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49 jili 777 Hyderabad: Strongly opposing Telangana government’s proposal to set up solar power plants on endowment lands, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has alleged that it was a ploy to usurp temple lands under the guise of renewable energy initiatives. VHP demanded the state government to withdraw the solar plant proposal, release a white paper on the status of temple properties, and to put the report of the Justice A Venkatarami Reddy Commission in public domain. VHP stated that it will launch a statewide protest if the government failed to meet its demands. Claiming that the state government was merely a custodian of temple lands and not its owner, VHP demanded the Congress government to immediately withdraw the green energy proposal, which it claimed, was the latest attempt to privatise the temple properties. VHP accused the government of using the 1987 Act to convert temple properties into government assets, and of subsequently selling vast tracts of land to private individuals. Highlighting the situation of temple lands in Telangana with approximately 2.5 lakh acres belonging to 9608 temples, VHP alleged numerous instances of temple lands encroachment, including in prime locations like Abids and Banjara Hills. Interestingly, there was one instance during the BRS government when the Abhayanjaneya Swamy temple in Film Nagar was demolished by a real estate developer in November 2021. The VHP had given a similar warning back then, even going to the extent of declaring ‘Kar Seva’ if the real estate developer, who demolished the temple, failed to rebuild the temple in its original location. However, their warnings vanished in the thin air in no time for reasons better known to the Hindutva organisation’s leaders. The Hanuman temple was demolished to facilitate real estate development there. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/2021/Nov/28/vhp-objects-to-relocation-of-abhayanjaneya-swamy-temple-2389098.html The VHP is now once again calling upon the entire Hindu community to join the movement to protect temple properties and free them from the government’s control.

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Palantir Technologies ( PLTR 0.47% ) was once known as a software-as-a-service company that did most of its business with the government. But in recent times, the company, along with increasing its revenue from government contracts, has also seen its commercial business growth explode. How did this long-established player suddenly supercharge its revenue? Well, it's a combination of the platform Palantir built over its 20-year history and its more recent jump into artificial intelligence (AI) . In fact, thanks to Palantir's launch of its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) last year, we could call the company one of the early winners of the AI boom. Demand for AIP has taken off, and earnings have followed, with the company recently reporting its highest quarterly profit ever. So, it's no surprise investors have flocked to the shares, driving them up more than 280% this year. After this sort of performance and an increase in valuation, though, you may wonder whether it's too late to get in on this growth story. Should you buy Palantir right now? Let's consider what Wall Street has to say. Using data to make game-changing decisions First, though, let's talk a bit about Palantir's path so far. Through its platform, the company helps customers aggregate their data and use it to make better decisions. The results could be game-changing, helping companies, for example, become more efficient and achieve huge cost savings or even launch new products and services. And AIP, harnessing the power of AI, has become particularly popular among government and commercial customers. This has resulted in double-digit revenue growth for Palantir and impressive trends in the commercial business. Just four years ago, the company had 14 U.S. commercial customers, and today, it has grown that to nearly 300. This is compelling for two reasons. The pace of growth shows Palantir's platform greatly interests these customers, and the number of commercial customers today leaves plenty of room for growth well into the future. What we can see in figures from the recent quarter also supports the idea of growth now and down the road. In the three-month period, Palantir's U.S. commercial revenue soared 54%, and U.S. government revenue rose 40%. This shows the strength of the company's new growth driver -- the commercial business -- as well as the government business it's relied on for years. So, Palantir is firing on all cylinders, and we could expect this to continue since AIP's launch was rather recent. Forecasts show the general AI market has much growth ahead. Analysts expect today's $200 billion AI market to reach $1 trillion by the end of the decade. Palantir's $1 million deals Palantir has also spoken of high demand for AIP, and deal values are increasing. In the recent quarter, the company has closed more than 100 deals with a value greater than $1 million. All of these points are positive and may encourage investors to get in on the stock now. But Wall Street isn't so optimistic about the share performance to come. The average analyst estimate calls for the stock to drop 40% from today's level over the coming 12 months, and most analysts have a hold recommendation on the shares. This isn't necessarily due to a loss of faith in the company -- it's more about valuation . This year's gains have left Palantir trading for 175 times forward earnings estimates, a level that may look pretty steep -- even for a growth stock . So, Wall Street doesn't recommend buying Palantir right now. Now, the big question is: Should you follow Wall Street's advice? No one can predict stock performance with 100% certainty, but the current valuation may limit Palantir's near-term performance -- and the stock might not deliver outsize gains in the weeks and months ahead. Investors who are very cautious or focused on value probably shouldn't pile into Palantir right now. That said, earnings projections used in the above valuation measure don't consider earnings a few years down the road. Palantir's future looks bright, and the company seems to be on the path to long-term revenue and profit growth. This means that even after Palantir's triple-digit gain this year, the stock still has plenty of room to run over the long term, making it a great AI stock for growth investors to buy now.

