway 128, involved a clump of smaller rocks, but investigators say they are still considering the incident related until they determine otherwise.Video ...

Sanders sees numerous Colorado players enter transfer portal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:42 GMT

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders saw a number of players stampede to the transfer portal, including a holdover wide receiver who was the standout in Colorado’s sold-out spring game over the weekend.Wideout Montana Lemonious-Craig turned in an impressive performance Saturday at Folsom Field for the Buffaloes, which was highlighted by his 98-yard touchdown catch. A day later, Lemonious-Craig was among a migration of players departing the program that Coach Prime was brought in to rebuild on the heels of a 1-11 season. What to expect from the Tuesday-Wednesday snowstorm By Monday, others who announced on social media they will enter the portal include receivers Jordyn Tyson and Chase Sowell, outside linebacker Shakaun Bowser, defensive backs Tyrin Taylor and Jason Oliver, running back Deion Smith and offensive lineman Alex Harkey.Since his arrival, Sanders has been overhauling the Buffaloes roster through the portal. He brought with him from Jackson State his quarter...

Fox News ousts Tucker Carlson, its most popular host

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:24:42 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News on Monday ousted prime-time host Tucker Carlson, whose stew of grievances and political theories about Russia and the Jan. 6 insurrection had grown to define the network in recent years and make him an influential force in GOP politics.Fox said that the network and Carlson had “agreed to part ways,” but offered no explanation for the stunning move, saying that the last broadcast of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” aired last Friday. Carlson ended the show by saying, “We'll be back on Monday.”The break comes amid a cascade of bad legal news for Fox and Carlson. A week ago, Fox agreed to pay more than $787 million to settle a lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems over the network's airing of false claims following the 2020 presidential election — shortly before Carlson was expected to be called to testify.CBS' “60 Minutes” on Sunday aired a report about a man caught up in a Jan. 6 conspiracy theory who said Carlson was “obsessed” with him, and whose lawyer has put Fox ...