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Japan's famous sake joins UNESCO's cultural heritage list, a boost to brewers and enthusiasts

Azzurro Capital Inc Sells 20,000 Shares of Travelzoo (NASDAQ:TZOO) StockWhen government officials in the Dominican Republic desperately sought COVID-19 drugs in July of 2020 -- as the U.S., under the Trump administration, was stockpiling the world's supply of remdesivir -- they turned to a lobbying firm with deep ties to Donald Trump that they had been paying more than $100,000 a month. "We have an urgent need for these and [pharmaceutical company] Gilead is requesting WH approval for Gilead to provide these through diplomatic channels to the DR Presidential Palace," an official from the Dominican Republic's consulate wrote to veteran lobbyist Brian Ballard. Within a matter of hours, the solution to the Dominican Republic's problem was in motion, with Ballard directly connecting the official with Anand Shah, then a deputy commissioner at the Food and Drug Association, according to an email filed with the Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. MORE: GOP senators seek 'normal process' to confirm Trump nominees, torn over FBI background checks "We have had the privilege of representing the Dominican Republic for several years and have been very pleased with the pro American policies of the government. I hope you might advise on the best way forward to assist on this critical matter," Ballard wrote. The exchange illustrates one example of the kind of services for which foreign and domestic clients flocked to Ballard Partners during Trump's first administration. After nearly two decades in business servicing mainly Florida clients, the firm emerged as a dominant force in Trump's Washington, notching blue-clip clients like Amazon, American Airlines and Uber and earning more than $24 million in federal domestic lobbying in 2020, just four years after opening their first D.C. office. While the firm's massive growth stalled slightly after Trump left office, the firm appears well positioned to profit from Trump's return to the White House, prompting concerns from some consumer advocacy groups and several ethics experts. 'We've got friends' This election cycle, Ballard bundled a total of $1.8 million in campaign contributions for a Trump fundraising vehicle from other donors -- and Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles, and his nominee for attorney general , Pam Bondi, both worked at various times as registered lobbyists with the company. Wiles worked at the lobbying firm for eight years -- leaving the firm in 2019 -- and Bondi has been a partner since 2019. After leaving Ballard Partners, Wiles ran Trump's Florida campaign in 2020, worked for Mercury Public Affairs, then served as Trump's campaign manager for this election cycle. "It's definitely two of the most important positions in the federal government," said Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel at the progressive watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. "And the fact that they're both coming from the same lobbying firm sends a powerful message: 'If you have interests that need to be protected ... we've got friends.'" While administrations from both parties have routinely filled government positions with former lobbyists, Trump's decision to tap two loyalists whose most recent prior job experience was lobbying has prompted concerns about the revolving door of politics and questions about Trump's vow to "drain the swamp." "The pitch in the election was that the swamp is too swampy and the working class has been ignored, and corporations have been sending their jobs abroad," said Jon Golinger, an advocate at the progressive consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. “We'll be looking to see whether those issues are prioritized, or whether it's the same old business as usual with new people in charge." "Susie Wiles and Pam Bondi are highly respected individuals who have proven deeply loyal to President Trump and the American people who just re-elected him," said incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement to ABC News. "Pam, Susie, and all of President Trump's nominees will abide by all ethical obligations in their respective roles." As Trump inched closer to the White House over the last year, Ballard Partners also signed high-profile clients with key stakes affected by federal policy, including Japanese steel giant Nippon Steel, whose merger with U.S. Steel is opposed by both Trump and President Joe Biden, and TikTok, which could be banned if its owner does not sell the app to a non-Chinese entity. Ballard Partners is also registered as a foreign agent for the Embassy of Japan since last year, making more than $300,000 for their work so far, per government filings. According to Department of Justice disclosures, Ballard has facilitated meetings and phone calls with journalists and lawmakers on behalf of the Japanese embassy. In October, the Embassy for the Republic of Sudan -- which is embroiled in a civil war between two rival parts of its military government that has displaced more than 8 million people and killed 15,000 -- signed a $50,000-a-month contract with Ballard Partners for assistance with "communications with U.S. government officials and decision makers," according to federal disclosures. "If you're a company or a government or another organization, you're hiring Ballard Partners because you think they can open doors for you," said Nick Schwellenbach, a senior investigator at the watchdog group Project on Government Oversight. "They're very intertwined at the highest levels with the incoming Trump administration, and they stand to profit significantly." 'Personal connections to President Trump' Ballard Partners quickly established itself in Washington during the first Trump administration, after focusing predominantly on lobbying Florida officials, including on behalf of Trump's businesses. Brian Ballard first got to know Trump a few years after Trump purchased the Mar-a-Lago estate that's now his home, when Ballard penned a letter to Trump to praise him about his 1987 bestselling book, "The Art of the Deal." "When the president was elected, a lot of corporations we represent in Florida and folks from around the county started to call up and say, 'We don't know folks in the administration' and 'We'd like to get to know some folks in the administration,'" Ballard told the Tallahassee Democrat in 2017. Ballard Partners declined a request for comment from ABC News for this story. Ballard Partners opened up its first D.C. office in 2017, quickly signing clients and making $9.8 million in domestic federal lobbying revenue during that first year, according to disclosures. By 2018, they doubled their revenue to $18.2 million before peaking in 2020 with $24.5 million in revenue from domestic federal lobbying. The company made $1.8 million lobbying on behalf of the private prison operator Geo Group amid Trump's crackdown on immigration, and made $1.64 million from French wine and spirits maker Pernod Ricard, $860,000 from General Motors, $780,000 from Boeing, $420,000 from Uber, $360,000 from Major League Baseball, and $150,000 from DraftKings, according to financial disclosures. MORE: Trump announces Pam Bondi as his AG pick to replace Matt Gaetz "Mr. Ballard, a Republican National Committee finance vice chair and Trump super-donor, had built his firm around his personal connections to President Trump," the Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability wrote in a 2024 report entitled "White House for Sale: How Princes, Prime Ministers, and Premiers Paid off President Trump." According to the report, Trump's businesses received millions of dollars from foreign entities located in 20 different countries during Trump's presidency. After the report was published, Trump's son Eric Trump, who helped run the Trump Organization while Trump was president, told ABC News in a statement that the House Democrats' "narrative is insane," citing profits that Trump voluntarily donated to the Treasury Department to offset his business earnings from foreign entities. Ballard Partners also made millions by working as agents for foreign countries, with deals to represent Turkey and the Turkish bank Halkbank for $125,000 a month while the U.S. Justice Department probed the bank for allegedly violating Iranian sanctions. The lobbying firm made $2 million from Halkbank before dropping the bank as a client after the Justice Department indicted the bank for evading the U.S. sanctions on Iran in 2019. Halkbank has pleaded not guilty to the charges. In other foreign lobbying, Ballard Partners represented the government of Kosovo while it negotiated with neighboring Serbia; it advocated for lifting U.S. sanctions against Zimbabwe; it sought to improve U.S.-Guatemala bilateral relations; and it represented an exiled Democratic Republic of the Congo opposition leader. As registered foreign agents, Bondi represented Qatar from 2019 to 2020 for work related to anti-human trafficking efforts, and Wiles represented one of Nigeria's main political parties for two months in 2019. 'Here to stay' After reaching its peak revenue of $24.5 million in federal domestic lobbying in 2020, Ballard Partners gradually lost business as the control of power in Washington shifted from Trump to Biden, making approximately $18 million in both 2021 and 2022 as lobbying firms with ties to Biden and his administration flourished . "We had a wonderful run, we're going to be here to stay, but it's not going to be the same," Brian Ballard told The Hill in 2021. But with Trump returning to Washington in a matter of weeks, Ballard appears poised to benefit from a second wind -- in part because former lobbyists Wiles and Bondi will occupy top positions in the administration, according to the experts who spoke to ABC News. MORE: What a 'deep state' investigation could look like if Kash Patel becomes FBI director "There's a lot of opportunity here for their former firm and their former clients, even though there are ethics restrictions in place," Canter said, regarding federal regulations that prohibit government employees from working on matters involving their former employer or former clients within the past year. The concern, Canter said, is that the public might not be best served by the arrangement. "Corporate interests will take precedence over the public interest," she said.Mustang Bio files to sell 34.77M shares of common stock for holders

EU universal charger rules come into forceLeader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (December 28, 2024) said the present government “insulted a great son of Mother India” by not allocating a separate place for the funeral of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . On Friday (December 27, 2024), Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre to identify a designated place where the last rites of the departed leader could be held and a memorial built thereafter. As a political row broke out over the issue, the Centre said a decision to set up a memorial has already been taken and a trust would be formed to identify the place soon. “The great son of Mother India and the first Prime Minister of the Sikh community, Dr. Manmohan Singh ji has been totally insulted by the present government by performing his last rites today at the Nigambodh Ghat,” Mr. Gandhi said in a post on X. He said Dr. Singh was the Prime Minister for 10 years and during his tenure, the country became an economic superpower and his policies are still the support system for the poor and backward classes. “Till date, respecting the dignity of all former Prime Ministers, their last rites were performed at authorised burial sites so that every person could have a last darshan and pay homage without any inconvenience. Dr. Manmohan Singh deserves our highest respect and a memorial. The government should have shown respect to this great son of the country and his proud community,” Mr. Gandhi added. Lok Sabha member Manickam Tagore added, “Atalji [former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee] was honoured with a separate memorial for his funeral, yet Dr. Manmohan Singh Ji is to be laid to rest in Nigambodh Ghat? Why this disparity? Such selective treatment is deeply disheartening.” Party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in a separate post on X, said the Centre has not done justice to the dignity of Dr. Singh’s post, his personality, legacy and the self-respecting Sikh community. Chairman of the the party’s media and publicity department, Pawan Khera, also took to X, to allege “mismanagement” by government authorities during the funeral. “The state funeral of Dr. Manmohan Singh was a shocking display of disrespect and mismanagement,” Mr. Khera alleged, adding that only three chairs were kept in the front row for Dr. Singh’s family. “Congress leaders had to insist on seats for his daughters and other family members. PM & Ministers did not stand up when the National Flag was handed to the widow of the late Prime Minister, or during the gun salute. The family was given inadequate space around the pyre due to soldiers occupying one side... Shah’s motorcade disrupted the funeral procession, leaving family cars outside. The gate was closed, and family members had to be located and brought back in,” the Congress leader added. Published - December 28, 2024 08:52 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Indian National Congress / national government

