Climate-threatened nations stage protest at COP29 over contentious deal(The Center Square) – Christians helped push President-elect Donald Trump across the finish line on Election Day, a survey found. Trump received the majority of the Christian vote, while Vice President Kamala Harris received the majority of the non-Christian vote. This is according to a report from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University, which surveyed 2,000 voting-age adults nationally. The election was a historic comeback for Republicans on many fronts, with Trump being the first Republican to win the popular vote vote in over two decades. Among self-identified Christians, Trump also received 56% of their votes, compared to the 60% Harris received from non-Christians. Yet, because the majority of voters still identify as Christians, Trump had a larger share of the vote. “Although Harris won a larger share of the non-Christian vote than Trump’s share of the Christian votes, Christians outnumbered non-Christian voters by more than a 5 to 2 margin – delivering the decisive Nov. 5 victory to President Trump,” the report said. “Not only did most of Trump’s votes come from Christians, but they gave him a 17 million vote cushion over Harris, which proved to be an insurmountable lead.” Christians represented 72% of the voters who turned out. The report also found that Catholics had record-high turnout, despite overall voter and Christian voter turnout being well below what it was in 2020. While voter turnout was lower than 2020 in most of the Christian subgroups polled, 70% of Catholics reported voting compared to 2020’s 67%. Voters with a “biblical worldview” also voted at a higher percentage, up to 67% in 2024 from 2020’s 64%. Just days before the election, Trump predicted that Harris would struggle with the Catholic vote on Election Day. “Kamala Harris has finally lost the Catholic vote,” he said on social media on Oct. 25. “Her and the Democrats persecution of the Catholic Church is unprecedented! Her poll numbers have dropped like a rock, both with Catholics, and otherwise.” While many politicos expressed concerns that Trump’s moderate pro-life stance would disenfranchise Christian and anti-abortion voters, it seems to have much less of an impact than expected. In fact, Trump pointed to Harris’ abortion stance as pushing Catholics toward voting for him. “Kamala is demanding late-term abortion, in months seven, eight, and nine, and even execution after birth, and people aren’t buying it – and they never will,” the former president said . The report found that 20% of Christians selected abortion as the most-consequential issue this election, with inflation (38%) and immigration (34%) receiving even higher percentages. Yet, potentially even more impactful on the election than the increase in the Catholic vote was the significant drop in non-Christian turnout, even higher than those reported in Christian subgroups. The report found that adults “associated with a faith other than Christianity” and “adults who have no religious faith” had a massive drop in turnout from 2020, dropping 12% and 9% respectively. With both of these groups historically supporting Democratic candidates, this cratering in support likely had a significant impact on Harris’ chances of winning. George Barna, who serves as the director of research at the Cultural Research Center and led the survey, said Trump’s boost with Christians was just too much for Harris. “Americans forget that two-thirds of adults in this nation consider themselves to be Christians,” Barna said . “Donald Trump, for all of his perceived and ridiculed faults, did a better job than did Kamala Harris of representing hallowed Christian characteristics such as the importance and support of family, the rule of law, limited government authority, financial responsibility, and the like.”
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Proceeds to be used primarily to acquire bitcoin and repurchase existing convertible notes due 2026 Fort Lauderdale, FL, Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MARA Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MARA) (“MARA” or the “Company”), a global leader in leveraging digital asset compute to support the energy transformation, today announced the closing on December 4, 2024 of its offering of 0.00% convertible senior notes due 2031 (the “notes”). The aggregate principal amount of the notes sold in the offering was $850 million. MARA also granted the initial purchasers an option to purchase an additional $150 million aggregate principal amount of the notes within a 13-day period beginning on, and including, the date on which the notes were first issued. The notes were sold in a private offering to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The net proceeds from the sale of the notes were approximately $835.1 million, after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts and commissions but before estimated offering expenses payable by MARA. MARA expects to use approximately $48 million of the net proceeds from the sale of the notes to repurchase approximately $51 million in aggregate principal amount of its existing convertible notes due 2026 (the “existing 2026 convertible notes”) in privately negotiated transactions with the remainder of the net proceeds to be used to acquire additional bitcoin and for general corporate purposes, which may include working capital, strategic acquisitions, expansion of existing assets, and repayment of additional debt and other outstanding obligations. The notes are unsecured, senior obligations of MARA. The notes will not bear regular interest and the principal amount of the notes will not accrete. MARA may pay special interest, if any, at its election as the sole remedy for failure to comply with its reporting obligations and under certain other circumstances, each pursuant to the indenture. Special interest, if any, on the notes will be payable semi-annually in arrears on June 1 and December 1 of each year, beginning on June 1, 2025 (if and to the extent that special interest is then payable on the notes). The notes will mature on June 1, 2031, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted in accordance with their terms. Subject to certain conditions, on or after June 5, 2029, MARA may redeem for cash all or any portion of the notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid special interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, if the last reported sale price of MARA’s common stock has been at least 130% of the conversion price then in effect for a specified period of time ending on, and including, the trading day immediately before the date MARA provides the notice of redemption. If MARA redeems fewer than all the outstanding notes, at least $75 million aggregate principal amount of notes must be outstanding and not subject to redemption as of