Today, the conservative majority on the United States Supreme Court ruled that states can effectively defund Planned Parenthood, the country's largest provider of reproductive health care. In a 63 ruling, the court changed federal law allowing states to unilaterally cut off all Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood simply on the basis that it provides abortion care. Now, to be clear, abortion makes up only 3%. Abortion care only makes up 3% of Planned Parenthood services.It is a crucial 3% but it's 3%. T ...

SIKA ACQUIRES RENOWNED CONSTRUCTION CHEMICALS COMPANY IN QATAR Sika has acquired Gulf Additive Factory LLC in the State of Qatar. The company manufactures a wide range of construction chemical products and has a strong standing in the fast-growing Qatar construction market. The acquisition strengthens Sika’s foothold in the country and provides exciting opportunities for further expansion. Gulf Additive Factory LLC (GAF) is renowned for its high-quality solutions and profound technical expertise. An extensi ...

Event Overview - Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez are holding a three-day wedding celebration in Venice [1] - The wedding is attracting significant media attention and a large number of high-profile guests [1][2][3] - The welcome party is being held at the cloisters behind the Madonna Delorto [4] Guests and Attendees - Notable guests include Bill Gates, the Kardashians, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Brady, Usher, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Oprah Winfrey, Gail King, and Orlando Bloom [3] - President Trump was invited but is not attending due to scheduling conflicts [3] - Approximately 200 of Bezos and Sanchez's closest friends are expected to attend [2] Protests and Public Sentiment - Small protests have occurred, with protesters criticizing Bezos and wealth inequality [6][7] - Protesters displayed banners and an inflatable Jeff Bezos in an Amazon box [6][7] - Some Venetians are not bothered by the event, especially given Bezos's donation to the city [7] Economic Impact and Philanthropy - Bezos and Sanchez are making a "hefty investment" in Venice through hotels, venues, and local vendors [8] - Bezos has donated €3 million (approximately $3.2 million USD based on current exchange rates) to three local institutions [8] - The donations will benefit a lagoon ecosystem research organization, UNESCO's local office, and the Venice International University [9] City Preparedness - Venice is experienced in managing large events, including papal visits and G20/G7 summits [5] - The city is accustomed to handling complex events with large crowds [5] - The deputy mayor views the protests as opportunistic attempts to gain attention [6]

Canada passes law fast-tracking 'nation building' projects to counter Trump https://t.co/1CIafwruVV ...

From @WSJopinion: Trump is imposing tariffs in the name of national security, but they will undercut his proposed defense buildup by reducing supply of the materials most critical to building the weapons, write Phil Gramm and Donald J. Boudreaux https://t.co/pVSYl9PkWa ...

Creating a Premier Energy and Industrial Solutions Provider June 26th, 2025 Disclaimers Forward-Looking Statements This presentation includes "forward-looking statements" as defined under the federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact included or incorporated by reference in this presentation, including, among other things, statements regarding the proposed business combination transaction between DNOW Inc. ("DNOW") and MRC Global Inc. ("MRC"), future events, plans and ...

