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Thursday, May 8, 2025

Senator Urges DOJ To Investigate Anonymous Pizza Deliveries To Judges

 by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times,

The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee is urging federal officials to investigate pizza deliveries being made to various judges, describing them as threats.

“These deliveries are threats intended to show that those seeking to intimidate the targeted judge know the judge’s address or their family members’ addresses,” Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a May 6 letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.

The pizzas have been sent to various judges, including Supreme Court justices, and relatives of judges, including the sister of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Some deliveries were made in the name of Daniel Anderl, the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas. Anderl was murdered at his home in 2020 by a person posing as a deliveryman.

Salas, who is based in New Jersey, said during an April appearance on MSNBC that hundreds of pizzas have been sent to judges across the country, at times late at night.

“What does that say to those judges? It says, ‘I know where you live, I know where your kids live, and do you want to end up like Judge Salas, do you want to end up like her son?’” she said.

She said she was told the deliveries were under investigation.

“These incidents threaten not only judges and their families, but also judicial independence and the rule of law,” Durbin told Bondi and Patel. 

“It is imperative that the Justice Department (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigate these anonymous or pseudonymous deliveries and that those responsible be held accountable to the full extent of the law.”

Durbin said that officials should immediately launch an investigation. He said that if they have already started probing the deliveries, he requests an update on what authorities have found.

Durbin also asked that officials provide information on any steps they’ve taken to protect the judges who have received, or whose family members have received, the pizzas.

The DOJ did not respond to a request for comment.

Bondi told reporters outside the White House in Washington on Wednesday that she was just learning about the pizza deliveries.

When asked if she had a comment on the situation, she said, “Not yet, but we will.”

Bondi and Patel later held a press event announcing the arrests of more than 200 people who allegedly targeted children for sex offenses. Neither took questions after the announcement.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/senator-urges-doj-investigate-anonymous-pizza-deliveries-judges

Disney’s new Abu Dhabi theme park to cost over $10B to build — but won’t cost the company a dollar

 Disney is set to open its first new theme park in over a decade, a lavish $10 billion resort in Abu Dhabi — without investing a single dollar toward its construction.

The entertainment giant announced the landmark project on Tuesday, framing it as a historic moment on par with Disneyland’s original debut in 1955.

Disney CEO Bob Iger delivered the news during a quarterly earnings call, which he notably attended from the United Arab Emirates rather than Disney’s Burbank headquarters.

Disney is set to open its first new theme park in over a decade, a lavish $10 billion resort in Abu Dhabi.via REUTERS

“I am joining you from the United Arab Emirates, where we just announced an agreement to bring a Disney theme park to Abu Dhabi,” said Iger, describing the future park as “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati.”

The park will be located on Yas Island, an entertainment destination already hosting attractions such as Warner Bros. World, Ferrari World and SeaWorld Abu Dhabi.

All these facilities are managed by Miral, the UAE’s state-backed entertainment and leisure developer.

Under the terms of the agreement, Miral will shoulder the entire financial burden of the development, expected to exceed $10 billion, marking it potentially the most expensive Disney-branded resort ever built, according to the Status newsletter.

Disney declined to comment officially on the projected cost.

Disney’s contribution to the Abu Dhabi project lies primarily in its valuable intellectual property and creative oversight.

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (seen in black robe), the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, attended the announcement of the Disney Theme Park Resort on Yas Island.@admediaoffice/Instagram
Disney CEO Robert Iger declined to commit to an opening date for the new Abu Dhabi-based theme park.Getty Images

Its “Imagineers” — the creatives behind Disney’s immersive parks — will guide the resort’s design and branding, ensuring consistency with Disney’s global image.

Meanwhile, Miral will handle funding, development and operational duties once the park opens.

The financial arrangement presents significant advantages for Disney.

Without risking its capital, the company stands to collect licensing fees from the park’s eventual revenues.

