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Ex-Prime Minister stood out for his gentle demeanour: former students
Researchers create microchips capable of detecting and diagnosing diseasesThe measure must clear the full Senate in the first week of January to reach Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk, otherwise it must go through the entire legislative process again after a new General Assembly convenes Jan. 8. The bill, House Bill 5164, would eliminate an existing requirement to publish name changes with a local newspaper. It would also reduce the state residency requirement of people wanting to change their name from six months to three months. “There are residents in our state who do not feel safe when they are an adoptee; they’re transgender; they’re an immigrant; they’re a survivor of domestic violence, survivor of sexual exploitation and human trafficking,” Sen. Ram Villivalam, the bill’s sponsor and a Chicago Democrat, said in an interview. “So they would like to change their name, and in doing so, we need to remove as many barriers as we can to ensure their health and safety.” The goal of the bill is to decrease threats to people who have endured domestic abuse, discrimination and other threats to their safety. Villivalam said 24 states have already eased this requirement. Planned Parenthood, Equality Illinois and Brave Space Alliance are pushing for the change. But the Senate’s top Republican, Sen. John Curran, R-Downers Grove, pushed back against the bill. He argued that impounding the records, meaning restricting access to them, should have a higher threshold. Individuals are allowed to petition the court to impound records if they believe public disclosure would put them in harm’s way. That process allows individuals to self-attest to hardships and says they may — but are not required to — submit documentation. “Why make it permissive, rather than a requirement, to attach relevant documents to the petition,” Curran said during a November committee meeting. But Mike Ziri, the director of public policy at Equality Illinois, said impounded records don’t disappear from court records and are not sealed, but rather are selectively available to the involved parties. “So it's not a complete sealing. There will still be access to parties and by the clerk, as well,” Ziri said. “In my experience, working with communities, folks who say they've experiencing hardship and heartache, they're not making that up, and they want protection for very good reasons.” The Republicans who hold a minority in the state senate questioned whether noncitizens with a criminal record could change their names to evade legal consequences as a result of the lowered requirements for a name change. “Is this creating a loophole for people who are here, who are criminals and part of things involved in the trafficking, involved in all of these nefarious activities that we've been reading about?” Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, said. Ziri said that the self-attestation was for impounding the court records of name changes, not to get the name change itself. Illinois law states that people on the sex offender registry, arsonists and people on the murderer and violent offender against youth list are barred from seeking name changes. The exceptions are marriage, religious reasons, human trafficking or gender identity. He also said a name change still requires the signature of a judge, and the process can take months. “Changing your name does not allow you to escape the criminal record. That was legislation that was passed two years ago,” Ziri said. “That's on top of the other requirement state police already have to check the criminal records with the name change granted months later.” Villivalam said this bill takes Illinois “another step forward” in ensuring the health and safety of residents. “Now, more than ever — given the rise in hate and discrimination across the board — people you know feel targeted. So the legislative work that we can do to reassure them on their safety and health is part of our job,” Villivalam said in an interview. “As people continue to feel the hate, feel the discrimination, get targeted, we need to continue to take these steps to make sure they feel healthy and safe.”The Washington Commanders released 2023 first-rounder Emmanuel Forbes on Saturday, cutting ties with another high draft pick from the previous regime. All of previous coach Ron Rivera’s first-rounders — including in 2020, in ‘21 and in ‘22 — are now gone. Forbes never showed progress to the new staff led by and was a healthy scratch twice this season and did not play in two other games during which the 23-year-old was in uniform. It’s unclear if Forbes’ release means anything about the status of , the Commanders’ in early November who still has not played for them because of a hamstring injury. Lattimore was listed as doubtful for against Tennessee. The Commanders (7-5) also