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Never make a big decision when you’re angry, hungry, or happy,” Ferdinand Marcos Sr. told Time Magazine in 1974. His son seems to have taken this to heart. It would have been well for the Vice President to take it to heart, too. Instead, she started a race. The winner of the race would be the one able to effectively deliver this message: “Don’t you dare!” If the Dutertes succeeded, it would’ve nipped in the bud efforts to defang and declaw them; failure to succeed would mean success for the Marcoses and Romualdezes. On Monday, it became clear who’d won the race. It was the President. The irony is that it was the Vice President who fired off the starting gun, so to speak; she did so, by forcing a change of pace on the President and his people: in what observers called a “meltdown,” the Veep declared that she’d made arrangements for the President, the First Lady, and the Speaker to be bumped off if she ended up bumped off. She emphasized this was no joke. She was acting true to form. In our infamously free-wheeling and sloppy political culture, the Marcos-Romualdez method for achieving political success is to play the long game, combining relentless pressure with overwhelming force while exercising strategic patience. In other words, the boa constrictor style of political operations. The Duterte style is shock and awe: explosive brinksmanship to intimidate opponents into backing down or backing off, zeroing in, when needed, on specific enemies to clobber in order to make an example of them. In other words, the silverback gorilla style of leadership. What’s been happening is shock and awe has been failing when confronted by the long squeeze. As their tried and tested methods have stopped working, they have started making political decisions in a blind fury, so that the Dutertes responded to provocations with wild abandon, repeatedly raising the ante regardless of whether they could actually survive having their bluff called. The former president tried to rally the cops, the police top brass was purged; he tried to summon people to the streets, no one came; his party was raided; his access to friendly broadcast facilities were cut off, his allies, as his clout diminished, found themselves in jail; all he had left was himself. The Vice President, like her father, ultimately decided to use herself as a human shield. In her father’s case, he had to do it, facing the Senate and then the House, because the police officers he’d used in the so-called “war on drugs” started to give evidence; in her case, she had to do it, because her own staff began to corroborate the paper trail carelessly left for the House and the Senate to follow. In the end, her former coalition partners-turned-enemies proved more daring. She couldn’t, though she tried, stare down the cops: force of will wasn’t enough; she could stare and shriek but it didn’t stop her staff being detained for contempt, and carted off from one place of detention to another. She herself had dared to refuse to testify under oath, only to have to relent and do so, in the end. To be sure, there were tears and sobbing, as her staff were taken away from her. Perhaps enough to tug at the heartstrings of the loyal. But the loyal stayed home. How could they do otherwise? The Veep is the daughter of the man who’d crowed he’d repudiated People Power and all it stood for: a brand of leadership that would do everything—even assume the moral burden of ordering liquidations—on the followers’ behalf. That would have been all right if the leader still had lieutenants, but without the presidency, neither a Veep nor an ex-prexy can stand up to an incumbent chief executive—not without the clergy, civil society, the media, the army, or business. The first three have lost their clout; the last two, much prefer the status quo. When the President, not following his own timing to be sure, but not about to cede the field after a direct challenge, either, laid down the law, the public immediately saw the difference: lawyers, lawmakers, law enforcers, soldiers, to name just a few, all took their cue from him and pronounced the Veep and ex-prexy guilty of going too far. In achieving restoration, the President figured out something the ex-president and the Veep still haven’t figured out: how to innovate and learn from past mistakes. Having never lost before, and never experienced being challenged and defeated, the Dutertes may lack what it takes to win. She became the latest Vice President to foolishly think receiving more votes—in a separate contest, against much less formidable foes—than the President, makes for a formidable rivalry. Against this generations-old delusion are generations-old political realities: Vice presidents are expected to cooperate with presidents; and the veep who breaks away, suffers in the judgmental eyes of public opinion. —————- Email: [email protected] ; Twitter: @mlq3 Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy .
Magnificent Seven Tech Titans Hit $18.2 Trillion Market Cap: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Tesla Jointly Notch All-Time HighsNEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing that continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate” granted to Trump by voters last month. They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’” Trump’s legal team wrote. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater “that President Biden condemned.” Related Articles Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump’s attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Merchan hasn’t yet set a timetable for a decision. He could decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. An outright dismissal of the New York case would further lift a legal cloud that at one point carried the prospect of derailing Trump’s political future. Last week, special counsel Jack Smith told courts that he was withdrawing both federal cases against Trump — one charging him with hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate, the other with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost — citing longstanding Justice Department policy that shields a president from indictment while in office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, resulting in a historic verdict that made him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office.
FTAI Aviation FTAI has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 47.49% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 61.18%. Currently, FTAI Aviation has a market capitalization of $17.15 billion. Buying $1000 In FTAI: If an investor had bought $1000 of FTAI stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $10,875.83 today based on a price of $167.23 for FTAI at the time of writing. FTAI Aviation's Performance Over Last 5 Years Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time. This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
‘Some kind of range war’: Testimony in ex-Illinois speaker's corruption trial reveals big political fight over tiny piece of land
The cryptocurrency XRP Token XRP/USD from Ripple is soaring in price over the last week with a new filing for an XRP exchange-traded fund adding to optimism for the crypto. What Happened: Asset manager WisdomTree filed to establish a trust entity as part of a step towards launching a potential XRP ETF. The move follows other companies like Bitwise that have filed to launch cryptocurrency ETFs. With Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs already approved, cryptocurrency experts see ETFs based on other top 10 cryptos by market capitalization like Solana, Dogecoin and XRP as the next to be approved. Ripple Labs, the issuer of XRP , has been involved in several regulatory issues with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) previously, which could impact the approval of the ETFs and has also impacted the price of XRP in the past. With SEC Chairman Gary Gensler set to resign in January and a new pro-crypto White House administration potentially taking shape, some see past cases against cryptocurrency companies quietly going away. In July 2023, Ripple received a favorable ruling in a case dating to 2020. U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres determined the sale of the XRP token by Ripple is not an offer of "investment contracts." The ruling came after Ripple spent a significant amount of money fighting claims that XRP was a security. Torres said that some assets can serve as an investment contract, including digital tokens. In the case of the XRP token, it is not a security, according to the ruling. Alongside the ruling, the judge found Ripple's sales of XRP to institutions to be in violation of the Securities Act. This ruling could become a key item to watch for the cryptocurrency sector moving forward. The case between the SEC and Ripple remains active, with the SEC appealing and having until January to submit additional filings. Here's a look back at an investment in the XRP token when the lawsuit by the SEC was announced. Read Also: If You Invested $100 In Dogecoin When The Meme Coin Launched, Here’s How Much You’d Have Today If You Invested $1,000 in XRP: The XRP token hit a low of $0.41055 on Dec. 22, 2020, the day the charges were announced. XRP would fall to a low of $0.1748 on Dec. 29, 2020, hitting new lows for the year. On that day, an investor could have purchased 5,720.82 XRP with $1,000. The $1,000 investment would be worth $8,409.61 today, representing a gain of 741%. The return of the hypothetical investment in XRP has outperformed the broader stock market. The same $1,000 invested in the SPDR S&P 500 ETF, which tracks the S&P 500 Index, would be worth $1,594.15 today, representing a gain of 59.4%. XRP has traded between $0.3911 to $1.62 over the last year, with the yearly high hit in the last week. The 36% weekly gain for XRP is the second largest among the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, trailing only Cardano (+39%). While XRP has seen a sharp rise in the last week, the cryptocurrency remains well off of its all-time high of $3.84, which was set in January 2018. Read Next: If You Invested $1,000 In Solana When Sam Bankman-Fried Was Arrested, Here’s How Much You’d Have Today This article was previously published by Benzinga and has been updated. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Taylor Swift recently announced the launch of her Eras Tour book — a 256-page coffee table collectible that gives fans a chance to go behind the scenes of her billion-dollar concert series . Well, if you haven’t already guessed, that book sold out just as fast as her 149 shows. So, if you were unable to get your hands on a copy — or if you’re looking for an alternative option to gift your favorite Swiftie — we found the 13 best Taylor Swift books you can buy online. From biographies to friendship bracelet-making kits, these options are a real “Love Story.” $115.00 $119.00 If you were one of the “Lucky Ones” who got to attend the Eras Tour , then you know that each of Taylor Swift’s 60 costumes (yes, 60!) was intricate, unique, and reflected her own personal “Style.” If you couldn’t attend the Eras Tour (don’t worry, you’ll most likely get over it one day), you can still have a front-row seat to her show-stopping wardrobe with this Icon s of Style book. Featuring a comprehensive guide to her on (and off) stage looks, you’ll discover 224 pages of fashion commentary and in-depth photographs. $35.00 $17.50 $35.00 50% off Meet the Taylor Swift book of your “Wildest Dreams.” This colorful hardcover features quotes from the global icon alongside stunning photographs and a never-before-seen look into the evolution of her personal style. Read it cover to cover or display it on your coffee table — either way, you’ll be left “Enchanted.” $19.89 $29.99 34% off $29.99 You love all 274 of Taylor Swift’s songs; you can even recite the lyrics by heart, but do you know the inspiration behind them? A number-one best-seller, this book features the stories behind each popular track — from “Teardrops On My Guitar” to “Fearless.” $17.06 $18.95 10% off $18.95 Why “Shake It Off” when you can Shake It Up ? Made for Swifties who remember when “Tim McGraw” was first released (so, 21 and over), this cocktail book features 65 different recipes inspired by some of Taylor Swift’s most popular songs. Discover delicious drinks like “Lemon Drop on My Guitar,” “Be-Gin Again,” “Fizz The Damn Season,” and so much more. $19.58 $27.99 30% off $27.99 Rob Sheffield is a best-selling author and journalist who has written over eight books on music, TV, and pop culture. And his new release, Heartbreak Is the National Anthem , is one of his most impactfu l novels yet. With an in-depth look into the life and legacy of Taylor Swift, he explores everything from the magical relationship she has with her fans and her songwriting prowess to her ability to captivate stadiums filled with 90,000 people. It’s a “Timeless” masterpiece that you’ll want to read over and over again. $18.20 $26.00 30% off Grab this easy-to-read book for your morning commute, pre-bed ritual, or perhaps, on the way to your next trip to “Florida!!!” With 304 pages of original poems that respond to Taylor Swift’s songs, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for some of the Grammy Award-Winning artist’s most famous lyrics. $30.00 $19.90 $30.00 34% off You won’t find any “Blank Space” here. Filled with full-page illustrations of everyone’s favorite pop princess, this cloth-covered book by Terry Newman takes you on a guided journey through Taylor Swift’s most famous ensembles. $17.38 If you think you know “All Too Well” about Taylor Swift, think again. This fascinating biography gives you an intimate look at the global sensation — from her start as a country artist to her sold-out Eras tour. It has surprising facts and fun insights and will become one of the best things that’s ever been yours. $4.78 $4.78 $5.99 20% off “Long Story Short,” this little book of Taylor Swift makes the perfect gift for Swifties of all ages. A national best-seller, it tells the story of the superstar’s career and rise to fame through beautiful illustrations and easy-to-read text. $24.99 $16.99 It doesn’t take a “Tortured Poet” to write an unofficial biography; but it does take someone who is well-versed in everything there is to know about their muse — and that’s exactly what Caroline Sullivan is when it comes to Taylor Swift. Recently released, this 256-page hardcover paints a dynamic picture of the pop star, highlighting everything from her lyrics to her love life. $7.98 $28.99 72% off $16.99 While this book isn’t technically about Taylor Swift, it does follow the story of an international Opera singer who falls in love with the quarterback for a professional football team. Sound familiar enough? $12.99 In 2022, Taylor Swift mentioned friendship bracelets in her song “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” and ever since, they’ve become a pillar of Swiftie culture. Learn how to make your own with this ultimate guide to 33 simple designs. It not only has easy-to-follow diagrams and helpful photos, but it also includes fun facts, thoughtful commentary, and so much more. Grab your copy now before the official launch in 2025. $11.23 $12.95 13% off $11.95 With over 272 pages of thought-provoking quotes from Taylor Swift (including interviews, social media posts, concert transcripts, and more), this book makes an incredible stocking stuffer, white elephant gift, or present to yourself.High-rolling investors have positioned themselves bullish on Cisco Systems CSCO , and it's important for retail traders to take note.\This activity came to our attention today through Benzinga's tracking of publicly available options data. The identities of these investors are uncertain, but such a significant move in CSCO often signals that someone has privileged information. Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 8 options trades for Cisco Systems. This is not a typical pattern. The sentiment among these major traders is split, with 50% bullish and 37% bearish. Among all the options we identified, there was one put, amounting to $37,200, and 7 calls, totaling $886,972. Projected Price Targets Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $55.0 to $65.0 for Cisco Systems over the recent three months. Volume & Open Interest Trends In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of Cisco Systems stands at 12398.25, with a total volume reaching 6,111.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in Cisco Systems, situated within the strike price corridor from $55.0 to $65.0, throughout the last 30 days. Cisco Systems 30-Day Option Volume & Interest Snapshot Noteworthy Options Activity: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume CSCO CALL TRADE BULLISH 01/16/26 $8.0 $7.65 $8.0 $55.00 $320.0K 3.2K 400 CSCO CALL SWEEP BULLISH 03/21/25 $5.35 $5.3 $5.35 $55.00 $192.5K 17.4K 370 CSCO CALL SWEEP BEARISH 01/17/25 $0.38 $0.34 $0.34 $62.50 $143.6K 21.7K 4.1K CSCO CALL TRADE BULLISH 01/17/25 $2.19 $2.13 $2.19 $57.50 $109.5K 25.5K 785 CSCO CALL SWEEP BEARISH 02/21/25 $3.25 $3.2 $3.2 $57.50 $49.9K 2.1K 11 About Cisco Systems Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff-25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally. Cisco Systems's Current Market Status With a trading volume of 8,726,928, the price of CSCO is up by 0.03%, reaching $58.57. Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought. Next earnings report is scheduled for 79 days from now. What Analysts Are Saying About Cisco Systems 5 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $63.8. Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days? 20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. Click here for access .* Showing optimism, an analyst from JP Morgan upgrades its rating to Overweight with a revised price target of $66. * An analyst from Piper Sandler persists with their Neutral rating on Cisco Systems, maintaining a target price of $57. * Maintaining their stance, an analyst from B of A Securities continues to hold a Buy rating for Cisco Systems, targeting a price of $72. * Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Wells Fargo keeps a Equal-Weight rating on Cisco Systems with a target price of $60. * An analyst from Citigroup persists with their Buy rating on Cisco Systems, maintaining a target price of $64. Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely. If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Cisco Systems, Benzinga Pro gives you real-time options trades alerts. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
(Photo by Skitterphoto via Pexels) By Stephen Beech via SWNS Cleaning surfaces every two hours at airports cuts potentially deadly norovirus infections by 83%, according to a new study. Researchers found that airport restaurants had the highest risk of norovirus transmission . But frequently disinfecting surfaces, mask-wearing and antimicrobial surface coatings at the transport hubs can all help prevent the highly contagious illness - also known as the winter vomiting bug - from spreading, say scientists. Study author Professor Nan Zhang, of the Beijing University of Technology in China, said: "Norovirus causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and is responsible for about 685 million cases and 200,000 deaths each year. "The virus is primarily transmitted through surfaces and outbreaks during air travel are especially common, due to the large number of public surfaces in airports." (PLOS Computational Biology via SWNS) To investigate the risk of norovirus infection from surfaces among passengers in different zones of the airport, the research team collected real touch data from 21.3 hours of video, which captured almost 26,000 touches. They developed a model of surface transmission and simulated the risk of infection from norovirus and the effectiveness of