The new theme park is strategically located in an area that is within a four-hour flight for one-third of humanity.Donna Grace/NY Post Design

This approach aligns with the company’s current strategy, emphasizing fiscal prudence amidst ongoing media sector challenges, including fluctuating box office returns and streaming uncertainties.

Disney’s parks and experiences division continues to demonstrate strong financial resilience, recently posting operating income of $2.5 billion, outstripping the company’s media and sports segments combined.

News of the Abu Dhabi venture contributed positively to Disney’s financial outlook, sending its stock price up nearly 11% following the announcement.

The Post has sought comment from Disney.

https://nypost.com/2025/05/08/business/disneys-new-abu-dhabi-theme-park-to-cost-over-10b-to-build-but-company-wont-pay-a-dollar/

Intellia First Quarter 2025 Financial Results, Recent Company Progress

Intellia Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NTLA) reported its Q1 2025 financial results and clinical progress. The company is advancing three key Phase 3 trials: HAELO study for hereditary angioedema (HAE), MAGNITUDE-2 for hereditary ATTR amyloidosis with polyneuropathy, and MAGNITUDE for ATTR with cardiomyopathy. Financial highlights include a cash position of $707.1M expected to fund operations into H1 2027, though this represents a decrease from $861.7M in Q4 2024. Q1 revenue was $16.6M, down from $28.9M year-over-year, with a net loss of $114.3M. Clinical milestones include completing HAELO study enrollment in Q3 2025, presenting additional NTLA-2002 Phase 1 data at EAACI Congress in June, and sharing longer-term data for both ATTR-CM and ATTRv-PN patients in H2 2025. The company's lead programs utilize CRISPR-based gene editing technology delivered through lipid nanoparticles.

GoodRx Raised EBITDA Guidance

 Analyst Daniel Grosslight of Citi maintained a Buy rating on GoodRx Holdings (GDRX – Research Report), retaining the price target of $6.75.

Daniel Grosslight’s rating is based on GoodRx Holdings’ strong financial performance in the first quarter of 2025, which exceeded expectations in several key areas. The company’s revenue increased by 2.6% year-over-year, aligning with guidance and surpassing both Citi and consensus estimates. Notably, the adjusted EBITDA showed significant improvement, expanding by 266 basis points year-over-year and exceeding the high end of guidance by approximately $2 million.

https://www.tipranks.com/news/ratings/strong-q1-2025-performance-and-raised-ebitda-guidance-justify-buy-rating-for-goodrx-holdings

Xeris guidance above views

 Achieved record quarterly and full-year total revenue of $60M and $203M, growing 35% and 24% versus prior year

Recorlev® revenue more than doubled versus prior year and grew 28% in the fourth quarter sequentially

Ended Q4 with over $71M in cash, generating $2M in cash in the fourth quarter

Provides full-year 2025 total revenue guidance of $255M-$275M, representing a growth of over 30% at the mid-point of the range

Hosting conference call and webcast today at 8:30 a.m. ET

Xeris will host a conference call and webcast at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time today to discuss the Company's financial and operational results. To pre-register for the conference call, please use the following link: https://www.netroadshow.com/events/login?show=ecd4fc1e&confId=76382

After registering, a confirmation email will be sent, including dial-in details and a unique code for entry. The Company recommends registering a minimum of ten minutes prior to the start of the call. Following the conference call, a replay will be available until Thursday, March 20, 2025 at US:1 929 458 6194, US Toll Free: 1 866 813 9403, UK: 0204 525 0658, Canada: 1 226 828 7578, or all other locations: +44 204 525 0658 Access Code: 694296.

To join the webcast, please visit “Events” on investor relations page of the Company’s website at www.xerispharma.com.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250306430605/en/Xeris-Biopharma-Delivers-Record-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2024-Results-and-Announces-2025-Guidance

US, Russia Discussing Restoring Gas Flows To Europe As Key To Grand Ukraine Deal

 The Trump administration is pushing forward with seeking to forge a peace deal in Ukraine, despite recent warnings it could give up trying to mediate if progress isn't made, as well as seeking to repair bilateral US-Russia relations.