put on injured reserve . They elevated kicker Zane Gonzalez and defensive tackle Carl Davis from the practice squad in preparation for facing the Titans (3-8). Washington has lost three in a row to fall from first place in the NFC East to the conference’s final wild-card spot. The most recent loss, last weekend against division rival Dallas, came when of the game, which would have tied it with 21 seconds left. earlier in the week with a groin injury that Quinn said the kicker reported Monday. While injuries have piled up as the Commanders await their late bye week, the choice of Forbes has been second-guessed since the moment Rivera’s front office with the 16th pick over Christian Gonzalez and others. by New England, and has started 16 games for the Patriots. Forbes was benched last season by Rivera, who was in charge when Washington selected Davis ahead of offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw in ‘21 and traded down to take Dotson the following year instead of safety Kyle Hamilton or receiver Chris Olave. Forbes has two interceptions and 12 passes defensed in 20 games. ___ AP NFL:
Expedia chief legal officer sells over $1 million in stockThe rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs and the suspected health care CEO assassin Luigi Mangione have decided on a similar defence strategy: Hire an Agnifilo. Or two. Marc Agnifilo is heading Combs’ defence against racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges, while Karen Friedman Agnifilo is leading Mangione’s murder defence, with Marc in a support role. For much of the past few decades, the legal power couple often found themselves on opposite sides of such complex cases – she for the prosecution, and he for the defence. Now, they find themselves representing two of the most high-profile cases in the country today. From 2014 to 2021, Karen was the second-in-command in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which brought notable cases against defendants including Harvey Weinstein and Allen Weisselberg, the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization. She left the department in 2021 and has since moved into media, with a stint as a CNN legal analyst and contributor. Marc, meanwhile, has represented many of the targets of those DA investigations, including “pharma bro” Martin Shkreli, Nxivm founder Keith Raniere and former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng. He worked for the law firm Brafman & Associates from 2006 until earlier this year, when he split off to co-found the firm Agnifilo Intrater. Parents to three adult children, the law is what brought them together. The two met at the Manhattan DA’s office in 1992 while working on a case in which two bagel store deliverymen got into an argument, and one cut off the other’s arm with a machete, according to The New York Times. Their intersecting careers have at times led to legal conflicts of interest. In 2011, Karen had to recuse herself from the Manhattan DA’s case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn when the former head of the International Monetary Fund hired the law firm where Marc worked. “It’s never been awkward,” Marc told The New York Times in 2011. “We’re pretty regimented about it. If she’s recused from a case, we really don’t talk about it.” The Agnifilos declined a CNN request for an interview. But that was then, and now, the Agnifilos have joined forces. Monday, when Mangione appeared in a New York courthouse for his arraignment, Karen was positioned to his left, and Marc sat on his right. Karen spoke to the court and criticized what she called the NYPD’s over-the-top “perp walk” of her client, drawing on her years of service for perspective. “He was on display for everyone to see in the biggest staged perp walk I’ve ever seen in my career,” she said. From public service to defence Karen Friedman Agnifilo has decades of experience in the legal field, primarily in the Manhattan DA’s Office. She most recently served as the chief assistant district attorney under then-District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. until 2021. Her professional bio notes her “critical leadership role in prosecuting high-profile violent crime cases, including complex cases involving a mental health component.” She managed a team of 1,500 people with a $120 million budget and “was also integral to creating the office’s Human Trafficking Unit, Hate Crimes Unit, Antiquities Trafficking Unit, Terrorism Unit, its Cybercrimes and Identity Theft Bureau, as well as working on the creation of Manhattan’s first Mental Health Court,” according to her bio. She left public service in 2021 – complete with a bagpipe sendoff from the NYPD and DA’s office – and moved to private practice. In an interview with the “Shut Up Mommy’s Talking” podcast in 2022, Karen said moving into defence work was an adjustment. She cited her husband’s experience in deciding whom to take on as a client. “My husband’s also a criminal defence attorney and he’s had some clients who just aren’t nice to him. And I don’t mean, like just not a little bit nice, I mean like abusive,” she said. “And I don’t want that at this stage in my life.” “There’s no crime necessarily that I wouldn’t take or even set of factors that I wouldn’t take,” she added. “I do believe that everyone’s entitled to a defence and to good representation, and I’ve always believed that.” Karen said she has also been influenced by her children. Her twin daughters took an interest in politics and the Black Lives Matter movement during the Covid-19 pandemic, changing her thinking on the topic. “I have to credit them with opening my eyes to these issues,” she said. Her third child has autism, she told the podcast, and she had frustrating experiences trying to get them help. She then used her experiences as a “special needs mom” to implement systems in the DA’s office to help those with less money or opportunity, she said. “That became sort of my mission at the DA’s office. It was very much into alternatives to incarceration, I pushed that very hard,” she said. In recent years, Karen has moved into the media. She has served as the legal adviser to the long-running show “Law & Order,” worked as a CNN legal analyst and opines on legal issues as the podcast host of “Legal AF” and “MissTrial” on the MeidasTouch Network. Her vocal media presence may offer a preview of her defence strategy. Earlier this month on CNN, before taking on Mangione as a client, she offered her thoughts on how the case could proceed. “It looks to me like there might be a not guilty by reason of insanity defence that they’re going to be thinking about because the evidence is going to be so overwhelming that he did what he did,” she said on December 10. “As a former prosecutor in that office, I would be concerned that you have someone who is a valedictorian of his class, he was brilliant his whole life, he comes from this great family. I mean, something changed, significantly, something changed. And they’re going to potentially have a not guilty by reason of insanity potential defence, so the prosecutors are going to try to shore that up as well in their investigation.” Marc has repped Shkreli, Diddy Marc Agnifilo similarly began his career in prosecutors’ offices and has since made a mark defending high-profile defendants in complex cases on the state, federal and international levels. A graduate of Connecticut College and Brooklyn Law School, he worked at the US Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and as a Manhattan assistant district attorney before turning to criminal defence, his website states. He has defended some of the most publicly reviled defendants of the past decade in Shkreli and Raniere, both of whom were convicted at trial. “You may find him repulsive, disgusting and offensive. We don’t convict people in this country for being repulsive or offensive,” he argued in Raniere’s trial on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking. “Unpopular ideas aren’t criminal. Disgusting ideas aren’t criminal.” In recent months, Marc took on Combs’ case and has repeatedly asked the court to release the rapper on bond before trial. Other cases, many of which are listed on his website, have been resolved without charges or with short sentences. He told Law.com earlier this year his new law firm will focus on complex criminal litigation with an eye toward trying cases. “I have found that people come to me when they have something to say against the government’s allegations,” Marc said. “Very often that means they want to go to trial. So we all plan to do what we’ve always done: to try a bunch of cases. That’s our supreme value.”
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Chi_R.Johnson 1 run (Santos kick), :53. Drive: 7 plays, 79 yards, 4:17. Key Plays: Ca.Williams 40 pass to Allen; Ca.Williams 30 pass to Swift; Ca.Williams 10 pass to D.Moore; R.Johnson 1 run on 3rd-and-1. Chicago 7, Minnesota 0. Min_Addison 2 pass from Darnold (Romo kick), 14:54. Drive: 4 plays, 67 yards, 00:59. Key Plays: Chandler kick return to Minnesota 33; Akers 15 run; Darnold 45 pass to Addison. Minnesota 7, Chicago 7. Min_Nailor 5 pass from Darnold (Romo kick), 6:29. Drive: 6 plays, 53 yards, 2:57. Key Play: Darnold 1 run on 3rd-and-1. Minnesota 14, Chicago 7. Chi_FG Santos 49, :00. Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards, 3:09. Key Plays: Ca.Williams 6 pass to D.Moore on 3rd-and-3; Ca.Williams 12 pass to Odunze; Ca.Williams 14 pass to Kmet; Ca.Williams 6 pass to Kmet on 3rd-and-12. Minnesota 14, Chicago 10. Min_FG Romo 40, 12:40. Drive: 6 plays, 55 yards, 2:20. Key Plays: Chandler kick return to Minnesota 23; Darnold 69 pass to Addison. Minnesota 17, Chicago 10. Min_A.Jones 2 run (Romo kick), 1:22. Drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 2:47. Key Play: Darnold 7 pass to Addison on 3rd-and-5. Minnesota 24, Chicago 10. Chi_D.Moore 10 pass from Ca.Williams (pass failed), 7:22. Drive: 10 plays, 64 yards, 4:45. Key Plays: Ca.Williams 10 run; Ca.Williams 20 pass to Kmet; Ca.Williams 7 run on 4th-and-4. Minnesota 24, Chicago 16. Min_FG Romo 26, 1:56. Drive: 12 plays, 63 yards, 5:26. Key Plays: Mullens 14 pass to A.Jones on 3rd-and-13; A.Jones 11 run; Darnold 34 pass to Hockenson on 3rd-and-12. Minnesota 27, Chicago 16. Chi_Allen 1 pass from Ca.Williams (D.Moore pass from Ca.Williams), :22. Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 1:34. Key Plays: D.Carter kick return to Minnesota 40; Ca.Williams 14 pass to Odunze on 4th-and-3; Ca.Williams 10 pass to R.Johnson on 3rd-and-2. Minnesota 27, Chicago 24. Chi_FG Santos 48, :00. Drive: 4 plays, 27 yards, 00:22. Key Plays: Santos onside-kick (success), recovered by T.Moore; Ca.Williams 27 pass to D.Moore. Minnesota 27, Chicago 27. Min_FG Romo 29, 2:10. Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 5:29. Key Plays: Darnold 13 pass to Addison on 3rd-and-10; Darnold 20 pass to Jefferson; Darnold 12 pass to Hockenson; Darnold 29 pass to Hockenson. Minnesota 30, Chicago 27. A_57,659. RUSHING_Minnesota, A.Jones 22-106, Akers 3-19, Darnold 2-(minus 1). Chicago, Ca.Williams 6-33, Swift 13-30, D.Moore 1-13, R.Johnson 2-2. PASSING_Minnesota, Darnold 22-34-0-330, Mullens 1-1-0-14. Chicago, Ca.Williams 32-47-0-340, D.Moore 0-1-0-0. RECEIVING_Minnesota, Addison 8-162, Hockenson 7-114, A.Jones 3-23, Jefferson 2-27, Mundt 1-7, Akers 1-6, Nailor 1-5. Chicago, Allen 9-86, D.Moore 7-106, Kmet 7-64, Odunze 5-39, Swift 3-35, R.Johnson 1-10. PUNT RETURNS_Minnesota, Powell 5-43. Chicago, Carter 2-5. KICKOFF RETURNS_Minnesota, Chandler 2-50. Chicago, Carter 1-55. TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS_Minnesota, Smith 9-2-0, B.Murphy 5-3-0, Greenard 5-1-2, Van Ginkel 3-4-1, Metellus 3-4-0, Bullard 3-2-0, Bynum 3-2-0, Griffin 3-1-0, Cashman 2-4-0, Gilmore 2-3-0, Grugier-Hill 2-1-0, Tillery 1-1-0, Redmond 1-0-0, Phillips 0-1-0. Chicago, Byard 11-2-0, Edmunds 4-5-0, Owens 4-4-0, Edwards 3-6-0, Dexter 3-2-0, Smith 3-1-0, Walker 2-3-1, Gordon 2-2-0, Sweat 2-1-1, Stevenson 2-0-0, Cowart 1-1-0, Sanborn 1-1-0, Martin 1-0-1, Ch.Williams 1-0-0. INTERCEPTIONS_Minnesota, None. Chicago, None. MISSED FIELD GOALS_Chicago, Santos 48. OFFICIALS_Referee Clay Martin, Ump James Carter, HL Jerod Phillips, LJ Brian Perry, FJ Dave Hawkshaw, SJ Alonzo Ramsey, BJ Greg Wilson, Replay Brian Matoren.
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Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Friday that bomb threats targeted Democratic lawmakers days after President-elect Donald Trump’s team announced similar threats of violence against Trump’s Cabinet nominees. Three days after it was revealed that Trump’s nominees and their families endured bomb threats and “swatting” incidents, Jeffries claimed Thanksgiving Day threats of pipe bombs in mailboxes to “swatting” incidents against Democratic lawmakers, their familiars and law enforcement were “signed with ‘MAGA,’” according to a statement from his office. Hakeem Jeffries: Bomb threats made against Dem lawmakers ‘unacceptable’ https://t.co/D4jioiK56d — POLITICO (@politico) November 29, 2024 “Yesterday, during Thanksgiving celebrations, several Democratic Members of Congress, their families and law enforcement officials were targeted with violent threats. These incidents ranged from detailed threats of a pipe bomb placed in mailboxes to swatting, all signed with ‘MAGA’ at the conclusion of the message,” the statement read. Jeffries’ office confirmed to Politico that nearly all House and Senate Democrats from Connecticut, including Sen. Chris Murphy and Reps. Jim Hines, Joe Courtney, John Larson, Jahana Hayes and Rosa DeLauro, were targeted by Thursday’s threats. The House minority leader said all recipients were unharmed and that no devices were located. “America is a democracy. Threats of violence against elected officials are unacceptable, unconscionable and have no place in a civilized society. All perpetrators of political violence directed at any party must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” his statement said. Jeffries thanked law enforcement and assured that the Sergeant at Arms was working to safeguard members of Congress from menacing threats. “House Democrats will not be deterred or intimidated from serving the people by violent threats. We have been in close communication with the Sergeant at Arms office and it is imperative that Congress provide maximum protection for all Members and their families moving forward,” the statement said. DeLauro spoke out against the bomb threat she received Thursday on social media and thanked law enforcement, who found no bomb at her home. Today, I received a bomb threat similar to my colleagues in the Connecticut congressional delegation. The New Haven Police Department’s bomb squad has responded & determined no bomb was present at our home. I am thankful for their swift response & relieved no one was harmed. — Rosa DeLauro (@rosadelauro) November 28, 2024 “Today, I received a bomb threat similar to my colleagues in the Connecticut congressional delegation. The New Haven Police Department’s bomb squad has responded & determined no bomb was present at our home. I am thankful for their swift response & relieved no one was harmed,” the congresswoman wrote on X. Tuesday evening, incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that several of Trump’s cabinet picks and their families were safe after they were targeted by threats of violence, including bomb threats and “swatting” incidents. (RELATED: Trump Cabinet Picks Face Threats Of Violence, Spokeswoman Said) pic.twitter.com/TvSRIg6R7G — Karoline Leavitt (@karolineleavitt) November 27, 2024 “President Trump and the Transition are focused on doing the work of uniting our nation by ensuring a safe and prosperous future. With President Trump as our example, dangerous acts of intimidation and violence will not deter us,” she wrote. Leavitt did not name the recipients of the threats against Trump’s Cabinet nominees, but some, including Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator nominee Lee Zeldin and U.N. Ambassador nominee Elise Stefanik , revealed themselves on social media Wednesday. Matt Gaetz , Trump’s former pick for attorney general, also faced bomb threats, according to Punchbowl. In a statement, the FBI says it “is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of... — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 27, 2024 Jeffries did not mention threats against Trump’s Cabinet picks in his office’s statement Friday. The Daily Caller reached out to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the U.S. House Sergeant at Arms for comment but did not hear back.
Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau flies to Florida to meet with Trump after tariffs threat WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has flown to Florida to have dinner with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. Joining Trump and Trudeau at dinner were Trump's picks for commerce secretary, interior secretary and national security adviser, and the three men's wives. From the Canadian side, the dinner guests included Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security. Trump’s transition did not respond to questions about what they had discussed or whether the conversation alleviated Trump’s concerns about the border. A smiling Trudeau declined comment upon returning to his West Palm Beach hotel late Friday. Emboldened 'manosphere' accelerates threats and demeaning language toward women after US election CHICAGO (AP) — An emboldened fringe of right-wing “manosphere” influencers has seized on Donald Trump’s presidential win to justify and amplify misogynistic derision and threats online. Many have appropriated a 1960s abortion rights rallying cry, declaring “Your body, my choice,” and have been using it publicly on college campuses and even in public schools. While none of the current online rhetoric is being amplified by Trump, experts say many young men see the former president’s return to the White House as vindication of their views on women. For many women, the words represent a worrying harbinger of what might lie ahead as some men perceive the election results as a rebuke of reproductive rights and women’s rights. Syrian insurgents are inside Aleppo in a major setback for Assad as government forces regroup BEIRUT (AP) — Thousands of Syrian insurgents have fanned out inside Syria's largest city Aleppo a day after storming it with little resistance from government troops. Syria's army said troops have redeployed to prepare for a counteroffensive. Witnesses said insurgents were seen Saturday at landmarks in Aleppo for the first time since 2016, when they were expelled by government forces backed by Russia and Iran. The surprise offensive is a major embarrassment for Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has regained total control of the city eight years ago. Israeli strike in Gaza allegedly kills workers with World Central Kitchen charity DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An Israeli airstrike on a car in Gaza has killed five people, according to a senior Palestinian health official. An aid worker says three of the people killed were employees of the charity World Central Kitchen. The charity's aid delivery efforts in Gaza were temporarily suspended earlier this year after an Israeli strike killed seven of its workers. Israel's military says it struck a wanted militant who had been involved in the Hamas attack that sparked the war. In a later statement, it said that the alleged attacker had worked with WCK and it asked “senior officials from the international community and the WCK administration to clarify” how that had come about. Lebanese fisherman hope ceasefire with Israel means normal life