Summary of MRC Global and DNOW Merger Conference Call Company and Industry Overview - **Companies Involved**: MRC Global (MRC) and DNOW - **Industry**: Energy and Industrial Solutions Key Points and Arguments 1. **Merger Announcement**: The merger between DNOW and MRC Global is described as a transformational combination aimed at creating a premier energy and industrial solutions provider, enhancing long-term sustainable growth and shareholder value [4][5][6] 2. **Transaction Structure**: The merger is structured as an all-stock transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $3 billion. MRC Global shareholders will receive 0.9489 shares of DNOW common stock for each share of MRC Global common stock [7][8] 3. **Ownership Post-Merger**: Upon closing, DNOW and MRC Global shareholders will own approximately 56.5% of the combined company on a fully diluted basis [7] 4. **Expected Synergies**: The merger is expected to generate annual run rate pretax synergies of $70 million within three years, primarily from public company costs, corporate and IT systems, and operational efficiencies [7][23] 5. **Financial Strength**: The combined company anticipates starting with revenues of approximately $5.3 billion and expects the transaction to be accretive to adjusted EPS in the first year following the close [13][22] 6. **Geographic and Product Expansion**: The merger will enhance the geographic footprint and product offerings, allowing the combined company to serve customers globally across more than 350 service and distribution locations [14][15] 7. **Customer-Centric Approach**: Both companies emphasize a customer-first mindset, aiming to leverage their combined strengths to better serve existing customers and attract new ones [29][30] 8. **Capital Structure and Liquidity**: The combined entity will have over $200 million in cash and a $500 million revolving credit facility, with additional commitments to expand the credit facility by $250 million at the close of the merger [8][27] 9. **Integration Strategy**: The focus will be on retaining top talent and driving revenue growth through cross-selling opportunities, with branch network efficiencies evaluated as integration progresses [58][60] Additional Important Content 1. **Regulatory Approval**: The companies do not anticipate regulatory issues, believing the merger will enhance customer choice and service capabilities [49] 2. **Cost Savings**: The expected cost savings will come from systems consolidation, distribution network optimization, and operational efficiencies, although specific integration costs have not yet been estimated [23][50] 3. **Long-Term Value Creation**: The merger is positioned to create long-term value through disciplined capital allocation, including organic growth investments, share repurchases, and potential future M&A [58][27] 4. **Market Opportunities**: The combined company aims to penetrate growing sectors such as alternative energy, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and mining, leveraging each company's strengths [20][19] This summary encapsulates the key points discussed during the conference call regarding the merger between MRC Global and DNOW, highlighting the strategic rationale, expected benefits, and future outlook for the combined entity.

Constitutional & Legal Issues - The Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war, while the President serves as commander-in-chief during a declared war [2] - Significant legal debate exists regarding what constitutes a "war" domestically, considering duration and goals [2][3] - International law considerations include assessing intelligence to determine if military action was a defensive maneuver, involved an imminent threat, and was a proportional response [3] - The White House is limiting intelligence sharing with Congress, raising concerns about transparency and oversight [4] Checks and Balances & Congressional Oversight - Concerns are raised that the current administration believes Congress has no role in reviewing executive actions, mirroring arguments made in courts [6] - Traditionally, presidents from both parties have briefed Congress on intelligence matters, highlighting the current administration's deviation from this practice [7][8] - Congress has been abdicating its responsibility regarding war powers since World War II, the last time a formal declaration of war occurred [13] - The lack of accountability after military action, specifically regarding providing information to assess the legality under international law, is a key concern [23] International Law Considerations - Under international law, a country can act in self-defense or collective self-defense if there is imminent harm, the action is necessary, and the response is proportional [21][22] - Determining whether a military strike violates international law requires access to pre-strike intelligence [23]

THERE IS SOME DEBATE OVER IT. TIM: DAMIEN JOINS US. I WANT TO START A LITTLE BIT BACK IN TIME.THE QUESTIONS OVER THE VACCINE SCHEDULE ABOUT YOUNG KIDS. YOU LOOK AT THIS THING, YOUR DOCTOR LOOKS AT THIS THING, THESE ARE THE RECOMMENDED VACCINES AT THIS AGE. THEY WORK IN TANDEM WITH THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS.WHAT IS HAPPENING IN WASHINGTON RIGHT NOW. IT IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED, BUT FOR MOST PEOPLE YOU GO TO YOUR PEDIATRICIAN WITH WHAT THEY TELL YOU. THE GROUP OF CDC ADVISORS ARE REOPENING TH ...

Is five year agreement, right. That gives the nuclear company access to to warp speed to a platform. And Jonathan, I'll start with you.What is it that this software platform and technology allows you to do or what does it allow you to accelerate. Yeah, great question. We have built two reactors in this country in the last 30 years, and the last two we built were down in Georgia.We had 10,000 people on that construction site at peak and hundreds of thousands of pages of documents with the full force and weig ...