the relevant redemption notice date. Holders of notes may require MARA to repurchase for cash all or any portion of their notes on June 4, 2027 and on June 4, 2029 or upon the occurrence of certain events that constitute a fundamental change under the indenture governing the notes at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid special interest, if any, to, but excluding, the date of repurchase. In connection with certain corporate events or if MARA calls any note for redemption, it will, under certain circumstances, be required to increase the conversion rate for holders who elect to convert their notes in connection with such corporate event or notice of redemption. The notes are convertible into cash, shares of MARA’s common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of MARA’s common stock, at MARA’s election. Prior to March 1, 2031, the notes are convertible only upon the occurrence of certain events and during certain periods, and thereafter, at any time until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date. The conversion rate for the notes is initially 28.9159 shares of MARA’s common stock per $1,000 principal amount of notes, which is equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $34.5830 per share. The initial conversion price of the notes represents a premium of approximately 40.0% over the U.S. composite volume weighted average price of MARA’s common stock from 2:00 p.m. through 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, December 2, 2024, which was $24.7022. The conversion rate is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events. In connection with any repurchase of the existing 2026 convertible notes, MARA expects that holders of the existing 2026 convertible notes who agree to have their notes repurchased and who have hedged their equity price risk with respect to such notes (the “hedged holders”) will unwind all or part of their hedge positions by buying MARA’s common stock and/or entering into or unwinding various derivative transactions with respect to MARA’s common stock. The amount of MARA’s common stock to be purchased by the hedged holders or in connection with such derivative transactions may be substantial in relation to the historic average daily trading volume of MARA’s common stock. This activity by the hedged holders could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of MARA’s common stock, including concurrently with the pricing of the notes, resulting in a higher effective conversion price of the notes. MARA cannot predict the magnitude of such market activity or the overall effect it will have on the price of the notes or MARA’s common stock. The notes were sold to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act. The offer and sale of the notes and the shares of MARA’s common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes, if any, have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and the notes and any such shares may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. The offering of the notes was made only by means of a private offering memorandum. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, the notes, nor shall there be any sale of the notes in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Nothing in this press release shall be deemed an offer to purchase MARA’s existing 2026 convertible notes. About MARA MARA (NASDAQ:MARA) is a global leader in digital asset compute that develops and deploys innovative technologies to build a more sustainable and inclusive future. MARA secures the world’s preeminent blockchain ledger and supports the energy transformation by converting clean, stranded, or otherwise underutilized energy into economic value. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to MARA’s use of the net proceeds of the offering. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including the factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of MARA’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 28, 2024, as amended on May 24, 2024, the “Risk Factors” section of MARA’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on August 1, 2024, the “Risk Factors” section of MARA’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on November 12, 2024 and the risks described in other filings that MARA may make from time to time with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and MARA specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. MARA Company Contact: Telephone: 800-804-1690 Email: [email protected] Facebook Mail "Enshittification" - a term that describes the gradual decline of a product or service, such as social media, when companies prioritise profit over user experience - has been named the 2024 Word of the Year by the Macquarie Dictionary . The dictionary has been choosing a Word of the Year since 2006 and usually lands on a term that has gained widespread social and cultural significance. Last year's word was "Cossie livs", a play on "cost of living". READ MORE: Heavy fog impacts dozens of flights at Melbourne Airport Macquarie Dictionary has named "Enshittification" as its Word of the Year for 2024. (Fairfax) While "enshittification" may not roll off the tongue or have widespread colloquial recognition, it certainly applies to most people, according to the Macquarie Dictionary committee. The committee said the word "captures what many of us feel is happening to the world and to so many aspects of our lives at the moment". "All the streaming channels are making you pay more extra to not have ads is the perfect example of enshittification," Macquarie Dictionary managing editor Victoria Morgan told 3AW. "It's usually associated with (making money). "They get the customer base in and everyone is pretty happy but then they (try) and find a quick way to make money." READ MORE: Famous department store says worker hid up to $236 million in expenses The decline of social media services has been pointed to as one example of "enshittification". (Getty) 'Right to disconnect' makes the shortlist Other notable mentions from the committee included the "right to disconnect", which refers to the right for employees to be uncontactable during non-work hours. "Rawdogging" also made the list, which describes the act of taking a long flight without electronic entertainment, devices, or reading material. Shortlisted words included "brainrot", used to describe internet content deemed to be of low quality or value and "sigma", a slang term that refers to a person who is independent and self-sufficient and who prefers to be alone. The Australian National Dictionary Centre, based at the Australian National University, announced last week, that " Colesworth " - a blended word referencing the country's largest supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths was chosen as its word of the year. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .