Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Middle East latest: Bethlehem marks a somber Christmas Eve amid war in Gaza TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Palestinian city of Bethlehem is preparing for another somber Christmas under the shadow of war in Gaza. Most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about one hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 1,447 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed. Twenty-eight flights were canceled. Millions of travelers are expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Major storm pounds California's central coast, blamed for man's death and partially collapsing pier SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A major storm has pounded California’s central coast bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean. The storm was expected to bring hurricane-force winds and waves up to 60 feet Monday as it gained strength from California to the Pacific Northwest. Some California cities have ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon. Forecasters have warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. 20 years after the Indian Ocean tsunami, a boy found in the mud embraces being known as 'Baby 81' KURUKKAL MADAM, Sri Lanka (AP) — The boy once known as “Baby 81,” who was pulled from the mud as an infant after the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and reunited with his parents following an emotional court battle, is now a 20-year-old dreaming of higher education. Jayarasa Abilash’s story symbolizes that of the many families torn apart by one of the worst natural calamities in modern history, but it also offers hope. He grew up being followed by the nickname “Baby 81” and feeling embarrassed until he learned more about the events that tore him from his family and brought him back. He has lost his fear. A blast at a Turkish ammunition factory kills 11 people ISTANBUL (AP) — An explosion at an ammunition factory in northwest Turkey left 11 dead and five injured Tuesday morning. The state-run Anadolu Agency says the blast occurred in Balikesir province, in a rural area away from population centers. The provincial governor says one building collapsed and others were damaged, The governor says the explosion was due to a technical issue and there was no possibility of sabotage. An investigation has begun. France has a new government, again. Politics and crushing debt complicate next steps PARIS (AP) — France’s president and prime minister have managed to form a new government just in time for the holidays. Now comes the hard part. Crushing debt, pressure from the nationalist far right, wars in Europe and the Mideast. The hallenges abound for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. They already had a tumultuous 2024. The most urgent order of business is passing a 2025 budget. Financial markets, ratings agencies and the European Commission are pushing France to bring down its deficit. It is threatening the stability and prosperity of all countries that share the euro currency. Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee’s long-awaited report into Rep. Matt Gaetz documents a trove of salacious allegations of misconduct, including sex with an underage girl, that tanked the Florida Republican’s nomination to lead the Justice Department. Citing text messages, travel receipts, online payments and other evidence, the committee painted a picture of a lifestyle in which Gaetz and others connected with younger women for drug-fueled parties, events or trips, with the expectation the women would be paid for their participation. Gaetz, who had filed a last-minute lawsuit to try to block the report’s release Monday, slammed the committee’s findings. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and has insisted he never had sex with a minor. Legendary Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal dies at age 90 NEW DELHI (AP) — Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after chronic kidney disease. He was 90. His contribution to cinema was recognized as a director, editor and screenwriter. He came into the limelight with films that challenged mainstream Bollywood by dealing with the social realities of a poor nation. He also was a mentor to top Indian actors. India's prime minister says he is “deeply saddened” by Benegal's death.UCF, LSU face off with improved focus in mindJERUSALEM — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Thursday targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital and multiple ports, while the World Health Organization's director-general said the bombardment occurred nearby as he prepared to board a flight in Sanaa, with a crew member injured. "The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few meters from where we were — and the runway were damaged," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the social media platform X. He added that he and U.N. colleagues were safe. "We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave," he said, without mentioning the source of the bombardment. U.N. spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay later said the injured person was with the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service. At least three people were later reported killed and dozens injured in the airport strike. The U.N. team members left the airport and were "safe and sound" in Sanaa while the injured crew member was being treated at a hospital, she said. Tremblay said the damage assessment would be made on Friday morning to see whether WHO chief and the U.N. team can leave Yemen. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the escalation in attacks between Yemen and Israel and described Thursday's attacks as "especially alarming," Tremblay said. Israel's army later told The Associated Press it wasn't aware that the WHO chief or delegation was at the location in Yemen. The Israeli strikes followed several days of Houthi launches setting off sirens in Israel. The Israeli military in a statement said it attacked infrastructure used by the Iran-backed Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa and ports in Hodeida, Al-Salif and Ras Qantib, along with power stations, asserting they were used to smuggle in Iranian weapons and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. Israel's military added it had "capabilities to strike very far from Israel's territory — precisely, powerfully, and repetitively." The strikes, carried out over 1,000 miles from Jerusalem, came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said "the Houthis, too, will learn what Hamas and Hezbollah and Assad's regime and others learned" as his military has battled those more powerful proxies of Iran. The Houthi-controlled satellite channel al-Masirah reported multiple deaths and showed broken windows, collapsed ceilings and a bloodstained floor and vehicle. Iran's foreign ministry condemned the strikes. The U.S. military also has targeted the Houthis in recent days. The U.N. has said the targeted ports are important entryways for humanitarian aid for Yemen, the poorest Arab nation that plunged into a civil war in 2014. Over the weekend, 16 people were wounded when a Houthi missile hit a playground in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, while other missiles and drones have been shot down. Last week, Israeli jets struck Sanaa and Hodeida, killing nine people, calling it a response to previous Houthi attacks. The Houthis also have been targeting shipping on the Red Sea corridor, calling it solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The U.N. Security Council has an emergency meeting Monday in response to an Israeli request that it condemn the Houthi attacks and Iran for supplying them weapons. Five journalists killed in Gaza Meanwhile, an Israeli strike killed five Palestinian journalists outside a hospital in Gaza overnight, the territory's Health Ministry said. The Israeli military said all were militants posing as reporters. The strike hit a car outside Al-Awda Hospital in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The journalists were working for local news outlet Al-Quds Today, a television channel affiliated with the Islamic Jihad militant group. Islamic Jihad is a smaller and more extreme ally of Hamas and took part in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in southern Israel that ignited the war. Israel's military identified four of the men as combat propagandists and said that intelligence, including a list of Islamic Jihad operatives found by soldiers in Gaza, had confirmed that all five were affiliated with the group. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian militant groups operate political, media and charitable operations in addition to their armed wings. Associated Press footage showed the incinerated shell of a van, with press markings visible on the back doors. Sobbing young men attended the funeral. The bodies were wrapped in shrouds, with blue press vests draped over them. The Committee to Protect Journalists says more than 130 Palestinian reporters have been killed since the start of the war. Israel hasn't allowed foreign reporters to enter Gaza except on military embeds. Israel has banned the pan-Arab Al Jazeera network and accused six of its Gaza reporters of being militants. The Qatar-based broadcaster denies the allegations and accuses Israel of trying to silence its war coverage, which has focused heavily on civilian casualties from Israeli military operations. Another Israeli soldier killed Separately, Israel's military said a 35-year-old reserve soldier was killed during fighting in central Gaza. A total of 389 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the ground operation. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. About 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third believed to be dead. Israel's air and ground offensive has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry. It says more than half the fatalities have been women and children, but doesn't say how many of the dead were fighters. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The offensive has caused widespread destruction and hunger and driven around 90% of the population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are packed into squalid camps along the coast, with little protection from the cold, wet winter. Also Thursday, people mourned eight Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations in and around Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid.jilihot store 。

ENO AND PURSUIT OF ACCOUNTABILITY12 Little-Known Smart Gadgets Worth Trying For Yourself

AP News Summary at 5:41 p.m. ESTNews Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News. I’m excited for 2025. I think it’s because I like quarters. An orange quartered is eminently more agreeable than having to peel the thing. Quarters in AFL and basketball make the games somehow more suspenseful, and I like that the tax office demands a quarterly business activity statement from me. Keeps things neat. I especially like first quarters because with three more ahead there’s still plenty of time to correct or come good. Leonardo DiCaprio’s dating habits are as old as his blockbuster hit Titanic. Which is where we’ll find ourselves in 2025. A quarter of the way through a new century that has galloped out of the blocks, particularly when it comes to technological and social change. Who would have thought on the eve of this new Millennium that 25 years on AI might’ve written this column (it didn’t), that driverless cars would be on the road, that gender would be a spectrum not an absolute and that Leonardo DiCaprio would be 50 and still determinedly finding new audiences for Titanic by dating girls born since its release in 1997. It’s more than 50 years since musician John Lennon urged the world to give peace a chance. Likewise, after the horrendous start to the new century with 9/11 and the 2004 tsunami, who would’ve thought we’d be entering 2025 with wars blazing in Ukraine, the Middle East and Africa. More than half a century after John Lennon wrote Give Peace a Chance we seemingly still can’t. Sadly, solving those issues are outside my pay grade so instead here’s 30 things I’m hoping for in 2025. Firstly, if the economic fairies could start bringing interest rates down, those of us stretched beyond our means might finally feel a loosening in our shoulders. Please bring interest rates down. Australia is a wonderful place to live but to find five of our cities now among the world’s top 20 most expensive requires a deeply considered long-term housing policy that looks beyond the next election. My third wish in the housing sphere is for an overhaul of stamp duty. Telling me I can free up $300,000 for superannuation if I downsize is all very well but not when you lose more than $100,000 of that on the stamp duty for a new property purchase. Nonsensical. Moving on to health, this has been the year when a simple injection melts away your fat and as we move into 2025 microdosing Ozempic is set to become the new norm for those wanting to lose their Christmas paunch. You have to lie to get your hands on it but plenty are. We’re living in the Bozempic era when faces are frozen by one injection and bellies jabbed by another. Keira Knightley in the Netflix spy thriller Black Doves. I’m praying for restaurants in 2025. Word out of Los Angeles is that people ordering tiny starters is sending them out of business. As for beauty, we need more of Keira Knightley’s face (wonderfully natural in Black Doves) and less of TikTok convincing a generation of young women that they need a dozen different unguents to look good. They don’t. It’s insane and robs them of their cash and confidence. What we need from scientists is hair colour that works fast so you don’t need to spend two hours in a salon and a fake tan-style product that leaves you SPF-protected for a week. The phenomenally successful Taylor Swift deserves a rest in 2025. Picture: AFP As for entertainment, other than Taylor Swift getting a good rest and Sean Combes getting a rigorous trial, I hope 2025 marks the year that streaming services are consolidated, festivals find a way back to financial viability and someone makes a cinematic blockbuster as good as Top Gun Maverick. It’s also time Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy reprised their Before Sunrise characters for a fourth movie, since 2025 marks 30 years since the original. Before Sunset was released in 2004 and Before Midnight in 2013 so we’re due a catch-up with the couple who make long-term love believable. It’s time to reprise the love story which began with Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke in the 1995 film Before Sunrise. In the sporting arena, I’m loving that we now have access to athletes through their socials and I’m hoping 2025 brings better coaching and solid success for the Matildas, more recognition for the AFLW and a great documentary marking 30 years since South Africa won the Rugby World Cup under Nelson Mandela’s presidency. If the Wallabies could beat the British and Irish Lions during their tour mid-year we’re here for it. Fashion-wise, if we could kill off mullets and Naarmcore, which is basically Melburnians looking like they’ve rolled through a skip bin, then my eyes can finally stop hurting. If you’ve watched Buy Now (Netflix) you won’t want to buy a thing but the one purchase I’ll be making come winter is a cape. They’re back. Let Donald Trump and Elon Musk have a spectacular falling out in 2025. Picture: Getty Images May the fashion gods find me one in dusky blue. Randomly, I want 2025 to bring a “cossie livs” aisle to supermarkets where you can get all the bargains in one place, jalapeno honey to become a food group (don’t mock til you try), boats to be banned from suburban streets, King Charles to be cured of cancer, Donald Trump and Elon Musk to have a spectacular falling out and a revival of the progressive dinner. Finally, as my 30th wish, I want us to look up from our phones and take in the world. Because it’s beautiful. More Coverage The reality of Christmas: Sometimes it’s messy and that’s okay Angela Mollard We’re losing the plot as parents when The Rainbow Fish is cancelled Angela Mollard Originally published as Angela Mollard: Top 30 things I’m hoping for in 2025 Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories NSW Sydney’s NYE fireworks set to be most innovative ever This year’s New Year’s Eve fireworks are set to be the most innovative in Australian history. Here’s what you can expect. Read more News Junior club cricket coach speaks out on debutant’s potential Australian cricket fans have now taken notice of Sam Konstas, but his local St George Cricket Club have always seen the talent in the boy from Hurstville. Read morePa. broadband authority gives laptops to libraries, nonprofits for public use

According to the new draft deal, developed nations should pay US$300 billion a year by 2035 to help poorer countries deal with climate change. BAKU - Countries agreed on Nov 24 to an annual finance target of US$300 billion (S$404 billion) to help poorer countries deal with the impacts of climate change, with rich countries leading the payments, according to a hard fought deal clinched at the COP29 conference in Baku. The new goal is intended to replace developed countries’ previous commitment to provide US$100 billion per year in climate finance for poorer nations by 2020. That goal was met two years late, in 2022, and expires in 2025. Developed nations should pay US$300 billion a year by 2035 to help poorer countries deal with climate change, after an earlier target of US$250 billion was rejected. Reuters previously reported that the European Union, the United States and others wealthy countries would support the US$300 billion annual global finance target in an effort to end a deadlock at the two-week summit. The COP29 climate conference in the Azerbaijan capital Baku had been due to finish on Nov 22, but ran into overtime as negotiators from nearly 200 countries struggled to reach consensus on the climate funding plan for the next decade. At one point delegates from poor and small island nations walked out of talks in frustration over what they called a lack of inclusion, and amid concerns fossil fuel producing countries were seeking to water down aspects of the deal. The summit cut to the heart of the debate over the financial responsibility of industrialized countries, whose historical use of fossil fuels has caused the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions, to compensate others for the damage wrought by climate change. It also laid bare the divisions between wealthy governments constrained by tight domestic budgets and developing nations reeling from the costs of worsening storms, floods and droughts. Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Biman Prasad told Reuters he was optimistic for an eventual agreement in Baku. “When it comes to money it’s always controversial but we are expecting a deal tonight,” he said. The new goal is intended to replace developed countries’ previous commitment to provide US$100 billion per year in climate finance for poorer nations by 2020. That goal was met two years late, in 2022, and expires in 2025. A previous US$250 billion proposal drawn up by Azerbaijan’s COP29 presidency was rejected as too low by poorer countries, which have warned a weak deal would hinder their ability to set more ambitious greenhouse gas emissions cutting targets. Countries also agreed on Nov 23 on rules for a global market to buy and sell carbon credits that proponents say could mobilise billions more dollars into new projects to help fight global warming, from reforestation to deployment of clean energy technologies. What counts as developed nation? Negotiators have been working to address other questions on the finance target, including who is asked to contribute and how much of the funding is provided as grants, rather than loans. The roster of countries required to contribute - about two dozen industrialised countries, including the US, European nations and Canada - dates back to a list decided during UN climate talks in 1992. European governments have demanded others join them in paying in, including China, the world’s second-biggest economy, and oil-rich Gulf states. Donald Trump’s US presidential election victory in November has also cast a cloud over the Baku talks. Trump, who takes office in January, has promised to again remove the US from international climate cooperation, so negotiators from other wealthy nations expect that under his administration the world’s largest economy will not pay into the climate finance goal. A broader goal of raising US$1.3 trillion in climate finance annually by 2035 - which would include funding from all public and private sources and which economists say matches the sum needed - was included in the draft deal. REUTERS Find out more about climate change and how it could affect you on the ST microsite here. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now

