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Afternoon Briefing: Indiana-Illinois border bill heads to Gov. Braun's desk

Afternoon Briefing: Indiana-Illinois border bill heads to Gov. Braun's desk

Yahoo18-04-2025
Good afternoon, Chicago.
With final approval by the Indiana House yesterday, the Indiana-Illinois border bill passed both chambers of the Indiana legislature and heads to Gov. Mike Braun's desk for signature into law. Braun intends to sign the bill, said governor's office spokesman Griffin Reid.
House Bill 1008, authored by Speaker Todd Huston, would establish a commission to research the possibility of adjusting the boundaries between the two states.
Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
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Bioethicists and conservationists are expressing unease with the kind of scientific research being pioneered by Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based company on a mission to bring back extinct animals. Read more here.
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Since recreational cannabis was legalized in Illinois starting in 2020, sales of the drug have increased to $2 billion a year. The holiday this year has morphed into a weekendlong cultural celebration and a marketing event for businesses. Read more here.
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Sometimes the planets mysteriously align and the top executives of our five legacy sports teams endure a crisis or two at the same time. This is one of those occasions. Read more here.
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'Welcome to the Show' has been filling the backroom of The Getaway since its first episode last summer. Read more here.
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Students dropped off balloons, candles and teddy bears at a memorial this morning near Florida State University's student union. A 20-year-old opened fire Thursday on the campus, killing two men and wounding six others. Read more here.
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10,000 pages of records about Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 assassination are released, on Trump's order
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Kinly Merges with Yorktel to Accelerate Global Growth and Expand Managed Services and Systems Integration Portfolios
Kinly Merges with Yorktel to Accelerate Global Growth and Expand Managed Services and Systems Integration Portfolios

Business Wire

time27 minutes ago

  • Business Wire

Kinly Merges with Yorktel to Accelerate Global Growth and Expand Managed Services and Systems Integration Portfolios

BUSINESS WIRE)-- Yorktel, a New Jersey-based global AV systems integrator and managed services provider, today announced it has signed an agreement to combine with Kinly, a global AV and UCC integration firm headquartered in Amsterdam, to merge the two firms into a premier workplace experience and collaboration provider with unparalleled reach. This strategic merger will significantly accelerate global growth and expand next-generation systems integration capabilities with a larger talent base and portfolio of managed services and technology offerings. 'This acquisition is an intentional step forward to grow with purpose and is an example of what is still to come as we pursue our strategy and deliver advanced solutions to our global clients,' said Ken Scaturro, CEO of Yorktel. The addition of Kinly's operations, workforce, and client base will enhance Yorktel's ability to meet the evolving needs of enterprise and public sector clients and provide a world-class customer experience across the globe. With complementary cultures and a shared commitment to service excellence, the planned integration strengthens Yorktel's position as a trusted partner in digital workplace transformation while bringing additional capabilities and capacity to Kinly customers worldwide. 'This acquisition is an intentional step forward to grow with purpose and is an example of what is still to come as we pursue our strategy and deliver advanced solutions to our global clients,' said Ken Scaturro, CEO of Yorktel. 'We are committed to leading the next wave of agentic transformation — simplifying operations, reducing complexity, and empowering organizations to work smarter all while improving the customer experience.' 'Merging with Yorktel marks an exciting next chapter for our team and customers,' said Tom Martin, CEO of Kinly. 'Our organizations are aligned in values, strategy, and a relentless focus on delivering exceptional outcomes for our clients. Together, we will drive innovation, provide great opportunities to our employees and partners, and create even more value in a rapidly changing collaboration market.' Together, the merged company will serve over 2,500 clients across 27 global locations, with more than 1,600 employees, including 900+ industry-specialist accreditations. This expanded scale elevates the ability to deliver truly global managed services, from on-site support and proactive monitoring to remote management, cloud voice, and AV lifecycle services, with greater consistency, capacity, and speed. Clients will benefit from broader geographic coverage, unified service operations, and an enhanced portfolio of AV, UCC, and UCaaS solutions, all backed by a commitment to ISO-certified security practices. 'We are proud to support the combination of Yorktel and Kinly, allowing both companies to be more relevant and valuable to their customers through their combined offerings in the continuously evolving AV space,' said Carlo Padovano, Partner at OEP. 'Yorktel's scaled North American and global footprint is perfectly complemented by Kinly's extensive European base. Combined with their joint Asia Pacific capabilities, this creates unmatched global delivery,' added Otavio Birman, Principal at OEP. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory and other approvals. About Yorktel With over 40 years of experience supporting Fortune Global 1000 companies and top government agencies, Yorktel is a trusted global systems integrator and managed services provider. As a founding pioneer of managed services in the video communications industry, we deliver AI-driven collaboration technology solutions, next-gen global integration, and holistic managed services to transform digital workplaces, optimize technology estates, maximize productivity, and reduce costs. For more information, visit About Kinly Kinly is a leading AV and UCC systems integrator and the largest in Europe. It has over 25 years' experience, and an international reach with 19 offices across EMEA, US and APAC. Kinly specializes in complex AV integration, UCC, corporate communications, workspace management, corporate communications, events and managed services. From small installations to global digital transformations, Kinly collaborates with the world's leading organizations to deliver their workplace ambitions with a unique and unrivalled service built on core pillars of innovation, security and quality, as well as a commitment to responsibly designed solutions. About One Equity Partners One Equity Partners ('OEP') is a middle market private equity firm focused on the industrial, healthcare, and technology sectors in North America and Europe. The firm seeks to build market-leading companies by identifying and executing transformative business combinations. OEP is a trusted partner with a differentiated investment process, a broad and senior team, and an established track record generating long-term value for its partners. Since 2001, the firm has completed more than 400 transactions worldwide. OEP, founded in 2001, spun out of JP Morgan in 2015. The firm has offices in New York, Chicago, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. For more information, please visit

