2022 super game improvement irons
Fishburn leads at Sea Island as Dahmen keeps hope alive to keep jobA range of independent TDs are contemplating the prospect of entering Ireland’s next coalition government as Fianna Fail and Fine Gael consider ways to secure a solid majority. Three long days of counting in the General Election finished late on Monday night when the final two seats were declared in the constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. Fianna Fail was the clear winner of the election, securing 48 of the Dail parliament’s 174 seats. Sinn Fein took 39 and Fine Gael 38. Labour and the Social Democrats both won 11 seats; People Before Profit-Solidarity took three; Aontu secured two; and the Green Party retained only one of its 12 seats. Independents and others accounted for 21 seats. The return of a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael-led coalition is now highly likely. However, their combined seat total of 86 leaves them just short of the 88 needed for a majority in the Dail. While the two centrist parties that have dominated Irish politics for a century could look to strike a deal with one of the Dail’s smaller centre-left parties, such as the Social Democrats or Labour, a more straightforward route to a majority could be achieved by securing the support of several independent TDs. For Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and current taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, wooing like-minded independents would be likely to involve fewer policy concessions, and financial commitments, than would be required to convince another party to join the government benches. Longford-Westmeath independent TD Kevin “Boxer” Moran, who served in a Fine Gael-led minority government between 2017 and 2020, expressed his willingness to listen to offers to join the new coalition in Dublin. “Look, my door’s open,” he told RTE. “Someone knocks, I’m always there to open it.” Marian Harkin, an independent TD for Sligo-Leitrim, expressed her desire to participate in government as she noted that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were within “shouting distance” of an overall majority. “That means they will be looking for support, and I certainly will be one of those people who will be speaking to them and talking to them and negotiating with them, and I’m looking forward to doing that, because that was the reason that I ran in the first place,” she said. Meanwhile, the Social Democrats and Irish Labour Party both appear cautious about the prospect of an alliance with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. They will no doubt be mindful of the experience of the Green Party, the junior partner in the last mandate. The Greens experienced near wipeout in the election, retaining only one of their 12 seats. Sinn Fein appears to currently have no realistic route to government, given Fianna Fail and Fine Gael’s ongoing refusal to share power with the party. Despite the odds being stacked against her party, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald contacted the leaders of the Social Democrats and Labour on Monday to discuss options. Earlier, Fianna Fail deputy leader and outgoing Finance Minister Jack Chambers predicted that a new coalition government would not be in place before Christmas. Mr Chambers said planned talks about forming an administration required “time and space” to ensure that any new government will be “coherent and stable”. After an inconclusive outcome to the 2020 election, it took five months for Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens to strike the last coalition deal. Mr Chambers said he did not believe it would take that long this time, as he noted the Covid-19 pandemic was a factor in 2020, but he also made clear it would not be a swift process. He said he agreed with analysis that there was no prospect of a deal before Christmas. “I don’t expect a government to be formed in mid-December, when the Dail is due to meet on December 18, probably a Ceann Comhairle (speaker) can be elected, and there’ll have to be time and space taken to make sure we can form a coherent, stable government,” he told RTE. “I don’t think it should take five months like it did the last time – Covid obviously complicated that. But I think all political parties need to take the time to see what’s possible and try and form a stable government for the Irish people.” Fine Gael minister of state Peter Burke said members of his parliamentary party would have to meet to consider their options before giving Mr Harris a mandate to negotiate a new programme for government with Fianna Fail. “It’s important that we have a strong, stable, viable government, whatever form that may be, to ensure that we can meet the challenges of our society, meet the challenges in terms of the economic changes that are potentially going to happen,” he told RTE. Despite being set to emerge with the most seats, it has not been all good news for Fianna Fail. The party’s outgoing Health Minister Stephen Donnelly became one of the biggest casualties of the election when he lost his seat in Wicklow in the early hours of Monday morning. Mr Donnelly was always predicted to face a fight in the constituency after boundary changes saw it reduced from five to four seats. If it is to be a reprise of the Fianna Fail/Fine Gael governing partnership of the last mandate, one of the major questions is around the position of taoiseach and whether the parties will once again take turns to hold the Irish premiership during the lifetime of the new government. The outcome in 2020 saw the parties enter a coalition on the basis that the holder of the premier position would be exchanged midway through the term. Fianna Fail leader Mr Martin took the role for the first half of the mandate, with Leo Varadkar taking over in December 2022. Current Fine Gael leader Mr Harris succeeded Mr