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( MENAFN - Gulf Times) Qatar University (QU) will host the Gulf-wide“Three-Minute Thesis (3MT)” competition, sponsored by ConocoPhillips on Nov 28. The event, the first-of-its-kind in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) region, will take place at the QU campus. The competition will feature graduate students from various higher education institutions across the GCC. Participating alongside QU are several prominent universities, including King Abdulaziz University, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Khalifa University, the American University of Sharjah, Kuwait University, Sultan Qaboos University, the University of Bahrain, and the Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA) in partnership with Northumbria University. QU's Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies, Prof Aiman Mahmoud Erbad, stated,“Since 2019, QU has successfully organised this competition at the national level. This year, the event has expanded to the Gulf level, with participation from nine GCC educational institutions and a significant increase in student involvement.” Prof Erbad also highlighted the diversity of academic fields represented in this year's competition, which spans humanities, social sciences, and other scientific disciplines. Dean of Graduate Studies at QU, Prof Ahmad Al-own remarked on the significance of the Gulf-wide competition, saying,“This inaugural GCC edition seeks to create a unified graduate studies community that encourages the exchange of ideas and expertise while promoting research excellence at national, regional, and global levels. The competition will showcase the exceptional research capabilities of graduate students across the Gulf.” Prof Al-own added,“The competition started as a local initiative and has now expanded to the Gulf level. Future plans include collaborating with the University of Queensland, the originator of this competition, to extend it to the Arab and global stages.” MENAFN23112024000067011011ID1108918864 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Nazarbayev University Crisis: Shigeo Katsu Demands Audit Transparency‘Trains’ Documentary Takes Top IDFA Prize in Unanimous Win“ Wicked ” was briefly pulled from theaters in Kuwait , allegedly due to its LGBTQ cast, but could the blockbuster musical ever be fully banned in the United States? Filmmaker Adam McKay “wouldn’t be surprised” if the film was pulled in the next few years because of where America is headed politically. The “Don’t Look Up” director shared his “Wicked” thoughts on X on Tuesday, writing: “On a pure storytelling level ‘Wicked Part 1’ is right up there as one of the most radical big studio Hollywood movies ever made. I know ‘Part 2’ swings back to the center a bit but ‘Part 1’ is nakedly about radicalization in the face of careerism, fascism, propaganda.” He continued, “What’s really striking about ‘Wicked Part 1’ is that it’s coming out NOW when America has never been more right wing and propagandized. And yes, I know the theatrical production and the book are much older so part of the timing is a coincidence but still...” While replying to another X user surprised about his take on the film, McKay wrote , “I think you’ll be shocked. If America keeps going on the track it is I wouldn’t be surprised to see the movie banned in 3-5 years.” McKay is no stranger to political films. His most recent movie, 2021’s “Don’t Look Up,” was a timely apocalyptic thriller about how the world would respond (poorly) to a cataclysmic meteor. Prior to that, he directed “Vice,” a political satire about former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, and “The Big Short,” about the 2007 U.S. housing market crash. He likened “Wicked” to other “radical big studio” films like “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” “The Sound of Music,” “The Searchers,” “Citizen Kane” and “The Hunger Games.” Of the 2012 Jennifer Lawrence movie, he wrote: “That’s a big one. It’s incredibly left wing.” He continued that “Wicked” is “VERY radical. My daughter told me the book is wild and worth a read,” McKay added of the 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” which inspired the Broadway musical. “Wicked” is expected to be a best picture nominee at the Oscars, and it recently picked up Golden Globe nods for best musical/comedy and acting nominations for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. McKay raved about Grande’s performance as Glinda, writing: “Also Ariana Grande is incredible. It’s as good a performance as you’ll find in any genre.”