returning TYRE, Lebanon (AP) — The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah is bringing hope for normality back to many in southern Lebanon. That includes fishermen who’ve long launched their single-engine wooden boats into the Mediterranean at dawn. For months, Israel imposed a siege that kept hundreds of fishermen at this ancient Phoenician port ashore. That upended their lives and dealt the industry a major blow. The port siege also cut people off from key ingredients for traditional Lebanese dishes. As war devastated their country, the loss of fish damaged a deep association with home. Now, the possibility of renewed fishing is helping fuel hope. How Brazilian police say Bolsonaro plotted a coup to stay in office SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s Federal Police have formally accused former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others of plotting a coup to keep him in office. The plot was allegedly comprised of several components and substantiated by evidence and testimony in the agency's 884-page report. The pieces of the puzzle include laying the groundwork by systematically sowing distrust of the electoral system among the populace. It also includes drafting a decree to give the plot a veneer of legal basis and pressuring top military brass to go along with the plan. Bolsonaro and his main allies have denied any wrongdoing or involvement and accuse authorities of political persecution. More than 100 arrested as Georgian police clash with protesters over suspension of EU talks TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — More than 100 demonstrators were arrested overnight in Georgia as protesters clashed with police following the government’s decision to suspend negotiations to join the European Union, the country’s Interior Ministry said. Friday marked the second straight night of protests after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the country’s ruling Georgian Dream party announced the suspension the previous day. The Associated Press saw protesters in Tbilisi being chased and beaten by police as demonstrators rallied in front of the country's parliament building. The violence follows Georgian Dream’s disputed victory in the Oct. 26 election, which was widely seen as a referendum on the country’s aspirations to join the European Union. Romania's parliamentary vote risks being overshadowed by presidential race chaos BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanians are preparing to go to the polls in a parliamentary vote that will determine a new government and prime minister to lead the European Union and NATO member country. However, Sunday's vote is sandwiched between a two-round presidential race and is overshadowed by controversies and chaos following the outcome of the first vote. While the president has significant decision-making powers in areas such as national security and foreign policy, the prime minister is the head of the nation’s government. Sunday’s vote will determine the formation of the country’s 466-seat legislature. North Korea's Kim vows steadfast support for Russia’s war in Ukraine SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country will “invariably support” Russia’s war in Ukraine as he met Russia's visiting defense chief. A Russia military delegation led by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov arrived in North Korea on Friday as international concerns about the two countries’ expanding cooperation deepened after North Korea sent thousands of troops to Russia. During a Friday meeting, Kim and Belousov reached “a satisfactory consensus” on issues on how to further boost strategic partnership and defend each country’s sovereignty and security interests, state media said. Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest forecast to be hit with snow and dangerous cold into next week BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The first big snow of the season has the potential to bury towns in New York along lakes Erie and Ontario during a hectic holiday travel and shopping weekend. Forecasters says winter storm conditions could persist into next week and cause hazards in the Great Lakes, Plains and Midwest regions. Forecasters predict 4 to 6 feet of blowing and drifting snow could fall in Watertown and other areas east of Lake Ontario through Monday. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a disaster emergency in affected areas.Figure 1 Site Rendering of NOVONIX's New Facility BRISBANE, Australia, Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOVONIX Limited NVX NVX ) ("NOVONIX" or "the Company"), a leading battery materials and technology company, announced today a conditional commitment to NOVONIX through one if its wholly-owned U.S.-based subsidiaries ("Borrower"), from the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") through the Loan Programs Office ("LPO") for a direct loan of up to US$754.8 million ($692 million in principal and $62.8 million in capitalized interest) to be applied towards partially financing a proposed new facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee (the "New Facility"). The proposed financing is being offered under the DOE LPO's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing ("ATVM") Loan Program. If finalized, the loan would be applied towards partially financing the construction of the New Facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to manufacture synthetic graphite primarily for use in electric vehicle ("EV") batteries. At full capacity, the new facility is expected to produce approximately 31,500 tonnes per annum ("tpa") of synthetic graphite, which can support the production of lithium-ion batteries for approximately 325,000 EVs each year. China currently has over 95% market share for battery grade graphite 1 . The new facility is expected to reach full production capacity by the end of 2028 and is anticipated to create 450 full-time operational jobs and 500 construction jobs. Dr. Chris Burns, CEO of NOVONIX said, "This announcement is the culmination of years of hard work and is another critical milestone for our anode materials business towards our target production of 150,000 tpa in North America. This conditional commitment from the government to invest in our new facility continues to underscore the focus on localizing critical materials in the battery supply chain, such as graphite. Recent announcements from China to further scrutinize the export of battery-grade graphite to the United States highlight the importance of domestic production of high-performance, battery-grade synthetic graphite. Our offtake agreements with strong partners have strengthened our leadership in onshoring the synthetic graphite supply chain in North America and supporting the path towards U.S. energy independence." This year, NOVONIX has signed binding offtake agreements to supply synthetic graphite to Panasonic Energy 2 , Stellantis 3 , and PowerCo 4 . To meet this demand, the Company has previously discussed plans to build a new facility in the southeastern United States which could expand up to 75,000 tpa or production capacity. This proposed ATVM Program loan would support the construction of the first phase of the New Facility and the initial production capacity of 31,500 tpa. NOVONIX plans to subsequently expand the production capacity of this site to its target of 75,000 tpa of synthetic graphite production, any such expansion being dependent on customer demand and access to additional financing. NOVONIX's Riverside facility, also located in Chattanooga, is poised to become the first large-scale production site dedicated to high-performance synthetic graphite for the battery sector in North America. It is slated to begin commercial production in 2025, with plans to grow output to 20,000 tpa to meet current customer commitments. Previously, the Company announced that the DOE's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains ("MESC") awarded the Company a US$100 million grant 5 and that it was selected for a US$103 million investment tax credit 6 towards the funding of the Riverside facility. Key terms of the DOE's conditional commitment, including those set forth in a non-binding term sheet attached to the conditional commitment letter signed by the DOE, NOVONIX and the Borrower, include: The loan is for a maximum amount of US$754.8 million, which includes up to US$692.0 million in principal and up to US$62.8 million in capitalized interest and will be structured in two tranches based on a phased completion of infrastructure and production lines from a total eligible investment of US$943.6 million. The loan will be comprised of two primary tranches that will have terms of 15 years and 10 years, respectively, from the date of first payment of each. The first tranche will be to support the site and infrastructure for the New Facility and 21,000 tpa of production capacity, while the second tranche will support an additional 10,500 tpa of production capacity. An additional tranche to fund eligible project costs will be subject to repayment upon receipt of any proceeds derived from the monetization of any tax credit received by the Company or the Borrower related to the New Facility under the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Allocation Program. The loan will be guaranteed by the Company and secured by a first priority security interest in all assets of the Borrower, equity interests in and, with certain exceptions, assets of certain of NOVONIX's existing subsidiaries. Each advance of loan proceeds will have a separate interest rate set by the Federal Financing Bank under the general supervision of the Secretary of Treasury at the time that the respective advance is made. While this conditional commitment demonstrates DOE's intent to finance the New Facility, DOE must complete an environmental review, and