OPTIA ® and Patero Launch Industry's First Post-Quantum-Enabled GPU Compute Platform for Defense and Edge Applications
OPTIA ® and Patero Launch Industry's First Post-Quantum-Enabled GPU Compute Platform for Defense and Edge Applications

Business Wire

time27 minutes ago

  • Business Wire

OPTIA ® and Patero Launch Industry's First Post-Quantum-Enabled GPU Compute Platform for Defense and Edge Applications

ALTOONA, Pa. & COLLEGE PARK, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- OPTIA, a provider of ruggedized, high-performance GPU compute platforms, and Patero, a pioneer in post-quantum cryptography, today announced a joint solution that embeds Patero's CryptoQoR ™ encryption suite into OPTIA's NVIDIA-based systems — delivering the world's first PQC-enabled GPU server for mission-critical defense and commercial applications. With the integration of Patero's quantum-safe cryptography, OPTIA devices can now protect inbound and outbound data streams against both present-day cyber threats and future quantum attacks. Share Designed to support the compute-intensive needs of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and built for deployment in tactical conditions, OPTIA's portable systems are widely used for AI/ML acceleration, tactical edge analytics, and C5ISR workloads. With the integration of Patero's quantum-safe cryptography, OPTIA devices can now protect inbound and outbound data streams against both present-day cyber threats and future quantum attacks. 'This is a first-of-its-kind platform — a tactical NVIDIA GPU server with quantum-resilient protection,' said James Elder, BD Director of OPTIA, ' A pre-integrated and packaged solution delivers high-performance compute without compromising data security, no matter the threat surface or operating environment.' Defense-Grade Security, Future-Ready Architecture The combined offering aligns directly with: Executive Order 14028 – Mandating zero-trust cybersecurity architecture for federal and defense systems. National Security Memo 10 – Requiring federal agencies to begin transition to quantum-resistant cryptography. Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiatives – Demanding secure, interoperable compute at the edge. 'Whether it's battlefield intelligence, secure video feeds, or edge AI inference — when it leaves the OPTIA server, it leaves encrypted with Patero's PQC,' said Peter Bentley, COO of Patero. 'This isn't future capability — this is real, field-ready quantum security.' Key Features & Market Differentiators 1st PQC-Enabled NVIDIA GPU Server for military, industrial, and public sector use Rugged and Portable supporting forward-deployable and austere environments End-to-End Encrypted Streams for AI/ML, ISR, logistics, and robotics workloads Aligned with DoD, DHS, and NSA PQ migration guidance Joint Market Execution OPTIA and Patero is co-developing a portfolio of secure bundles and form factors that jointly address expanding opportunities across: Defense Programs –C5ISR, AI/ML/LLM model deployment, and situational awareness Secure Infrastructure – Cities, Smart ports, airports, and energy sectors Industrial AI – Manufacturing, logistics, and autonomous platforms About OPTIA United Computer Products Co., Inc. (UCP) is the Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) for OPTIA ® brand C5ISR hardware capabilities, providing the latest technology for portable GPU servers, workstations, and storage devices. Since 2000, UCP has worked with DoD and Intelligence agencies to solve high-performance computer processing and data storage challenges. Designed for mobility and durability, and optimized for high performance, OPTIA solutions are engineered for AI/ML/LLM acceleration, sensor collection and fusion, demanding processing and analytics, and data management and dissemination. OPTIA solutions provide high performance over extended periods in battlefield environments. For more information about OPTIA offerings, please contact Jim Elder at About Patero Patero, a network security company, is a leader in quantum secure communications. Patero's solution delivers end-to-end protection for critical infrastructure, federal, and DoD networks. Its hybrid post-quantum security solution hybridizes classic encryption with NIST's next-generation quantum-resistant encryption algorithms to protect data-in-motion today from steal now, decrypt later and future direct decryption attacks while cloaking network endpoints from discovery by would-be attackers. Patero is privately held and based in the Quantum Startup Foundry at the University of Maryland, College Park. For more information, visit For investment opportunities, contact company CEO Crick Waters at crick@ Learn more at

Here are Tuesday's biggest analyst calls: Nvidia, Tesla, Chipotle, Starbucks, Micron, Five Below, American Express, Palo Alto & more
Here are Tuesday's biggest analyst calls: Nvidia, Tesla, Chipotle, Starbucks, Micron, Five Below, American Express, Palo Alto & more