What comes next for President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks?LONGMONT, Colo. , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- S&W Seed Company (Nasdaq: SANW ) today announced it has finalized the voluntary plan of administration ("VA") process for its subsidiary, S&W Seed Company Australia Pty Ltd ("S&W Australia"). "As a result of the VA process being completed, on a go forward basis S&W is exclusively focused on its core U.S.-based operations led by our high margin Double Team sorghum solutions as well as our biofuels joint venture with Shell," commented S&W Seed Company's CEO, Mark Herrmann . As previously reported, S&W Australia adopted a voluntary administration process on July 24, 2024 , and on October 11, 2024 creditors of S&W Australia approved a proposed Deed of Company Arrangement ("DOCA") pursuant to which, among other things, 100% of the shares in S&W Australia would be transferred to Avior Asset Management No. 3 Pty Ltd. The effective date of the DOCA is November 22 , 2024. In order to facilitate the satisfaction of certain conditions to the effectiveness of the DOCA, on November 22, 2024 , S&W entered into a settlement agreement in exchange for a release from the intercompany obligations owed to S&W Australia. S&W will transfer ownership of certain white clover and alfalfa (lucerne) intellectual property, provide the associated inventory, repay insurance proceeds received on behalf of S&W Australia, and provide transitional support to S&W Australia necessary to assist in the changeover of business operations to a standalone entity. S&W also entered into an agreement with National Australia Bank Limited that releases S&W from the AUD $15.0 million guarantee and obtained a release of certain applicable liens from CIBC Bank USA . Vanessa Baughman , CFO of S&W Seed Company, commented, "The effectuation of the DOCA has resulted in providing the resources we believe are needed to create a going concern for all entities." About S&W Seed Company Founded in 1980, S&W is a global multi-crop, middle-market agricultural company headquartered in Longmont, Colorado . S&W's vision is to be the world's preferred proprietary seed company which supplies a range of sorghum, forage and specialty crop products that supports the growing global demand for animal proteins and healthier consumer diets. S&W is a global leader in alfalfa and proprietary sorghum seeds with significant research and development, production and distribution capabilities. S&W also is focused on sustainable biofuel feedstocks primarily within camelina through its partnership. For more information, please visit www.swseedco.com . Safe Harbor Statement This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "ability," "believe," "may," "future," "plan," "intends" "should" or "expects." Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to: our belief that the effectuation of the DOCA has resulted in providing the resources necessary for S&W to continue as a "going concern." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including risks and uncertainties related to: market adoption of products designed to support the energy transition and customer demand for our partnership's products; the effects of unexpected weather and geopolitical and macroeconomic events, such as global inflation, bank failures, supply chain disruptions, uncertain market conditions, the armed conflict in Sudan , the import ban on alfalfa seed in Saudi Arabia , the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine and related sanctions and the conflict in the Middle East , on our business and operations as well as those of our partnership, and the extent to which they disrupt the local and global economies, as well as our business and the businesses of our partnership, our customers, distributors and suppliers; sufficiency of our partnership's cash and access to capital in order to develop its business; the sufficiency of our cash and access to capital in order to meet our liquidity needs, including our ability to pay our growers as our payment obligations come due; our need to comply with the financial covenants included in our loan agreements, refinance certain of our credit facilities and raise additional capital in the future and our ability to continue as a "going concern"; changes in market conditions, including any unexpected decline in commodity prices, may harm our results of operations and revenue outlook; our proprietary seed trait technology products, including Double Team, may not yield their anticipated benefits, including with respect to their impact on revenues and gross margins; changes in the competitive landscape and the introduction of competitive products may negatively impact our results of operations; demand for our Double Team sorghum solution may not be as strong as expected; our business strategic initiatives may not achieve the expected results; previously experienced logistical challenges in shipping and transportation of our products may become amplified, delaying our ability to recognize revenue and decreasing our gross margins; we may be unable to achieve our goals to drive growth, improve gross margins and reduce operating expenses; the inherent uncertainty and significant judgments and assumptions underlying our financial guidance; and the risks associated with our ability to successfully optimize and commercialize our business. These and other risks are identified in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2024 and in other filings subsequently made by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made and are based on management's assumptions and estimates as of such date. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of the receipt of new information, the occurrence of future events or otherwise. Company Contact: Mark Herrmann , Chief Executive Officer S&W Seed Company Phone: (720) 593-3570 www.swseedco.com Investor Contact: Robert Blum Lytham Partners, LLC Phone: (602) 889-9700 [email protected] www.lythampartners.com SOURCE S&W Seed CompanyOak Valley Bancorp Stock Hits All-Time High at $30.81