"With a frost covering Europe's energy relations with Russia, officials from Washington and Moscow have held discussions about the U.S. helping to revive Russian gas sales to the continent," Reuters has cited eight sources to say.

Europe, other than a couple holdout countries like Hungary and Slovakia, drastically slashed its Russian gas imports soon after February 2022 and the start of the Ukraine war. Gazprom subsequently posted a $7 billion loss in 2023.

Russian gas coming back online to the continent is being presented as a key incentive by Washington:

Sources close to the bilateral discussions said carving out a renewed role for Moscow in the European Union's gas market could help cement a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Though much of Europe has sought alternative supply, some buyers have remained, and industry officials say more could return once a peace deal is agreed.

As Russia's economy was hit hard the loss of most of Europe's gas market three years ago, it has increasingly solidified its partnership and dependence on China for energy and industrial trade.

We reported earlier Thursday that Presidents Xi and Putin discussed Russia's Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project in Moscow ahead of Victory Day events. However, Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak specified the two leaders avoided the somewhat contentious question of avoiding the pipeline's transit through Mongolia. Russia plans to boost supplies of oil, gas, and LNG to ChinaBloomberg has noted Thursday.

Russia currently supplies 19% of Europe's demand, mostly LNG, down from 40% in terms of prewar levels.

As for progress on Ukraine peace, Vice President JD Vance just offered some thoughts in Munich:

Washington wants to move away from the “obsession” with a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Ukraine, US Vice President J.D. Vance has said. The US is more interested in shaping a durable peace agreement with Moscow, he told a Munich Leaders Meeting on Wednesday.

Ukraine had floated a one-month ceasefire as a counter to Russia’s 72-hour truce proposal to mark the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

However, Moscow has rejected Kiev’s plan, arguing that Ukrainian troops, which have been on the backfoot for months, would use it to regroup and strengthen their military posture.

Vance stressed that the US remains interested in a “long-term settlement” of the conflict rather than a short-term one

“We've tried to move beyond the obsession with the 30-day ceasefire and more on the what would the long-term settlement look like? And we've tried to consistently advance the ball,” the vice president said, warning the Russians to make the necessary concessions. 

Source: ember-energy.org

“Certainly, the first peace offer that the Russians put on the table, our reaction to it was you’re asking for too much,” he said. “But this is how negotiations unfold.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/us-russia-discussing-restoring-gas-flows-europe-key-grand-ukraine-deal

FDA Approves Verastem Combo for Ovarian Cancer

 AVMAPKI plus FAKZYNJA to be commercially available by prescription as a convenient oral combination co-packaged together and will be known as “AVMAPKI FAKZYNJA CO-PACK”

Accelerated approval, well ahead of the June 30, 2025 PDUFA action date, was based on the Phase 2 RAMP 201 study that demonstrated a 44% overall response rate in patients with KRAS mutant recurrent LGSOC

Verastem to host investor conference call and webcast today at 2:30 pm ET

Verastem will hold an investor conference call and webcast today at 2:30 pm ET, to discuss the FDA approval of AVMAPKI FAKZYNJA CO-PACK. To access the conference call, please dial (844) 763-8274 (local) or (412) 717-9224 (international) at least 10 minutes prior to the start time and ask to be joined into the Verastem Oncology conference call. A live audio webcast of the call, along with accompanying slides, will be accessible under “Events & Presentations” in the Investors & Media section of the Company’s website at www.verastem.com.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250508131607/en/FDA-Approves-the-AVMAPKI-FAKZYNJA-Combination-Therapy-as-the-First-Ever-Treatment-for-Adult-Patients-with-KRAS-mutated-Recurrent-Low-Grade-Serous-Ovarian-Cancer