China has launched a massive amphibious assault ship to its expansive naval force as it races against time to rival the military arsenal of the United States, shortly after debuting a stealth jet that flexes Beijing's burgeoning military muscle. China's increased joint military activity with Russia , including a Chinese warship partaking in Russia's Navy Day celebrations in St. Petersburg in July, has raised global concern. Beijing also unveiled a chilling "hit list" of US naval targets it could potentially strike should a war break out between the two nuclear behemoths in the future. Before China's launch on Friday, the United States Department of Defense released its annual report on China's military prowess last week. With more than 370 naval ships and submarines, including three Type 075 amphibious assault ships, China has the largest naval force in the world. The Chinese navy "continues to develop into a global force, gradually extending its operational reach beyond East Asia," hoping to expand operations in places further away from mainland China, the report added. The new Type 076 amphibious assault is named the CNS Sichuan, after the southwestern province in China. The ship has a full load displacement of more than 40,000 tons, a tad bit less than the new American assault ship with 44,000 tons. It is, however, longer than the 844-foot America class. The Type 076 is 853 feet long and has a double island superstructure on the flight deck, called the "island" which has the control center. Each island may be dedicated to only one task, either navigating the ship or fighting operations, War Zone, a defense news and analysis website, said. DON'T MISS: This assault ship debuted on the waters on Friday at a shipyard in Shanghai, the People's Liberation Army Navy said in a statement. It is now a "key asset" to enhancing the Chinese Navy's long-range operations, the statement said. Following its launch, this ship will undergo planned tests like equipment commissioning, sea trials and mooring tests. It also has an electromagnetic catapult system that allows the ship to carry fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and amphibious equipment in these kinds of warships, PLAN added. This new technology will allow the ship to launch larger and heavier aircraft that have more fuel and expansive range as well as more bombs or missiles, making them dangerous. This is the second warship in service to employ the electromagnetic catapult system, besides the US Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford. Although it is yet to be commissioned and is currently undergoing sea trials, China's new aircraft carrier Fujian also has an electromagnet system. According to an August report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies based on satellite imagery of the ship that was under construction, Sichuan can be used as a massive drone launchpad. "If it is limited to unmanned systems, the Type 076's air wing will be highly capable. China boasts an advanced and growing arsenal of UAVs, including the GJ-11 stealth combat drone, the WZ-7 reconnaissance drone, and the CASC Rainbow strike UCAV, among others," the report said.Published 3:37 pm Saturday, December 28, 2024 By Data Skrive A victory by the Minnesota Vikings over the Green Bay Packers is our computer model projection for these teams’ upcoming game, on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 4:25 p.m. ET (at U.S. Bank Stadium). For a full breakdown, including the spread, over/under and final score, continue reading. Looking for NFL tickets? Head to StubHub today and see your team live. The Vikings are averaging 346.3 yards per game on offense (12th in NFL), and they rank 16th defensively with 335.8 yards allowed per game. The Packers are compiling 27.5 points per contest on offense this season (seventh-ranked). Meanwhile, they are allowing 19.1 points per game (sixth-ranked) on defense. BetMGM is one of the most trusted Sportsbooks in the nation. Start with as little as $1 and place your bets today . Ready to make your pick? Head to BetMGM using our link and start betting today. Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply) Rep your favorite NFL players with officially licensed gear. Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more. Catch every NFL touchdown with NFL RedZone on Fubo. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

Location-Based Services Market to grow by USD 296.3 billion (2024-2028), driven by rising demand for navigation services; Report on AI-driven market evolution - TechnavioJeff Bezos says he’s ‘very optimistic this time around’ about TrumpBy MICHAEL R. SISAK NEW YORK (AP) — Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs tried for a third time Friday to persuade a judge to let him leave jail while he awaits his sex trafficking trial, but a decision won’t come until next week. Judge Arun Subramanian said at a hearing that he will release his decision on Combs’ latest request for bail after Combs’ lawyers and federal prosecutors file letters addressing outstanding issues. Those letters are due at noon on Monday, Subramanian said. Combs’ lawyers pitched having him await trial under around-the-clock surveillance either his mansion on an island near Miami Beach or — after the judge scoffed at that location — an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Their plan essentially amounts to putting Combs on house arrest, with strict limits on who he has contact with. But prosecutors argue that Combs has routinely flouted jail rules and can’t be trusted not to interfere with witnesses or the judicial process. “The argument that he’s a lawless person who doesn’t follow instructions isn’t factually accurate,” Combs lawyer Anthony Ricco argued. “The idea that he’s an out-of-control individual who has to be detained isn’t factually accurate.” Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years with help from a network of associates and employees while silencing victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. His trial is slated to begin May 5. The Bad Boy Records founder remains locked up at a Brooklyn federal jail, where he spent his Nov. 4 birthday. Two other judges previously concluded that Combs would be a danger to the community if he is released and an appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals weighs his bail request. Friday’s hearing was the second time Combs was in court this week. On Tuesday, a judge blocked prosecutors from using as evidence papers that were seized from his cell during jail-wide sweep for contraband and weapons at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. As he entered through a side door, Combs waved to relatives including his mother and several of his children in the courtroom gallery, tapping his hand to his heart and blowing kisses at them. He then hugged his lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, before taking a seat at the defense table. He was not handcuffed or shackled and wore a beige jail uniform, occasionally pulling a pair of reading glasses from his pocket as he peered at papers in front of him. Prosecutors maintain that no bail conditions will mitigate the “risk of obstruction and dangerousness to others” of releasing Combs from jail. Prosecutors contend that while locked up the “I’ll Be Missing You” artist has orchestrated social media campaigns aimed at tainting the jury pool. They allege that he has also attempted to publicly leak materials he thinks would be helpful to his case and is contacting potential witnesses via third parties. “Simply put, the defendant cannot be trusted,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik argued. Combs’ lawyer Teny Geragos countered that, given the strict release conditions proposed, “it would be impossible for him not to follow rules.”

A video posted to social media by a Texas lieutenant in the Department of Public Safety shows a young girl at the U.S.-Mexico border standing alone. She has traveled from El Salvador, and holds just a Post-It note with a phone number on it. "How old are you?" a trooper asks. The girl holds up two fingers. A second video posted by the same lieutenant shows 60 migrant children who journeyed by themselves to the U.S. arriving in Eagle Pass, Texas. Another image shows an accused smuggler running across the border with a 5-year-old in his arms, reportedly paid to bring the girl to her mother already in the states. The Texas Department of Public Safety, under Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, openly supports President-elect Donald Trump's push to dramatically tighten immigration. Lt. Chris Olivarez began posting photos and videos of child migrants around the time Tom Homan, Trump's point-person on the border, visited Eagle Pass. "I guarantee some are in forced labor, some are in sex trades," Homan said. "We're going to save those children." RELATED STORY | Trump announces former acting ICE Director Tom Homan as new 'border czar' The arrival of unaccompanied minors is not a new phenomenon. Thousands have journeyed across the Mexican border each year, including during the first Trump term, according to a Scripps News review of data from the Department of Health and Human Services. The flow of unaccompanied minors, however, reached record highs during the first years of the Biden administration, as undocumented immigration soared. The numbers have fallen since 2022 but remain elevated today. The federal government tries to quickly place child migrants with a sponsor already in the country, usually a parent or other close family member. The sponsor pledges to care for the minor while ensuring they go through immigration proceedings. However, it is an approach that does not always work. RELATED STORY | Trump's mass deportation plan targets specific groups of immigrants A 2023 joint investigation by Scripps News and the Center for Public Integrity found many children end up disappearing from their sponsor homes. Thousands of unaccompanied minors run away, some winding up in dangerous illegal child labor jobs, or worse. "They've simply vanished into a dark underworld of sex and drug trafficking, forced labor, gang activity and crime," said Rep. Tom McClintock, R-California, during a November congressional hearing. McClintock and other Republicans say the Department of Health and Human Services is to blame for failing to properly vet sponsors. A 2023 report by a Florida grand jury obtained by Scripps News found some sponsor addresses were in fact empty lots or a strip club. One address listed 44 kids assigned to it. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra says they are doing the best they can with a limited budget. "What we don't do is short-change the vetting process," Becerra said at a November hearing on Capitol Hill. "We make sure that we follow best practices in the child welfare field. "We do background checks on every individual," he added. RELATED STORY | The struggle to locate migrant children missing from US homes Just how many migrant children have disappeared from their sponsors is in dispute. Becerra says a frequently cited estimate of 85,000 missing kids is too high and doesn't account for many children who are safe but just not reachable by HHS officials who make three attempts to contact them. "They may be at school, they may be at a doctor's appointment, they may not have a phone working anymore," Becerra said. Homan and the rest of the Trump administration have not yet laid out what their policy will be for those children who make the perilous journey to the U.S. alone.Adani Gangavaram Port, the deepest and one of the most modern ports in India announced the launch of two state-of-the-art Economic Grab Ship Cranes, marking a significant milestone as the first in India. These advanced electric cranes are designed to handle multi-purpose operations, efficiently managing, loading and unloading processes. This development highlights the port’s commitment to operational efficiency and sustainable practices. The introduction of these cranes demonstrates Adani Gangavaram Port’s continuous efforts to enhance cargo handling operations, thereby improving service offerings to customers. By integrating the latest technology and processes, the port aims to strengthen its position as a leader in trade services. The port remains dedicated to bringing world-class technology and best-in-class processes to further support and streamline trade in India. Adani Gangavaram Port Limited management said, “We are extremely delighted on the induction of the first Economic Grab Ship Cranes in India and it is a witness to our commitment to enhancing efficiency and better serving our customers. We continue to invest in state-of-the-art technologies that improve efficiency, ensure sustainability, and enhance the overall customer experience. Our dedication to bringing the best processes and technology to serve the trade remains steadfast, and these cranes are a witness to our vision of becoming a leader in India’s port and logistics sector.” Source: Adani Gangavaram Port

1 2 3 Patna: Leader of opposition in state assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, on Saturday alleged that chief minister (CM) Nitish Kumar had lost his ability to function independently and had become "captive" to a small group of close associates. Responding sharply, JD(U) spokesperson Arvind Nishad said Tejashwi was losing his "linguistic decorum" and dismissed the claims, highlighting Nitish's development initiatives and governance track record. Tejashwi's remarks were made in response to questions about potential political realignments involving Nitish, who joined the BJP-led NDA in Jan, ending his alliance with the RJD. "These rumours are baseless. Nitish is no longer in his senses and is unable to govern Bihar," Tejashwi alleged, claiming that four JD(U) netas — two in Delhi and two in Bihar — are controlling state affairs. The RJD leader also referred to an exchange of letters between AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and the JD(U) over alleged remarks on Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar by Union home minister Amit Shah. "Kejriwal addressed the letter to Nitish, but it was Sanjay Jha who responded. Who is he?" Tejashwi questioned. Nishad defended the JD(U)'s governance, saying that under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar, Bihar was developing rapidly. "Lakhs of unemployed youths are getting govt jobs. The CM has committed to providing 12 lakh govt jobs. Recruitment agencies are working to achieve this," he added. Nishad also cited Nitish's Pragati Yatra, during which the CM interacted with self-help group women and reviewed development plans in Sitamarhi. Nishad also turned the spotlight on Tejashwi's track record, particularly during the floods in Raghopur. "When the people of Raghopur were drowning, Tejashwi was vacationing in Dubai. Now, in the election year, he seeks votes in Raghopur," he said. The JD(U) spokesperson reminded Tejashwi of his political beginnings. "You became deputy CM twice only due to the ‘special blessings' of Nitish. You never had your own govt. Refrain from engaging in negative politics," Nishad added. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword .WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.None

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Tubi ‘s imported comedy Big Mood debuted in April 2024 and has left viewers wondering what’s next for friends Maggie ( Nicola Coughlan ) and Eddie ( Lydia West ) ever since it launched. But will the series return for a second season? No official confirmation regarding the show’s future has been made at this time, in other words, it hasn’t been renewed, but it hasn’t been canceled either. In the meantime, we’re breaking down everything we know about the show’s potential return so far, below. Tubi Yes, there’s an abundance of hope due in part to some teases series creator and writer Camilla Whitehill gave about planning for another chapter of the comedy. During an appearance on the Firecrotch & Normcore: They Like to Watch Podcast in July 2024, Whitehill said, “I’m writing Big Mood Series 2, which hasn’t been fully fully greenlit.” She added that regarding a second season, “a few episodes have been commissioned, so I’m working on that. I hope that we will be, that we’ll go again.” Big Mood , as fans saw in Season 1, focuses on the friendship between Eddie and Maggie, the latter of which struggles to live with her bipolar disorder. While Eddie is a big support, she has struggles of her own that often fly under the radar as she tries her best to be there for Maggie. Ultimately, Season 1 ended with Maggie missing out on accompanying Eddie for an abortion due to her mental status. Missing time and space, Maggie eventually shows up at the bar Eddie owned to find a closed sign before she sees Eddie leaving with luggage in a taxi. It’s a heartbreaking scene, and Season 2 would likely pick up where things left off, or examine where these friends are some time after the events after spending some time apart. Only time would tell for certain as we await word on the show’s future. When it came to the possibility of a second season, Big Mood stars Coughlan and West were interested in exploring the origin of Maggie and Eddie’s friendship. “If we get a Season 2 — touch wood — I really want a flashback scene to when they met,” Coughlan told TV Insider . “I’d love that. That would be so funny,” West countered. “And it would be full Indie sleaze,” Coughlan added as she continued to paint a metaphorical picture. Will this vision come to life? We’ll keep our fingers crossed. Until then, stream Big Mood anytime on Tubi. Big Mood , Streaming now, Tubi More Headlines: Will ‘Big Mood’ Return for Season 2? Everything We Know So Far ‘Squid Game’ Season 2: Every New Game, Explained What’s Next on ‘General Hospital’ in 2025: Lulu & Dante, Michael’s Exit, Trina & Kai, and More ‘Inside Outlander’ Aftershow: Silvia Presente on Jane’s Return & Relationship With William (VIDEO) ‘Southern Hospitality’ Stars Bradley Carter & T.J. Dinch Tease ‘Raw’ Season 3: ‘Buckle Up’Titans vs. Jaguars Predictions & Picks: Odds, Moneyline, Spread – Week 17 Published 3:36 pm Saturday, December 28, 2024 By Data Skrive At EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 29, the Jacksonville Jaguars take on the Tennessee Titans, starting at 1 p.m. ET. The Jaguars should win, according to our computer model — continue scrolling to discover more tips about the point spread, over/under and even the final score. Looking for NFL tickets? Head to StubHub today and see your team live. Despite having a bottom-five defense that ranks worst in the NFL (390.9 yards allowed per game), the Jaguars have had more success offensively, ranking 26th in the NFL by averaging 306.1 yards per game. The Titans rank 25th in points per game (18.9), but they’ve been worse on the other side of the ball, ranking second-worst in the NFL with 27.8 points surrendered per contest. BetMGM is one of the most trusted Sportsbooks in the nation. Start with as little as $1 and place your bets today . Titans vs. Jaguars Predictions and Picks Ready to make your pick? Head to BetMGM using our link and start betting today. Titans Betting Info Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply) Jaguars Betting Info Rep your favorite NFL players with officially licensed gear. Head to Fanatics to find jerseys, shirts, hats, and much more. Titans vs. Jaguars 2024 Scoring Insights Catch every NFL touchdown with NFL RedZone on Fubo. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .The rise of services prompts developing countries to look beyond manufacturing-led exports and enable productivity growth across the economic system. Service exports, now representing 25% of world trade, offer a bright spot amid a subdued global economic outlook. In 2023, trade in services expanded by 5% in real terms, contrasting a 1.2% contraction in merchandise trade, according to the Trade and Development Report 2024. As a development strategy, services are gaining more traction than manufacturing, a longstanding growth engine for middle-income countries. “This is largely because the comparative advantage of cheaper, less-skilled labour no longer aligns with the reliance of modern manufacturing on skill- and capital-intensive production,” the report notes. “Additionally, industrialization is increasingly scrutinized for its large ecological footprint and contributions to climate change.” The dawn of a service economy could be a game changer for developing countries, but not without challenges. Currently, developing economies account for under 30% of global services export revenues and 44% of merchandise trade. With services and intangible assets – such as brands, designs and patented technologies – getting prominence in global value chains, asymmetries between developed and developing regions could worsen. Market concentration in the creative services trade is a case in point. In 2022, creative services were valued at $1.4 trillion, four fifths of which came from developed countries. The predominance also manifests in the geography of multinational firms providing international services. In 2022, 70% of these companies were headquartered in developed regions, compared to just 10% in developing ones excluding China. Current trade in services cannot generate enough quality jobs in developing countries, urging an ambitious policy mix towards green transition and promoting labour-absorbing activities, especially in the non-tradable services sectors. Some examples can be construction, retail, various types of care work as well as the personal and public sectors that provide services consumed locally in the country or region where they are produced. A three-pronged strategy could focus on:

OTTAWA — Liberal Minister Harjit Sajjan is defending his decision to accept an invitation from a B.C. Crown corporation to attend a Taylor Swift concert. Global News first reported that Sajjan will be attending the concert on the taxpayer's dime as a guest of PavCo, a provincial Crown corporation that owns BC Place. A spokeswoman for Sajjan says the minister only accepted the tickets after receiving clearance from the ethics commissioner. Joanna Kanga says the minister is making a donation of $1,500 to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank as part of a fundraising effort tied to the event. Sajjan, who is the minister of Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, will be attending the concert with his daughter in Vancouver on Saturday. Swift is closing out her Eras Tour in the city on Sunday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2024. Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian PressPacific Biosciences of California, Inc. ( NASDAQ:PACB – Get Free Report )’s share price gapped down before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $1.95, but opened at $1.90. Pacific Biosciences of California shares last traded at $1.87, with a volume of 564,827 shares trading hands. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth PACB has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. UBS Group cut shares of Pacific Biosciences of California from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $2.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Monday, November 11th. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on Pacific Biosciences of California from $2.00 to $2.50 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Scotiabank decreased their price objective on Pacific Biosciences of California from $7.00 to $6.00 and set a “sector outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 11th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Pacific Biosciences of California to a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $2.95. Read Our Latest Analysis on PACB Pacific Biosciences of California Price Performance Institutional Inflows and Outflows Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Carret Asset Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Pacific Biosciences of California by 142.5% in the 2nd quarter. Carret Asset Management LLC now owns 77,600 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $106,000 after purchasing an additional 45,600 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers lifted its stake in shares of Pacific Biosciences of California by 13.4% during the 2nd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 436,868 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $598,000 after purchasing an additional 51,727 shares during the last quarter. Impact Partnership Wealth LLC bought a new stake in Pacific Biosciences of California during the second quarter valued at about $37,000. Koss Olinger Consulting LLC purchased a new position in Pacific Biosciences of California in the second quarter valued at about $1,096,000. Finally, Daiwa Securities Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Pacific Biosciences of California by 4.2% during the second quarter. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. now owns 235,308 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $322,000 after buying an additional 9,516 shares during the last quarter. About Pacific Biosciences of California ( Get Free Report ) Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc designs, develops, and manufactures sequencing solution to resolve genetically complex problems. The company provides sequencing systems; consumable products, including single molecule real-time (SMRT) technology; long-red sequencing; and various reagent kits designed for specific workflow, such as preparation kit to convert DNA into SMRTbell double-stranded DNA library formats, including molecular biology reagents, such as ligase, buffers, and exonucleases. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Pacific Biosciences of California Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Pacific Biosciences of California and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Facebook X Email Print Save Story On Christmas Day, Donald Trump issued his traditional holiday greeting. Posting on Truth Social, the social-media site created to serve as a platform for both his personal enrichment and his political aggrandizement, he reprised his threats to reclaim the Panama Canal from its current state of being controlled by the country in which it exists, tweaked Canada as America’s future “51st state,” pushed his plan to purchase Greenland “for National Security purposes,” and wished a merry Christmas to the “Radical Left Lunatics” he so recently defeated in “the Greatest Election in the History of Our Country.” Would it be too 2016 of me to suggest that this is absurd, embarrassing, worrisome stuff? As 2024 ends, the prevailing attitude toward the manic stylings and overheated threats of the once and future President, even among his diehard critics, seems to be more one of purposeful indifference than of explicit resistance; call it surrender or simply resignation to the political reality that Trump, despite it all, is twenty-five days away from returning to the Oval Office. A year ago, a Trump victory was far from inconceivable—the grimly anti-incumbent mood of the American electorate, and the former President’s almost comically easy dispatch of a host of G.O.P. primary challengers who were, for the most part, afraid to criticize him, suggested that it was not only a possible outcome but even a likely one. Yet it is also true that, as 2024 began, Trump’s win was far from inevitable—an alternate reality that, like the half of the country that could not countenance his return to office, has been erased from the Trumpian narrative about his “unprecedented and powerful mandate.” In the weeks since Election Day, it’s been as if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and all the polite technocratic debates of their polite, technocratic Administration have vanished into the mists of time—were the past four years in Washington all some strange dream sequence, like that entire season of “Dallas” back in the nineteen-eighties? Radical revisionism—by Trump and on his behalf—is a strong contender for the theme of this disruptive year, in which some unique property of political alchemy managed to transform a defeated and disgraced ex-President facing four criminal indictments into a perfectly electable Republican candidate with a quirky communications style, a host of more or less legitimate grievances, and a plan to Make America Great Again by empowering his billionaire sidekicks and rolling back laws, regulations, geopolitical trends, and social norms that he and his voters don’t like. Rewriting history, relitigating old fights, plain old revanchism—these worked for Trump in 2024, and it’s a safe bet that, along with revenge and retribution, they will be the themes of the new Trump Administration that takes office on January 20th. Whether it’s peremptory attacks on a 1977 Panama Canal treaty whose terms he now wants to reject or the resurrection of nineteenth-century economic protectionism or the fantastical reimagining of the January 6th rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol as innocent martyrs, Trump is a conservative in an entirely different sense than the one we have come to know: he is not a Republican who sticks to the status quo but instead a would-be strongman whose attachment to a past of his own imagining will now, once again, become the country’s governing ideology. Every year since 2018 , I have written a version of this year-end Letter from Washington. What’s striking reading back through them now, on the eve of Trump’s return to the White House, is not so much his continued dominance of our politics as it is the consistency of how he has accomplished it—the manic governing by social-media pronouncement, the bizarro news cycles, and the normalizing of what would have previously been considered the politically un-normalizable. Even his targets are remarkably similar year in and year out—the Radical Left Lunatics, windmills, Justin Trudeau. In Trump’s 2023 Christmas social-media post, he wished the nation a happy holiday while praying that his enemies “ROT IN HELL.” What we have managed to forget about Trump in these past few years would fill entire books about other Presidents. This year-end exercise has been a small effort in trying to remember. This strikes me as more important than ever in 2024, after an election year in which tapping into the American capacity for collective forgetting proved to be one of Trump’s superpowers. Many of the year’s signal events were so dramatic that they don’t need much recounting now: Trump’s unprecedented criminal trial and his thirty-four felony convictions in a New York state court last May; the incoherent June 27th debate that effectively ended Biden’s career; the attempted assassination of Trump as he spoke at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13th, and the remarkable images of him thrusting his fist in the air and mouthing “Fight!” immediately after a bullet grazed his ear but spared his life. It was just a few days later that Biden dropped out of the race, reinvigorating Democrats with sudden hope that they might beat Trump, after all—only to have Harris, despite a surge of joyous online memes and more than a billion dollars in campaign contributions, suffer an even bigger defeat to Trump than Hillary Clinton’s shocking loss to him in 2016. Even the subsidiary plotlines of 2024 were epic, from the spectre of the world’s richest man leaping around Trump’s rallies like an overheated schoolboy to the scorching success of a Republican ad campaign that portrayed America as a dangerous hellscape of invading illegal immigrants, rampant inflation, and intolerant leftists eager to force transgender surgery on your children. Soon after the election, Trump tried to appoint Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, even knowing that the Florida Republican had been investigated by his own congressional colleagues for paying a minor for sex—a choice that resulted in one of the fastest implosions of a Cabinet selection in modern history. We will not soon forget all that. Where Trump benefits more from this failure to remember is in the common practice, among his allies and detractors alike, of disregarding much of what he says and does, whether it is his vow to close the U.S. border and begin the largest mass deportations in American history on the first day of his Presidency, to end the war in Ukraine in twenty-four hours, or to nullify the Constitution’s guarantee of birthright citizenship. So that’s what I’m most hoping does not get lost in this apathetic moment, when his enemies are averting their gaze and his allies are so confident in the imminent arrival of a MAGA utopia that they have little need to sweat the details. (A new Associated Press / NORC poll, released Thursday, says sixty-five per cent of American adults now feel the need to limit their consumption of news about politics and the government—the Great Tune-Out is real.) Heading into 2025, I do not believe that warnings about the dangers of an unchecked Trump are overstated. Instead, it is the creeping sense that Trump is entering office largely unopposed that more and more worries me. It is a major warning sign, among many, that the ideological policing of Trump’s adversaries as shrill, hysterical, and hypocritical has been so very effective. I am bracing for impact, and not only fearing but expecting the worst. But while Trump may now believe himself so powerful that he can rewrite history on his own behalf, it’s also fair to anticipate that his past will serve not only as prologue but as precedent for 2025. If neither the American voters nor the Republican Party could stop Trump, his many personal weaknesses just might. Presidents, especially second-term Presidents, often stumble. Many occupants of the White House find themselves bogged down in scandal and infighting, victims of their own overreach, hubris, or just sheer incompetence. This was the story of the first Trump Administration, and there is plenty of reason to believe that it will be what happens in his second term, too. Should one root for the failure of an American President? Half of the country, Trump’s half, did this, to great effect, in 2024; in 2025, it will be everybody else’s turn. ♦ 2024 in Review The best movies . The best jokes . The best books . The best podcasts . Our most popular cartoons on Instagram. The animals that made it all worth it . Sign up for our daily newsletter to receive the best stories from The New Yorker .Enhancing the scratch resistance of PC/ABS materials: Applications and advantages of Silicone Anti-scratch Masterbatch