RNC Party Chair Michael Whatley spoke to Fox News Digital about the 'significant' role Trump will play in the 2026 midterm campaign President-elect Trump has nominated Somers Farkas and John Arrigo for ambassadorships. If confirmed, Arrigo, Arrigo, who is the vice president of the Arrigo Auto Group in West Palm Beach, Florida, would serve as ambassador to Portugal. VANCE TO LIKELY BE 2028 GOP PRESIDENTIAL FRONT-RUNNER, BUT RNC CHAIR ALSO LIKES PARTY'S ‘BENCH’ President-elect Donald Trump speaks at AmericaFest, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) "John is a highly successful entrepreneur in the automotive industry, and a champion golfer. For over thirty years, he has been an incredible leader in business in West Palm Beach, and is respected by all," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "I have known John for a long time. He will do an incredible job for our Country, and always put America FIRST." Arrigo has been a longtime associate of Trump's, a Business Insider report said in 2021. HOUSE GOP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE CHAIR MAKES 2026 PREDICTION Farkas, a model and philanthropist, would serve America's interests in the island nation of Malta. Farkas previously served on Trump's Commission on White House Fellowships. Somers Farkas attends New York City Police Foundation 2017 Gala at Sheraton New York on May 18, 2017 in New York City. (Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP In his announcement, Trump said she "has raised Millions of Dollars for charity, including for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Alzheimer’s Associate, Lighthouse Guild, the New York Women’s Foundation and, as a Trustee of the New York City Police Foundation where she has always BACKED THE BLUE." Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com .CHARLOTTE AMALIE, Virgin Islands (AP) — Trey Autry scored 16 points off of the bench to help lead George Washington over Illinois State 72-64 on Monday night to claim a fifth-place finish at the Paradise Jam tournament in the Virgin Islands. Autry had five rebounds for the Revolutionaries (6-1). Gerald Drumgoole Jr. scored 16 points while going 4 of 9 from the floor, including 2 for 5 from 3-point range, and 6 for 7 from the line. Darren Buchanan Jr. shot 3 of 11 from the field and 9 for 11 from the line to finish with 15 points, while adding 10 rebounds. The Redbirds (4-3) were led by Chase Walker, who posted 18 points and two steals. Johnny Kinziger added 16 points for Illinois State. Dalton Banks also had 13 points, six rebounds and two steals. Autry scored seven points in the first half and George Washington went into the break trailing 29-27. NEXT UP George Washington's next game is Friday against VMI at home, and Illinois State visits Belmont on Wednesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .By HILLEL ITALIE NEW YORK (AP) — Even through a year of nonstop news about elections, climate change, protests and the price of eggs, there was still time to read books. U.S. sales held steady according to Circana, which tracks around 85% of the print market, with many choosing the relief of romance, fantasy and romantasy. Some picked up Taylor Swift’s tie-in book to her blockbuster tour, while others sought out literary fiction, celebrity memoirs, political exposes and a close and painful look at a generation hooked on smartphones. Here are 10 notable books published in 2024, in no particular order. “House of Flame and Shadow,” by Sarah J. Maas Asking about the year’s hottest reads would basically yield a list of the biggest hits in romantasy, the blend of fantasy and romance that has proved so irresistible fans were snapping up expensive “special editions” with decorative covers and sprayed edges. Of the 25 top sellers of 2024, as compiled by Circana, six were by romantasy favorite Sarah J. Maas, including “House of Flame and Shadow,” the third of her “Crescent City” series. Millions read her latest installment about Bryce Quinlan and Hunter Athalar and traced the ever-growing ties of “Maasverse,” the overlapping worlds of “Crescent City” and her other series, “Throne of Glass” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses.” “The Anxious Generation,” by Jonathan Haidt If romantasy is for escape, other books demand we confront. In the bestselling “The Anxious Generation,” social psychologist Jonathan Haidt looks into studies finding that the mental health of young people began to deteriorate in the 2010s, after decades of progress. According to Haidt, the main culprit is right before us: digital screens that have drawn kids away from “play-based” to “phone-based” childhoods. Although some critics challenged his findings, “The Anxious Generation” became a talking point and a catchphrase. Admirers ranged from Oprah Winfrey to Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee, who in a letter to state legislators advocated such “commonsense recommendations” from the book as banning phones in schools and keeping kids off social media until age 16. “War,” by Bob Woodward Bob Woodward books have been an election tradition for