Varadkar as taoiseach when he resigned from the role earlier this year. However, this time Fianna Fail has significantly increased its seat lead over Fine Gael, compared with the last election when there were only three seats between the parties. The size of the disparity in party numbers is likely to draw focus on the rotating taoiseach arrangement, raising questions as to whether it will be re-run in the next coalition and, if it is, on what terms. On Sunday, Simon Coveney, a former deputy leader of Fine Gael, said a coalition that did not repeat the rotating taoiseach arrangement in some fashion would be a “difficult proposition” for his party. Meanwhile, Fine Gael minister Paschal Donohoe said he would be making the case for Mr Harris to have another opportunity to serve as taoiseach. On Monday, Mr Chambers said while his party would expect to lead the government it would approach the issue of rotating the taoiseach’s role on the basis of “mutual respect” with Fine Gael. “I think the context of discussions and negotiations will be driven by mutual respect, and that’s the glue that will drive a programme for government and that’s the context in which we’ll engage,” he said. On Monday, Labour leader Ivana Bacik reiterated her party’s determination to forge an alliance with fellow centre-left parties with the intention of having a unified approach to the prospect of entering government. Asked if Labour was prepared to go into government with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael on its own, she told RTE: “No, not at this stage. We are absolutely not willing to do that. “We want to ensure there’s the largest number of TDs who share our vision and our values who want to deliver change on the same basis that we do.” The Social Democrats have been non-committal about any potential arrangement with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, and have restated a series of red lines they would need to achieve before considering taking a place in government. Leader Holly Cairns, who gave birth to a daughter on polling day on Friday, said in a statement: “The party is in a very strong position to play an important role in the next Dail. In what position, government or opposition, remains to be seen.” Fianna Fail secured the most first preference votes in Friday’s proportional representation election, taking 21.9% to Fine Gael’s 20.8%. Sinn Fein came in third on 19%. While Sinn Fein’s vote share represented a marked improvement on its disappointing showing in June’s local elections in Ireland, it is still significantly down on the 24.5% poll-topping share it secured in the 2020 general election. The final breakdown of first preferences also flipped the result of Friday night’s exit poll, which suggested Sinn Fein was in front on 21.1%, with Fine Gael on 21% and Fianna Fail on 19.5%. We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.
49ers GM John Lynch says Brock Purdy status ‘tenuous’ after MRI on shoulder injury
SAN DIEGO , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuvve Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: NVVE) ("Nuvve" or "the Company") would like its shareholders to vote in its upcoming Special Meeting of Stockholders ("Special Meeting") on January 13, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern ( 11:00 am Pacific) Time. The methods for voting and submitting proxies are described in the distributed proxy materials for the Special Meeting. The record date for the Special Meeting is December 6, 2024 . For assistance with voting your shares, please contact Advantage Proxy, Inc. toll-free at 1-877-870-8565 or by e-mail at ksmith@advantageproxy.com . Nuvve asks that all shareholders vote their proxy, no matter how many shares they own. Nuvve strongly encourages all its shareholders to read the company's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on December 16, 2025 (the "Proxy Statement"), which are available free of charge on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . About Nuvve Nuvve (Nasdaq: NVVE) is a global technology leader accelerating the electrification of transportation through its proprietary vehicle-to-grid (V2G) platform. Nuvve's mission is to lower the cost of electric vehicle ownership while supporting the integration of renewable energy sources, including solar and wind. For more information, please visit nuvve.com . Nuvve Investor Contact investorrelations@nuvve.com +1 (619) 483-3448 Nuvve Press Contacts press@nuvve.com +1 (619) 483-3448 Nuvve Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "may," "will," "expects," "believes," "aims," "anticipates," "plans," "looking forward to," "estimates," "projects," "assumes," "guides," "targets," "forecasts," "continue," "seeks" or the negatives of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the Company's expectations, plans, intentions, strategies, prospects, business plans, product and service offerings, new product launches, potential clinical successes, and other statements that are not historical facts. Nuvve cautions you that these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the control of Nuvve. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. Some of these risks and uncertainties can be found in Nuvve's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov , http://investors.nuvve.com/ or on request from Nuvve. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in the Nuvve's filings with the SEC. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and Nuvve disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers of this press release are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, since there can be no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this press release. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nuvve-holding-corp--announces-date-of-special-meeting-of-stockholders-302338578.html SOURCE Nuvve Holding Corp.
