Latest news with #performance
Wall Street Journal
34 minutes ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
ABB Posts Higher Profit, Record-High Order Intake
ABB second-quarter profit rose on an improved performance with a record-high order intake. The Swiss industrial-technology company on Thursday said second-quarter net profit rose to $1.15 billion from $1.10 billion in the prior year, on revenue that grew 8% on a comparable basis to $8.90 billion.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Primary school pupils star in 'spectacular' Bugsy Malone performance
PUPILS at a primary school in Carlisle have starred in a 'spectacular' performance of the iconic musical, Bugsy Malone. Over two performances, pupils at Carlisle's Newlaithes Junior School took their audience back to the 1920s with their version of Bugsy Malone, which featured plenty of jazz numbers and splurge guns. The school's version of Bugsy Malone, which was adapted from Alan Parker's original script for the famous musical comedy, was packed with several 'toe-tapping' songs and was met by 'roaring applause' from all in attendance. (Image: Newlaithes Junior School) Richard Clark is the headteacher at Newlaithes Junior School, and was on hand to thank everyone involved in bring the production to life. He said: "From the moment the curtain rose, it was clear that weeks of rehearsals had paid off. (Image: Newlaithes Junior School) "The lead role of Bugsy was played with charm and confidence, while Blousey Brown's solo was met with roaring applause. "Fat Sam and Dandy Dan's rival gangs brought comedy and chaos in equal measure – and the splurge scenes had everyone on the edge of their seats. (Image: Newlaithes Junior School) "The production was made possible thanks to the hard work of Year 6 staff, who guided the children not only in acting, singing, and dancing, but also in teamwork and resilience. "Costumes, sets, and props – including water pistols and silly string – added polish and flair to the whole show." (Image: Newlaithes Junior School) Miss Lowther is one of the school's Year Six teachers and expressed her pride at watching the pupil's hard work pay off through their top-notch performances. (Image: Newlaithes Junior School) She said: "It's been amazing to watch the children grow in confidence. "They've worked incredibly hard, and we couldn't be prouder of what they've achieved." Parents, carers, and staff who attending the performances were also keen to pile the praise on the young performers. (Image: Newlaithes Junior School) "You should be charging for this? It's like a West End Musical," said one audience member. "They were all stars."
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Country star Darius Rucker unexpectedly ends concert mid-set and admits he's 'never done this before'
Darius Rucker abruptly ended his concert mid-set over the past weekend in Atlantic City just three days after kicking off his tour. The Hootie & The Blowfish frontman, 59 - who shocked fans when he fell onto his face while on stage late last year - was in the middle of his performance on Saturday when he lost his voice. In a TikTok video taken by a concertgoer, Rucker could be seen addressing the crowd inside the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and devastatingly admitted, 'Y'all, I can't sing anymore.' The singer then expressed, 'I'm going to play one more song. I promise you, we are going to figure this out. You're going to get your money back. I just can't sing.' Darius told the audience that he has 'never done this before' and offered a promise that he will 'make this up to you.' 'This never happened. I physically can't sing, and I promise you on everything that I stand for I will make this up to you.' However, he still proceeded to perform his 2013 track Wagon Wheel - and his fans belted out the lyrcis in a heartfelt moment. Rucker further apologized to the audience for not being able to continue as he started to leave the stage. 'I promise you I will make this up to you. I promise you, we will figure this out and I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.' Social media users jumped to the comment section of the TikTok clip to offer words of support to the singer. One penned, 'He looked so upset when he left the stage,' and another wrote, 'I feel so bad for him. Looked like his hands were shaking he was so upset. Prayers that he can overcome whatever it is.' 'I was there last night such an amazing moment having the audience sing to him,' a fan added. Another typed, 'He was so terribly upset. The people chanting "its ok!" And who sang for him during wagon wheel... I was there it was an epic whole[some] moment.' 'I'm so sorry.. My heart went out to him, he really felt devastated,' one commented. 'I hope and pray they do figure this out.. I pray for his good health.. compassion people, faith and kindness.' On Sunday, Darius gave an update about the incident by posting a message to his 1 million followers on his Instagram stories. He penned, 'Atlantic City, Thank you so much for coming out Saturday night. I feel awful and I'm so sorry - I have never lost my voice in all my years of performing. 