Wild return to the ice rested and, they hope, a little healthierNRG Energy Inc. stock outperforms competitors on strong trading day

( MENAFN - media OutReach Newswire) HYDERABAD, INDIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 27 December 2024 - 1win, a global iGaming brand, proudly summarizes the first year of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) journey, impacting over 30,000 lives across 15 cities and regions throughout 2024. With a total contribution exceeding $300,000, the brand has delivered aid and reaffirmed its commitment to being a caring and sharing organization. 1win: We Care. We Share. For 1win, 2024 has become the year of philanthropy, environmental sustainability, and sports development investments. From bringing free healthcare and distributing meals to promoting a sporty lifestyle and supporting athletes, 1win has made a difference for thousands of people. Five key CSR initiatives delivered by 1win in 2024 MENAFN26122024003551001712ID1109033867 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.The space is where I like to look for opportunities that could deliver strong capital returns. Not only is capital growth great at increasing our wealth, but it also does so in a way where the tax burden is quite low. Capital growth is only taxed when the asset is sold, whereas income and interest are taxed every year. Of course, there are plenty of businesses that are growing quickly and also pay a dividend. I like businesses that are increasing their earnings rapidly because is a very powerful financial tool that can allow companies to double in size. For example, if a business grows revenue by 20% per year, it will double in size in less than four years. Having said all that, I think these ASX growth stocks below could have a very positive 2025. TechnologyOne Ltd ( ) TechnologyOne is one of the most impressive software businesses on the ASX, in my view. It provides enterprise resource planning (ERP) for clients like local, state, and federal governments, as well as education (such as universities) and businesses. This is mission-critical for their software. I have already missed out on some of the gains with TechnologyOne shares. In , I wrote how the ASX growth share was close to being my next investment. I didn't get around to investing, and it has risen 22% since then. However, it's not too late for anyone, including me, to grab a piece of this exciting business. The – reported just over a month ago – included lots of positives. Total grew 20%, with UK sales ARR jumping 70%. I think it's a great sign that growth in the UK is so strong because the UK provides the company with a large addressable market to target. The company's long-term target of net revenue retention (NRR) of 115% is impressive. That means its existing client base generates 15% more revenue in the next year compared to the previous year, which is a strong organic growth rate. The ASX growth stock is achieving this by expanding its use of global software as a service (SaaS) ERP software to streamline its services. TechnologyOne is also expecting profit growth. It achieved a profit before tax (PBT) margin of 29% in FY23, which rose to 30% in FY24. In the coming years, it aims for a PBT margin of at least 35%. According to the broker UBS, the TechnologyOne share price is 35x FY29's estimated earnings. It's not cheap, but many of the ASX's best growth shares also trade on high earnings multiples. VanEck MSCI International Small Companies Quality ETF ( ) I view smaller businesses as having more growth potential than larger ones, partly due to the fact they are still in the growth stage of their business life. This ASX growth stock is an focused on exciting businesses. Inside this portfolio are 150 of the world's highest-quality small companies. Small companies on the global stage are still relatively large – we're not talking microcaps. The companies have achieved that status because they score well on three measurements and low financial leverage. In the past five years, the index this fund tracks has returned an average of 15% per year. That compares to an average 13.4% return per year for the MSCI World ex-Australia, which is one measurement of the global share market. With these businesses spread across different countries and sectors, I like the on offer – this investment is not reliant on a few tech names to do well. In fact, only 8.6% of the fund is invested in IT businesses. Hence, I'm excited by how this fund could do in the long term.MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Colby Rogers scored 28 points and Moussa Cisse had 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks as Memphis defeated No. 16 MIssissippi 87-70 on Saturday. PJ Haggerty finished with 17 points as Memphis (10-3) won for the third time in four games. Sean Pedulla led Ole Miss (11-2) with 13 points and four assists. Jaylen Murray scored 12 and Malik Dia 11 as the Rebels had their five-game winning streak halted. Memphis' defense caused early problems for the Rebels, and the Tigers extended their lead to double digits. But, Ole Miss made five straight field goals, including a string of 3-pointers, to get back into the game before halftime, trailing by just two points at the break. The Tigers opened the second half on a 14-4 run and extended their lead to as many as 13 points near the midway point of the second half. Ole Miss: The Rebels are 24-2 in non-conference games since Chris Beard took over last season, the only other loss to Purdue on Nov. 29. Memphis: The Tigers entered with two straight home losses, to Arkansas State and Mississippi State. From the start, Cisse played inspired. The first play was set up for a Cisse dunk, part of Memphis getting off to a good start. His inside game complemented Rogers' scoring from the outside. Ole Miss commits less than nine turnovers a game while forcing 16.7 per game for opponents. The Memphis defense caused eight Rebel miscues before halftime. While the Rebels cut down on the turnovers in the second half, Memphis defenders continued to cause problems. Ole Miss opens SEC play on Jan. 4 against Georgia. Memphis travels to Florida Atlantic on Thursday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Brazil shares lower at close of trade; Bovespa down 0.99%