various interventions in different airport areas. Zhang said: "The touch data showed that, without any interventions, restaurants at airports had the highest risk of norovirus transmission, with approximately 4.6 out of 51,494 travelers infected. "Disinfecting public surfaces every two hours reduced the risk of norovirus infection per visit to the airport by 83.2%. "In contrast, handwashing every two hours reduced the risk by only 2%, and mask-wearing 50% of the time reduced risk by 48.0%, because masks stop people from touching their face. CDC "Furthermore, using antimicrobial copper or copper-nickel alloy coatings for most public surfaces lowered the infection risk by 15.9% to 99.2%." He says the study, published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology , provides "crucial" insights for developing infection prevention and control strategies specifically tailored for norovirus within airport environments. Zhang noted that the data for the study was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic , so surface-touching behaviors may have been different from normal. But he said that, overall, the simulated results indicated that public surface disinfection, mask-wearing wearing and the use of antimicrobial surfaces are effective ways of controlling the spread of norovirus via surfaces. Zhang added: "Regular surface infection is much more effective than regular handwashing for blocking norovirus transmission via fomite route in airports."Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey, listed as questionable due to a shoulder issue, is expected to play Monday night against the visiting Baltimore Ravens, NFL Network reported. McConkey missed practice on Thursday and was limited on Friday and Saturday. Star linebacker Khalil Mack, who was questionable because of a groin injury and was a limited participant, also is expected to play, according to the report. The Chargers (7-3) made several moves Monday ahead of the game against the Ravens (7-4), placing tight end Hayden Hurst (hip) on injured reserve, activating cornerback Deane Leonard (hamstring) off IR, signing cornerback Eli Apple from the practice to the active squad, and elevating linebacker Caleb Murphy and safety Tony Jefferson for game day. McConkey, 23, has started nine of 10 games and has 43 receptions on 63 targets for 615 yards and four touchdowns. The Chargers drafted the 6-foot, 185-pound McConkey in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Georgia. Mack, 33, is a three-time first-team All-Pro, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He has started the nine games he has played and has 26 tackles and 4.5 sacks this season. For his career, Mack has 617 tackles, 106 sacks, 141 tackles for loss, 178 quarterback hits, three interceptions -- two returned for touchdowns -- 32 forced fumbles and 13 fumble recoveries in 160 games (159 starts). He has played for the Raiders (2014-17), Chicago Bears (2018-21) and Chargers. Hurst, 31, has started two of seven games in his first season with the Chargers. He has seven receptions on 12 targets for 65 yards. A first-round pick (25th overall) by Baltimore in the 2018 NFL Draft out of South Carolina, Hurst has 202 receptions for 1,967 yards and 15 TDs in 86 games (41 starts) for the Ravens (2018-19), Atlanta Falcons (2020-21), Cincinnati Bengals (2022), Carolina Panthers (2023) and Chargers. Apple, 29, has two tackles in three games this season, his first with the Chargers. The 10th overall selection in the 2016 draft, Apple has 383 career tackles and six interceptions in 101 games (82 starts) for the New York Giants (2016-18), New Orleans Saints (2018-19), Panthers (2020), Bengals (2021-22), Miami Dolphins (2023) and Chargers. Leonard, who turned 25 last Tuesday, has four tackles in four games this season. His 21-day practice window on IR opened Wednesday. --Field Level MediaSeagate Technology Holdings PLC stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors despite daily gains
Google and the US government faced off in a federal court on Monday, as each side delivered closing arguments in a case revolving around the technology giant's alleged unfair domination of online advertising. The trial in a Virginia federal court is Google's second US antitrust case now under way as the US government tries to rein in the power of big tech. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Xreal Beam Pro And Air 2 Pro Glasses Review: The Best Entry-Level ARSix-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick interviewed for the head-coaching job at North Carolina, Inside Carolina and the Raleigh News & Observer reported Thursday. According to the News & Observer, Belichick "blew them away in the interview," yet he is not likely to move forward because he is pushing 73 years old and has no experience in the college game. After he and the New England Patriots agreed to part ways following a 24-year stint, Belichick interviewed for the head job with the Atlanta Falcons, who instead hired Raheem Morris. The North Carolina interview is the first known instance of Belichick showing interest in a college position. Belichick is expected to draw interest for NFL openings in the upcoming hiring cycle. The Tar Heels retained an outside advisory firm to identify coaching candidates to replace Mack Brown, whom they fired at the end of the regular season. North Carolina went 6-6, including 3-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "We've had a tremendous response of people across the country, of agents calling us, coaches, people calling on behalf of other people that are in the industry," North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in an in-house interview the school posted online earlier this week. "We are very optimistic of where we are, the interest in our program is just extraordinary, and we'll get a great coach to lead us. Who can lead us in the next three, five, 10 years? We need somebody that can come in and take us from good to great." --Field Level MediaBillionaires have seen their combined wealth shoot up 121 percent over the past decade to $14 trillion, Swiss bank UBS said Thursday, with tech billionaires' coffers filling the fastest. Switzerland's biggest bank, which is among the world's largest wealth managers, said the number of dollar billionaires increased from 1,757 to 2,682 over the past 10 years, peaking in 2021 with 2,686. The 10th edition of UBS's annual Billionaire Ambitions report, which tracks the wealth of the world's richest people, found that billionaires have comfortably outperformed global equity markets over the past decade. The report documents "the growth and investment of great wealth, as well as how it's being preserved for future generations and used to have a positive effect on society", said Benjamin Cavalli, head of strategic clients at UBS global wealth management. Between 2015 and 2024, total billionaire wealth increased by 121 percent from $6.3 trillion to $14.0 trillion -- while the MSCI AC World Index of global equities rose 73 percent. The wealth of tech billionaires increased the fastest, followed by that of industrialists. Worldwide, tech billionaires' wealth tripled from $788.9 billion in 2015 to $2.4 trillion in 2024. "In earlier years, the new billionaires commercialised e-commerce, social media and digital payments; more recently they engineered the generative AI boom, while also developing cyber-security, fintech, 3D printing and robotics," UBS said. The report found that since 2020, the global growth trend had slowed due to declines among China's billionaires. From 2015 to 2020, billionaire wealth grew globally at an annual rate of 10 percent, but growth has plunged to one percent since 2020. Chinese billionaire wealth more than doubled from 2015 to 2020, rising from $887.3 billion to $2.1 trillion, but has since fallen back to $1.8 trillion. However, North American billionaire wealth has risen 58.5 percent to $6.1 trillion since 2020, "led by industrials and tech billionaires". Meanwhile billionaires are relocating more frequently, with 176 having moved country since 2020, with Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore and the United States being popular destinations. More from this section In 2024, some 268 people became billionaires for the first time, with 60 percent of them entrepreneurs. "The year's new billionaires were mainly self-made," said UBS. The report said US billionaires accrued the greatest gains in 2024, reinforcing the country's place as the world's main centre for billionaire entrepreneurs. Their wealth rose 27.6 percent to $5.8 trillion, or more than 40 percent of billionaire wealth worldwide. Billionaires' wealth from mainland China and Hong Kong fell 16.8 percent to $1.8 trillion, with the number of billionaires dropping from 588 to 501. Indian billionaires' wealth increased 42.1 percent to $905.6 billion, while their number grew from 153 to 185. Western Europe’s total billionaire wealth rose 16.0 percent to $2.7 trillion -- partly due to a 24 percent increase in Swiss billionaires. UAE billionaires' aggregate wealth rose 39.5 percent to $138.7 billion. UBS said billionaires faced an "uncertain world" over the next 10 years, due to high geopolitical tensions, trade barriers and governments with mounting spending requirements. Billionaires will therefore need to rely on their previous distinctive traits: "smart risk-taking, business focus and determination". "Risk-taking billionaires are likely to be at the forefront of creating two technology-related industries of the future already taking shape: generative AI and renewables/electrification," UBS predicted. And more flexible wealth planning will be needed as billionaire families move country and spread around the world. The heirs and philanthropic causes of baby boom billionaires are set to inherit an estimated $6.3 trillion over the next 15 years, UBS said. rjm/gvKTTA stock touches 52-week low at $2.72 amid market challenges
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