'We looked at every option to reschedule, but unfortunately, it's just not possible this year, so we're issuing full refunds. The venue will send details to you directly.' In conclusion, the star added, 'Thank you so much for all your kind messages wishing me well. Love y'all and see you soon! Peace, Darius.' Following the incident, a representative for the star informed Fox News Digital that 'there is no further interruption in his touring schedule' and 'has been cleared to resume shows' after resting his voice. Rucker kicked off his tour on July 10 in Maryland - with his Atlantic City concert being just his third stop. He is slated to perform in Hollywood, Florida later this week on Saturday, July 19 and will take to the stage in other U.S. cities such as Tampa, Boise, Memphis, Las Vegas and Santa Barbara. The singer's international leg will begin on September 26 in the U.K. and will also travel to Canada. He is slated to perform in Hollywood, Florida later this week on Saturday, July 19 and will take to the stage in other U.S. cities such as Tampa, Boise, Memphis, Las Vegas and Santa Barbara The tour is set to conclude back in the U.S. on December 13 in Naples, Florida. Darius revealed the 45-date tour earlier this month and shared on Instagram: 'I've been waiting for this moment... we're back baby!! Can't wait to hear all of you singing!! What show are you going to?' Rucker is not the first singer to cancel or postpone concerts after having issues with their voice. Back in 2022, The Weeknd notably lost his voice during the first song of a performance at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Earlier this month, Kelly Clarkson canceled the opening two shows of her Las Vegas residency just minutes before showtime. The Because Of You hitmaker took to her Instagram just 90 minutes before and explained she was 'devastated' to postpone the concerts following grueling rehearsals. The Grammy winner further expressed that she needs 'to protect' her voice in order to prevent 'doing serious damage.' Last year in October, Rucker suffered another incident on stage while he was performing in South Carolina. The star had been in the midst of singing lyrics to the 2009 hit Alright at his annual curated Riverfront Revival when he suddenly fell flat onto his face. The moment was also filmed on camera by a fan in attendance and Darius seemingly tripped over a wire on stage. He humorously brushed off the accident by saying, 'I'm old as f***' and later added, 'We've been doing this all summer I hadn't fell once. But I busted my a** in my hometown.'
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Performance reviews undermine woman's bias claim against Exxon Mobil, 7th Circuit says
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: A former laboratory technician for Exxon Mobil failed to show that the employer fired her on the basis of her sex in part because she lacked evidence to counter the company's claim that its decision hinged upon her poor performance, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held in a Monday decision. The plaintiff's first and only performance review placed her in the lowest-ranked performance category. Exxon gave her the option of either taking a separation agreement or resigning immediately. She chose the latter, per court documents, and sued the company for discrimination under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The plaintiff moved for summary judgment, alleging Exxon erred in its evaluation process and treated her less favorably than two male co-workers who held the same title, work location and managers. A district court ruled in favor of Exxon and the 7th Circuit affirmed, finding that the two male employees were not proper comparators and that the plaintiff had not shown that Exxon's decision was pretextual. Dive Insight: In its decision, the 7th Circuit repeatedly referenced Exxon's performance documentation of the plaintiff, at one point noting that she 'did not fare well in comparison' to other employees in her cohort of 'Management Assigned Category' workers, a category that included new hires with three or more years of relevant experience before joining Exxon. The company's policy dictated that MAC employees who received the lowest performance category rating be given the separation-agreement-or-resignation offer. The court noted that the plaintiff did not cite any evidence to show that her performance was comparable to other such employees. Instead, the plaintiff 'was ranked last in that unchallenged process,' it said. 'Other than the fact that [the plaintiff] is a member of a protected class, there is no evidence in the record from which a reasonable juror could infer that she was terminated because of her sex,' the 7th Circuit wrote. Employers have successfully used documentation as a defense against discrimination claims in the past. In 2019, for example, the 11th Circuit held that Lowe's did not discriminate against a worker on the basis of his age or disability when it fired him following a series of investigations in response to complaints about the plaintiff from other employees. Management-side attorneys have repeatedly stressed the importance of thorough documentation, including of performance issues, in defending against lawsuits. A speaker at SHRM's 2024 annual conference told attendees that effective documentation covers a number of bases, including clear expectations of the employee, descriptions of needed adjustments, and detailed plans or action items, among other elements. Recommended Reading Scientist couldn't show NASA failed to hire him due to race, court says