the Company must satisfy certain technical, commercial, legal, environmental, and financial conditions before DOE can decide whether to enter into definitive financing documents and fund the loan. A binding loan agreement from DOE is also subject to the satisfactory completion of due diligence by DOE, satisfaction of conditions precedent specified in the term sheet, approval of the NOVONIX Board, receipt of required governmental and third-party consents, and the negotiation and execution of binding loan documents. Once binding loan documents have been signed, NOVONIX and the Borrower will need to satisfy certain conditions precedent prior to loan closing, and / or prior to first and subsequent advances of loan proceeds. This announcement has been authorised for release by Admiral Robert J Natter, USN Ret., Chairman. About NOVONIX NOVONIX is a leading battery technology company revolutionizing the global lithium-ion battery industry with innovative, sustainable technologies, high-performance materials, and more efficient production methods. The Company manufactures industry-leading battery cell testing equipment, is growing its high-performance synthetic graphite material manufacturing operations, and has developed a patented all-dry, zero-waste cathode synthesis process. Through advanced R&D capabilities, proprietary technology, and strategic partnerships, NOVONIX has gained a prominent position in the electric vehicle and energy storage systems battery industry and is powering a cleaner energy future. To learn more, visit us at www.novonixgroup.com or on LinkedIn and X . For NOVONIX Limited Scott Espenshade, ir@novonixgroup.com (investors) Stephanie Reid, media@novonixgroup.com (media) Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains forward-looking statements about the Company and the industry in which we operate. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "contemplate," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," or "would," or other similar expressions. Examples of forward-looking statements in this communication include, among others, statements we make regarding our target production capacity and commencement of commercial production at our Riverside facility, our plans to build a new production facility and achieve initial and total production capacities, and our efforts to finance this new production facility with a loan from the LPO. We have based such statements on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Such forward-looking statements involve and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the timely deployment and scaling of our furnace technology, our ability to meet the technical specifications and demand of our existing and future customers, the accuracy of our estimates regarding market size, expenses, future revenue, capital requirements, needs and access for additional financing, the availability and impact and our compliance with the applicable terms of government support, including the DOE MESC grant and, if a definitive agreement is executed and the loan is funded, the LPO loan, our ability to satisfy the conditions precedent to our entering into definitive loan documents and to the DOE's funding the LPO loan and, if the loan is obtained, our ability to comply with the restrictions and obligations under the loan documents, our ability to obtain patent rights effective to protect our technologies and processes and successfully defend any challenges to such rights and prevent others from commercializing such technologies and processes, and regulatory developments in the United States, Australia and other jurisdictions. These and other factors that could affect our business and results are included in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including the Company's most recent annual report on Form 20-F. Copies of these filings may be obtained by visiting our Investor Relations website at www.novonixgroup.com or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or outcomes, and actual performance and outcomes may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this communication. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement in this communication is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. 1 Benchmark Minerals Intelligence Anode Price Assessment September 2024 2 Panasonic Energy and NOVONIX Sign Binding Off-Take Agreement - NOVONIX 3 NOVONIX and Stellantis Sign Binding Offtake Agreement - NOVONIX 4 NOVONIX and PowerCo SE Sign Binding Offtake Agreement - NOVONIX 5 NOVONIX Finalizes US$100 Million Grant Award from U.S. Department of Energy - NOVONIX 6 U.S. Government Selects NOVONIX to Receive US$103 Million in Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Tax Credits - NOVONIX A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9a660b84-f19e-4636-b981-d532b2029ace © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. 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