CNBC

time28 minutes ago

  • CNBC

Here are Tuesday's biggest analyst calls: Nvidia, Tesla, Chipotle, Starbucks, Micron, Five Below, American Express, Palo Alto & more

Here are Tuesday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Goldman Sachs upgrades Clearwater Analytics to buy from neutral Goldman said the software company is well positioned for growth. "We upgrade Clearwater (CWAN) to Buy from Neutral and maintain our 12-month price target of $27 (37% upside)." Goldman Sachs initiates Uranium Energy as buy Goldman said it's bullish on shares of the "pure-play, US-based uranium mining company." "We initiate coverage of Uranium Energy Corp (UEC) with a Buy rating with ~30% implied upside to our 12-month price target of $13." Piper Sandler upgrades Chipotle to overweight from neutral Piper said the risk-reward is too attractive to ignore. "We are upgrading shares of CMG to Overweight, from Neutral prior. We particularly like the Risk-Reward because we can get to ~20% upside in a Base Case that revolves around comping +3.0% for the next two years." Read more. Morgan Stanley upgrades to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley upgraded the work management software company following earnings. "Moving upmarket, expanding to multi-product and shifting to a sales-led growth motion comes with risk, but also comes from a position of strength and represents a large and compelling opportunity. We think can successfully navigate most of these major changes." Read more. Bank of America reiterates Nvidia as buy Bank of America said it's sticking with the stock following reports of a favorable deal for Nvidia to receive chip export licenses. "Busy period of interactions between the US Government (USG)/White House (WH) and major US chipmakers. The critical nature of semis is likely to enhance these interactions that will continue to be both positive and a headwind/source of volatility. Recent news involves: 15% potential tax/levy on sales of specific AI chips in return for China approvals: a net positive and we maintain Buys on NVDA, AMD." BMO initiates Assurant as outperform BMO said it sees "hefty positive EPS revisions" for the insurance company. "We're initiating on Assurant with an Outperform rating and $238 target price." Morgan Stanley upgrades Resideo Technologies to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said the home security products and systems company has underappreciated execution. "We are upgrading REZI to OW (from EW) with a new $35 price target, implying 27% upside from current prices." RBC initiates GDS Holdings as outperform RBC said the IT services company is a data center beneficiary. "We believe GDS has potential to outperform its peers given its positioning in a stabilizing Chinese datacenter market and strong demand prospects internationally." Baird upgrades Starbucks to outperform from neutral Baird said the turnaround is underway at Starbucks. "We continue to have high conviction that turnaround strategies under new leadership will be effective in transforming Starbucks into a better company, and we expect visibility to this outcome to become increasingly clear over the next several quarters." Read more. Loop upgrades Five Below to buy from hold Loop said investors are underestimating the company's earnings power. 'We are upgrading Five Below to a Buy from a Hold rating while raising our price target to $165 from $130. We believe the market is vastly underestimating Five Below's near-term earnings power given the company's recent merchandising and pricing changes under newlyminted CEO Winnie Park." JPMorgan reiterates Micron as overweight The firm said it's sticking with Micron following its preannouncement on Monday and raised its price target to $185 per share from $165. "Overall, the team believes they are well positioned for FY26 and CY26. With solid cost execution and improving supply/demand fundamentals, we anticipate continued improvement in gross margin (GM) and earnings power in 2025 and into 2026. We are increasing our estimates and increasing our PT from $165 to $185. We maintain our OW rating." Stephens initiates SailPoint as overweight Stephens said the identity security company is a new top pick. "We are designating shares of SailPoint as our Best Idea. Our positive stance is driven by: (1) our continued positive outlook for the identity security market; (2) our view that SailPoint is well-positioned as an identity security market leader and strategic platform provider..." Bank of America reiterates American Express as buy The firm said it's bullish on the refresh of the company's Platinum card series. "We maintain our Buy rating on American Express ( AXP) ahead of its upcoming fall U.S Platinum Card refresh. Based on our analysis of the last two U.S. Platinum card refreshes, investors should expect a one-time bump in variable consumer engagement costs (VCE) and an improvement in attrition rates." Piper Sandler upgrades Palo Alto Networks to overweight from neutral Piper said it sees a slew of positive catalysts ahead for Palo Alto Networks. "Success with platformization and a more stable cadence of FCF leverage should allow for the company to sustain a low-teens growth rate through CY'29 while increasing FCF margins, underpinning our $225 PT and Overweight rating." Guggenheim reiterates Tesla as sell Guggenheim said it's sticking with its sell rating and that it's cautious on the company's full self driving. "While safety drivers will remain, and no timeline has been provided for their removal, bulls have been willing to overlook the optics of safety drivers in TSLA vehicles, and we see no reason why that would change now. For investors looking to learn more about the opportunities." Guggenheim initiates Paramount Skydance as buy Guggenheim said it's bullish on the combined company of Paramount and Skydance Media. "We are initiating coverage of Paramount Skydance Corp . (PSKY) with a BUY rating and $13 price target."

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