Fox News
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Darius Rucker unexpectedly ends Atlantic City show mid-set: ‘I've never done this before'
Print Close By Ashley Hume Published July 16, 2025 Darius Rucker abruptly ended his concert in New Jersey after losing his voice mid-performance. On Saturday, the 59-year-old country music star suddenly paused after performing a few songs at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City and told the crowd that he couldn't continue with the show. "Y'all, I can't sing anymore," the Hootie & the Blowfish frontman said in a video by a fan on Philly Burbs. DARIUS RUCKER 'DEVASTATED' BY DEATH OF LONGTIME PRODUCTION MANAGER: 'HE WAS OUR BROTHER' He continued, "I'm going to play one more song. I promise you, we are going to figure this out. You're going to get your money back." "I just can't sing. I've never done this before," Rucker added. "This never happened. I physically can't sing, and I promise you on everything that I stand for I will make this up to you." Rucker went on to play his hit 2013 "Wagon Wheel" as the crowd sang along. The musician then apologized to the audience before exiting the stage. "I promise you I will make this up to you," he said. "I promise you, we will figure this out and I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." On Sunday, Rucker shared an update in a post on his Instagram Story. The singer once again apologized for ending the concert early and informed attendees that they would receive full refunds. "Thank you so much for coming out Saturday night," Rucker wrote, per Philly Burbs. "I feel awful and I'm so sorry — I have never lost my voice in all my years of performing." "We looked at every option to reschedule, but unfortunately, it's just not possible this year, so we're issuing full refunds," the three-time Grammy Award winner added. "Thank you so much for all your kind messages wishing me well. Love y'all and see you soon!" Representatives for Rucker did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Last Saturday's show was the third stop on Rucker's ongoing 45-date international tour. The tour kicked off on July 10 at the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Maryland. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Rucker is next scheduled to perform on Saturday, July 19, at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino and Resort in Hollywood, Florida. No changes to the tour schedule posted on Rucker's website have been made as of Wednesday afternoon. The United States leg of Rucker's tour will continue through September before the rocker heads across the pond for several shows in the United Kingdom. In October, Rucker will perform at two concerts in his home state of South Carolina before continuing his tour with shows in Canada. The tour will conclude on Dec. 13 at the Ritz-Carlton Resort in Naples, Florida. In October 2023, Rucker released his seventh solo studio album, "Carolyn's Boy." Hootie & the Blowfish's sixth studio album "Imperfect Circle" debuted in November 2019. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER In June, Rucker confirmed that he was working on new music and had been inspired by his move to London earlier this year. "I'm working on my album, I'm sure my single's going to be coming out here soon, you know, and I'm ready for people hear that," Rucker told People magazine. "I'm looking forward to finishing my record and getting that out. I think it's refreshing, it's new. I think my fans are gonna be really, really excited." "I went to London to get just a different flavor." he added. "And I think I did that. I think people are going to like what we did." After Rucker's Hollywood Walk of Fame induction ceremony in 2023, the acclaimed musician exclusively told Fox News Digital that he didn't feel as though he had reached the pinnacle of his career just yet. "I think the thing that keeps me working so hard is I always feel like I haven't done enough," the singe r said. While he's been singing and recording music for most of his life, there was one key moment when he knew he had hit a level of success. Rucker realized he had truly made it as an artist when he was asked to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry . CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "That was really when I was like, 'This is really working. This is happening. People get it.' And that was pretty cool," Rucker recalled. Print Close URL