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No. 24 UCLA is seeking its eighth straight win on Saturday against an Arizona team that is trying to right the ship after dropping four of its last six games. The game is being played in Phoenix, billed as part of the Hall of Fame Series. It's the first meeting between the storied ex-Pac-12 rivals since the conference's collapse last year and will be the first time the teams have met in a nonconference matchup since 1977. UCLA (8-1) is off to a surprisingly hot start after a nightmarish last season. The Bruins have won seven in a row after falling to New Mexico on Nov. 8. They're coming directly off a 73-71 victory over No. 12 Oregon on Sunday on a game-winning 3-pointer by Dylan Andrews with 0.3 seconds remaining. Eric Dailey Jr. led the way with 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting. The Bruins sit at 2-0 in conference play in their first season as a member of the Big Ten. "My analysis early of the Big Ten is that it's so deep," UCLA coach Mick Cronin said. "I know it probably always was that way, but now it's deeper. You've just got to get better. "I also coach at UCLA where we get the most titles and (have been to) the second-most finals. I didn't come to UCLA to win regular-season games. For us, it's about progression and getting better. "We were able to win (against Oregon) but I thought we got a lot better. We came together. We got more cohesive. The guys played with confidence." Tyler Bilodeau leads UCLA in scoring and rebounding, averaging 13.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Bilodeau played his first two collegiate seasons at Oregon State, although his maiden voyage at UCLA is only his second season as a regular starter. Dailey, a transfer from Oklahoma State, doesn't trail too far behind in either category, averaging 12.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. USC transfer Kobe Johnson leads the Bruins with 3.2 assists while also tallying 7.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. The Wildcats (4-4) are in the midst of a dreadful start, needing a 102-66 win over Southern Utah to nurse themselves back to .500. Before that, Arizona was just one for its last five. The Wildcats are winless against fellow power-conference opponents, suffering double-digit losses to Wisconsin and Duke. Arizona also absorbed a five-point loss to Oklahoma and a seven-point overtime loss to West Virginia at the Battle 4 Atlantis. "Great programs are going to stumble once in a while," Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. "The response is the key. Learning from it and coming back stronger is the objective and that's the challenge. We obviously have been challenged early in the season. "(The emphasis needs to be on) Arizona basketball, because here's the deal: UCLA is a good program. If we go in and all we're worried about is UCLA and we assume that we're going to show up and play well, we're going to get our ass kicked." The Wildcats are led by Caleb Love, who returned for a second season at Arizona and a fifth in college overall after he played his first three seasons at North Carolina. Love is averaging 14.1 points per game on 37.2 percent shooting, down from 18 points per game a season ago. Aside from Love, Arizona has four more players averaging in double figures for the season: Jaden Bradley (12.0 ppg), Trey Townsend (11.3), KJ Lewis (10.3) and Anthony Dell'Orso (10.0). --Field Level MediaIs Bluesky the Place to Be for a Photographer Looking to Build an Effective Social Media Presence?