decades. “War,” the latest of his highly sourced Washington insider accounts, made news with its allegations that Donald Trump had been in frequent contact with Russian leader Vladimir Putin even while out of office and, while president, had sent Putin sophisticated COVID-19 test machines. Among Woodward’s other scoops: Putin seriously considered using nuclear weapons against Ukraine, and President Joe Biden blamed former President Barack Obama, under whom he served as vice president, for some of the problems with Russia. “Barack never took Putin seriously,” Woodward quoted Biden as saying. “Melania,” by Melania Trump Former (and future) first lady Melania Trump, who gives few interviews and rarely discusses her private life, unexpectedly announced she was publishing a memoir: “Melania.” The publisher was unlikely for a former first lady — not one of the major New York houses, but Skyhorse, where authors include such controversial public figures as Woody Allen and Trump cabinet nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And its success was at least a minor surprise. Melania Trump did little publicity for the book, and offered few revelations beyond posting a video expressing support for abortion rights — a break from one of the cornerstones of GOP policy. But “Melania” still sold hundreds of thousands of copies, many in the days following her husband’s election. “The Eras Tour Book,” by Taylor Swift Taylor Swift was more than a music story in 2024. Like “Melania,” the news about Taylor Swift’s self-published tie-in to her global tour isn’t so much the book itself, but that it exists. And how well it sold. As she did with the “Eras” concert film, Swift bypassed the established industry and worked directly with a distributor: Target offered “The Eras Tour Book” exclusively. According to Circana, the “Eras” book sold more than 800,000 copies just in its opening week, an astonishing number for a publication unavailable through Amazon.com and other traditional retailers. No new book in 2024 had a better debut. “Intermezzo,” by Sally Rooney Midnight book parties are supposed to be for “Harry Potter” and other fantasy series, but this fall, more than 100 stores stayed open late to welcome one of the year’s literary events: Sally Rooney’s “Intermezzo.” The Irish author’s fourth novel centers on two brothers, their grief over the death of their father, their very different career paths and their very unsettled love lives. “Intermezzo” was also a book about chess: “You have to read a lot of opening theory — that’s the beginning of a game, the first moves,” one of the brothers explains. “And you’re learning all this for what? Just to get an okay position in the middle game and try to play some decent chess. Which most of the time I can’t do anyway.” “From Here to the Great Unknown,” by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough Lisa Marie Presley had been working on a memoir at the time of her death , in 2023, and daughter Riley Keough had agreed to help her complete it. “From Here to the Great Unknown” is Lisa Marie’s account of her father, Elvis Presley, and the sagas of of her adult life, notably her marriage to Michael Jackson and the death of son Benjamin Keough. To the end, she was haunted by the loss of Elvis, just 42 when he collapsed and died at his Graceland home while young Lisa Marie was asleep. “She would listen to his music alone, if she was drunk, and cry,” Keough, during an interview with Winfrey, said of her mother. “Cher: The Memoir, Part One,” by Cher Meanwhile, Cher released the first of two planned memoirs titled “Cher” — no further introduction required. Covering her life from birth to the end of the 1970s, she focuses on her ill-fated marriage to Sonny Bono, remembering him as a gifted entertainer and businessman who helped her believe in herself while turning out to be unfaithful, erratic, controlling and so greedy that he kept all the couple’s earnings for himself. Unsure of whether to leave or stay, she consulted a very famous divorcee, Lucille Ball, who reportedly encouraged her: “F— him, you’re the one with the talent.” “James,” by Percival Everett A trend in recent years is to take famous novels from the past, and remove words or passages that might offend modern readers; an edition of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” cuts the racist language from Mark Twain’s original text. In the most celebrated literary work of 2024, Percival Everett found a different way to take on Twain’s classic — write it from the perspective of the enslaved Jim. “James,” winner of the National Book Award, is a recasting in many ways. Everett suggests to us that the real Jim was nothing like the deferential figure known to millions of readers, but a savvy and learned man who concealed his intelligence from the whites around him, and even from Twain himself. “Knife,” by Salman Rushdie Salman Rushdie’s first National Book Award nomination was for a memoir he wished he had no reason to write. In “Knife,” he recounts in full detail the horrifying attempt on his life in 2022, when an attendee rushed the stage during a literary event in western New York and stabbed him repeatedly, leaving with him a blinded eye and lasting nerve damage, but with a spirit surprisingly intact. “If you had told me that this was going to happen and how would I deal with it, I would not have been very optimistic about my chances,” he told The Associated Press last spring. “I’m still myself, you know, and I don’t feel other than myself. But there’s a little iron in the soul, I think.”

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