Virtus Investment Partners ( NASDAQ:VRTS – Free Report ) had its price target lifted by Piper Sandler from $264.00 to $274.00 in a research report report published on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the closed-end fund’s stock. VRTS has been the subject of a number of other research reports. StockNews.com cut shares of Virtus Investment Partners from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, November 25th. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Virtus Investment Partners from $208.00 to $217.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research note on Friday, October 18th. Finally, Barclays started coverage on Virtus Investment Partners in a research note on Tuesday, August 27th. They set an “underweight” rating and a $206.00 price target on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Virtus Investment Partners currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $236.00. Get Our Latest Stock Report on VRTS Virtus Investment Partners Price Performance Institutional Investors Weigh In On Virtus Investment Partners Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Cetera Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Virtus Investment Partners in the 1st quarter valued at about $657,000. Quest Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Virtus Investment Partners by 183.0% in the second quarter. Quest Partners LLC now owns 8,287 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock valued at $1,872,000 after acquiring an additional 5,359 shares during the period. Bailard Inc. purchased a new stake in Virtus Investment Partners in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $700,000. Meritage Portfolio Management grew its stake in shares of Virtus Investment Partners by 36.1% during the 3rd quarter. Meritage Portfolio Management now owns 22,321 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock worth $4,675,000 after purchasing an additional 5,919 shares during the period. Finally, Millennium Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Virtus Investment Partners by 14.6% during the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 28,113 shares of the closed-end fund’s stock valued at $6,349,000 after purchasing an additional 3,589 shares in the last quarter. 80.52% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. About Virtus Investment Partners ( Get Free Report ) Virtus Investment Partners, Inc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to individual and institutional clients. It launches separate client focused equity and fixed income portfolios. The firm launches equity, fixed income, and balanced mutual funds for its clients. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Virtus Investment Partners Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Virtus Investment Partners and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .The next time someone in Camden calls 911, it might not just be an officer who shows up but a social worker could be there ready to help. It's part of a new program aimed at helping people in the city get connected to the services they need when they need them. "We absolutely do see that there is a need and that is why there is such a great program," Camden County Police Department Captain Vivian Coley said. When a Camden County Police car showed up, one couple thought they were in trouble. They were not expected care packages from a social worker asking how she could help them. Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter. "I thought we were going to be told to get to moving," the one person, Diane, said. The new initiative partners social workers with police officers as they patrol... Siobhan McGirl

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It might seem like the year 2024 would last forever, but there's only a few weeks left before we turn the calendar to 2025 . If you're lucky enough to get some quiet during the December holidays, it can be a great time to assess your financial situation and make changes to boost your tax refund (or lower your tax liability) before filing your tax return in 2025 . These tax strategies could help you reduce your tax burden, but you'll need to act soon, as some steps require preparation to complete before Dec. 31, 2024. Read more: Best Tax Software It's worth taking the time now to review your tax situation, as a little effort now could pay off big later. Read on to find end-of-the-year tax tips to set you up for the upcoming tax season. 1. Double-check your paycheck for tax withholding The US has a "pay as you go" model of income tax, which is why your employer withholds money from your paycheck and freelancers have to pay estimated taxes quarterly . Failure to pay enough taxes during the year can result in a penalty at tax time. Your employer determines the amount withheld from your paycheck by your W-4 tax form, which includes your filing status and estimated tax deductions. The end of the year is a great time to review your W-4 and current withholding to decide if you want to change it. The IRS' Tax Withholding Estimator tool lets you estimate your current withholding and projected tax refund in order to adjust your W-4 form. You can submit an updated W-4 form to your company at any time, and your employer must institute your changes by the start of the first payroll period, which is 30 days or longer after your W-4 submission. 2. Sell any losing stocks to offset your capital gains It's been a huge year for stocks in 2024 -- the S&P 500 index is up a whopping 30% -- but there are still plenty of stocks that lost money this year. One bright spot of potential stock losses is the opportunity to practice " tax loss harvesting ." This tax strategy works by realizing losses or selling your stocks and assets that have lost value, to offset other capital gains you may have earned. For example, if you made $25,000 in profit on a real-estate sale in 2024 but lost big on an investment in a struggling stock (like Intel ), you can sell your securities and subtract the financial loss of that investment from your capital gains. If you have $25,000 in stock losses, you'll offset the $25,000 you earned from the real-estate sale to eliminate that tax burden. Capital gains include any income that you earn through the sale of assets, such as stocks, real estate, cars, furnishings or any other tangible properties, but you must actually sell assets to realize losses and offset gains. 3. Maximize contributions to your retirement account Retirement funds like 401(k) accounts and IRAs provide one of the most productive tax deductions because you can reduce your tax bill while building a nest egg for the future. If you can afford it, max out your possible contributions to any retirement account before the end of the year. The deduction limit for 401(k) contributions for 2024 taxes is $23,000, and that does not count employer contributions. A worker in the 24% tax bracket could knock almost $5,000 off their tax bill just by saving money for the future. Crank up the percentage of your regular 401(k) contribution for the last pay periods of 2024 to make the most of your potential retirement deductions. If you're over 50, you can contribute more to your 401(k) with "catch up" contributions totaling $7,500 per year (or $30,000 total) in 2024, if permitted by your 401(k) plan. You don't even need to be "behind" on your 401(k) contributions to make additional deferrals to your account. For IRAs, the maximum amount of tax-deductible contributions for 2024 is $7,000, or $8,000 if you are over 50. The amount of money that you can deduct from your taxes depends on both your income and whether or not you have a work-provided retirement plan. 4. Make your home more energy efficient Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 , there are major incentives to making your home "greener" in 2024. The law boosted the amount of tax credits you can get for increasing your home's energy efficiency. For this tax year, the residential clean energy credit -- which gives money back for installing solar panels, geothermal heat pumps, fuel cells and battery storage -- is still at 30%. Tax credits have more of an impact on your tax bill than deductions. While deductions lower your level of taxable income, tax credits directly reduce the amount of taxes that you owe to the IRS. Installing a solar energy system, wind turbine or geothermal heat pump can now give you 30% of the cost back if completed before Jan. 1, 2025. In California, the average cost of solar installation is $11,563. If you made that average improvement to your home in 2024, you'd knock $3,467 off your taxes. Tax credits for energy improvements aren't limited to alternative energy. Simply installing new, qualified Energy Star-certified furnaces and boilers can reap tax credits too, although smaller than for alternative energy. Be sure to check the manufacturer's tax certification statement, as not every Energy Star-certified product is eligible. 5. Do you want to defer an end-of-year bonus or payment? It's not always easy to postpone payment from your employer, but if you receive an end-of-year bonus and are looking to decrease your taxable income as much as possible this year, consider asking your company to pay you in January. Similarly, if you're a freelancer or contractor and you want to reduce your taxable income for 2024, consider delaying your invoices until December so that you don't get paid until January. You're only postponing the payment of income taxes on that money until your 2025 taxes are due, so you'll need to strategize on whether this year or next would be better for earning that money. 6. Donate to charities now if you want more deductions If you itemize your tax deductions and like to contribute financially to the causes and groups that you support, do it before the end of the year to best reduce your taxable income for 2024. Most taxpayers can generally deduct charitable donations up to 50% of their taxable income. Before donating to anyone, make sure that your contribution will be tax deductible by searching the IRS' tax-exempt organization database . All valid charities and nonprofits will also have a tax identification number that identifies them as tax-exempt. 7. Check required minimum distributions from IRAs and 401(k) accounts US tax law requires that Americans start receiving distributions from their personal or work-provided retirement accounts when they reach a certain age. Starting in 2023, the SECURE 2.0 Act raises that age from 72 to 73, for those who turned 72 after Dec. 31, 2022. These distributions are mandatory for 401(k) plans, traditional IRAs, profit-sharing plans and pensions. They're not required for Roth IRAs while the owner is alive. Required minimum distributions, or RMDs, are calculated by adding up all of the money in your retirement accounts and dividing by an IRS life expectancy factor. The Securities and Exchange Commission provides a simple calculator that incorporates the latest IRS life expectancy tables. While the administrator of your retirement plan is required to follow tax law for RMDs, it's up to you to make sure you're getting the right amount. If you don't meet the required amount for your RMD, you'll face the harshest IRS penalty around. The excise tax on RMD failures has been 50% in the past, but the SECURE 2.0 Act reduces that penalty to 25%, and even further to 10% if the RMD is corrected within two years. Still, if you were required to withdraw $20,000 in 2024 but only received $10,000, you could be on the hook for a $2,500 penalty. It's definitely worth double-checking your RMD for 2024 and withdrawing more money if required. 8. Combine your medical expenses into one year Medical expenses can be a significant deduction for many taxpayers, but the IRS only allows you to deduct expenses that are in excess of 7.5% of your AGI. For example, if your AGI is $50,000, and you spent $5,000 on medical expenses, you can deduct $1,250 ($5,000 - ($50,000 x 7.5%)) from your taxable income. For that reason, it can be advantageous to group all of your major medical expenses into one year. These expenses can include surgeries, preventative care, hospital visits, dental care, prescription medicine, glasses, hearing aids and mental health care like therapy, as well as transportation costs to and from providers. If you're approaching 7.5% of AGI in medical expenses this year, consider making as many of your anticipated health-related purchases by the end of December. Get your teeth straightened, buy those new glasses or schedule that elective surgery by the end of 2024, and you'll maximize your medical deductions. Similarly, if you're not approaching that 7.5% of the AGI threshold for medical expenses in 2024, hold off on any non-urgent health-related purchases until January when they could be more advantageous for next year's income taxes. 9. Strategize your business expenses If you're self-employed or a freelancer, deducting your business expenses can save you considerable money on taxes. Depending on how much you've already spent on your professional work this year, you might consider prepaying for next year's expenses before the end of 2024 in order to reduce your tax burden. For example, instead of buying supplies a month at a time, you could order and pay in December 2024 for supplies that you'll use for several months of 2025. The timing of your deductions might depend on whether you use a cash method of accounting or accrual basis, but front-loading business expenses for next year is a time-tested way of reducing your taxable income for the current year. It's very important to note that everyone's tax situation is different. These end-of-year tax tips may be effective for you, but there is no "one size fits all" approach to tax preparation. Be sure to consult a tax professional before making any major tax decisions. For more on the 2024 tax season, see how much income brackets and the standard deduction are changing in 2025 .