Amherst Town Council highlights
In the ever-growing real estate market, the need for efficiency, transparency, and seamless communication has never been greater. Enter Bulvds, a cutting-edge platform that is reshaping how properties are managed, marketed, and discovered. Designed with modern technology and a user-centric approach, Bulvds is bridging the gap between landlords, agents, and tenants, offering solutions tailored to the unique challenges of Nigeria’s real estate landscape. For tenants, the experience is all about ease and efficiency. AI-powered property recommendations and next-generation search tools enable renters to find homes tailored to their specific needs, saving time and eliminating guesswork. With Bulvds, tenants are empowered to make decisions with confidence. Agents, often caught in the chaos of managing multiple clients and properties, will find a powerful ally in Bulvds. The platform combines streamlined workflows with smart tools to enhance productivity. From managing inquiries to tracking listings and optimizing promotions, agents can focus on building relationships while Bulvds handles the heavy lifting. The system also allows agents to expand their reach, opening up earning opportunities across borders, and aligning with Bulvds’ vision of creating a globally connected real estate ecosystem. For landlords, Bulvds is more than just a listing platform—it’s a tool for empowerment. By leveraging advanced technologies such as data-driven insights and intelligent communication systems, Bulvds ensures landlords have a clearer understanding of their property performance and market trends. The platform fosters better collaboration between landlords, property managers, and, in some cases, tenants, eliminating bottlenecks and driving informed decision-making. What truly sets Bulvds apart is its integration of forward-looking technologies. The platform is built on a foundation that considers the potential of blockchain to bring added transparency and trust to property transactions in the future. By embracing innovations like machine learning and advanced algorithms, Bulvds creates a smarter, more connected property management experience—one that adapts to the needs of its users while driving efficiency across the board. “Bulvds isn’t just a platform; it’s a solution that tackles the communication barriers and inefficiencies in property management. We’re committed to leveraging technology to empower all stakeholders in the real estate ecosystem,” says the Bulvds Team. With its sights set on redefining the global property management landscape, Bulvds is positioning itself as a leader in tech-driven real estate innovation. It’s not just about Nigeria; Bulvds is creating a model that the world can follow—a system where collaboration, technology, and seamless interaction drive growth and prosperity for everyone involved. The future of real estate isn’t just coming; it’s already here. And it’s called Bulvds.Zim to introduce paroleAmber Heard has expressed her views on the current allegations that Blake Lively has brought forward against her “It Ends With Us” co-star, Justin Baldoni. Amber Heard spoke exclusively to NBC News about social media and the power it has in creating misinformation, especially regarding the complaint Lively brought against Baldoni. Actress Blake Lively, who starred in the film It Ends With Us, filed a formal complaint with the California Civil Rights Department accusing Justin Baldoni, who directed the film, of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment, and launching a targeted social media campaign to damage her reputation. Lively revealed that Baldoni had hired Melissa Nathan, who is a renowned crisis manager in PR. The manager had earlier handled media strategy during the defamation case Johnny Depp had against Amber Heard. The complaint alleges that Baldoni’s camp orchestrated a “retaliatory social manipulation campaign” against Lively during the promotional phase of the film. This campaign, according to the complaint, included “proactive fan posting” and “social manipulations” to change the perception of the public against Lively and destroy her image. The allegations have caused shockwaves in Hollywood, considering that the promotion of the film had already raised questions over the tension between the cast members. He said, in this regard, that he realized how social media was potent in spreading false narratives while speaking to NBC News through her statement. “Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying ‘A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on.’ I saw this firsthand and up close,” she said. It’s as terrifying as it is destructive.” Heard’s words resonate with her personal experience in her legal battle with Johnny Depp. The actress has been vocal about how social media played a role in shaping the public’s perception of the defamation case she faced. Heard’s comments come after a jury delivered a unanimous verdict in favor of Depp in their defamation trial, handing him $15 million in damages, a ruling that Heard has publicly condemned. “The jury gave me my life back,” Depp said at the time, but Heard felt that the verdict set a dangerous precedent for women speaking out. She contended, “It turns back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly shamed and humiliated.” Fallout From The It Ends With Us Promotion Lively’s complaint provides further details on how the alleged social media campaign against her unfolded. The promotion of It Ends With Us was marked by noticeable tensions between the film’s stars, particularly between Lively and Baldoni. Social media fans took note of the awkwardness during press events, with rumors swirling that the two co-stars didn’t get along on set. Fans also pointed out that Baldoni appeared to be promoting the film separately from Lively and other cast members, and that several stars, including Lively and Jenny Slate, had unfollowed Baldoni on Instagram. The PR Crisis As a reaction to the allegations against Lively, Bryan Freedman of the law firm representing Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios said the accusations are “categorically false.” According to him, Wayfarer Studios was compelled to hire a crisis communications team due to Lively’s behavior during filming, including threatening not to appear on set or promote the film. Freedman also reacted to Amber Heard’s statement, saying, “TAG PR must be the most powerful group of publicists the world has ever seen for it to be able to change totally the perception of both Amber Heard and Blake Lively. Freedman continued his statement by mentioning the ongoing media attention with regard to both Lively and Heard. He claimed that every move made by the involved individuals has been highly publicized and well-documented, which enables the public to make their own decisions regarding the issue. According to Freedman, the situation involving both actresses is in no way comparable because of the vastly different facts and context. ALSO READ | Deepika Padukone And Ranveer Singh Host Private Event To Introduce Daughter Dua To Paparazzi
TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — A U.S. senator has called for mysterious drones spotted flying at night over sensitive areas in New Jersey and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic region to be “shot down, if necessary,” even as it remains unclear who owns the unmanned aircraft. “We should be doing some very urgent intelligence analysis and take them out of the skies, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said Thursday, as concerns about the drones spread across Capitol Hill. People in the New York region are also concerned that the drones may be sharing airspace with commercial airlines, he said, demanding more transparency from the Biden administration. The White House said Thursday that a review of the reported sightings shows that many of them are actually manned aircraft being flown lawfully. White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said there were no reported sightings in any restricted airspace. He said the U.S. Coast Guard has not uncovered any foreign involvement from coastal vessels. “We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus,” Kirby said, echoing statements from the Pentagon and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh has said they are not U.S. military drones. In a joint statement issued Thursday afternoon, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security said they and their federal partners, in close coordination with the New Jersey State Police, “continue to deploy personnel and technology to investigate this situation and confirm whether the reported drone flights are actually drones or are instead manned aircraft or otherwise inaccurate sightings.” The agencies said they have not corroborated any of the reported sightings with electronic detection, and that reviews of available images appear to show many of the reported drones are actually manned aircraft. “There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space,” according to the statement. The drones appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security. The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once. The worry stems partly from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use but are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified. Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey appeared to be larger than those typically used by hobbyists. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said he was frustrated by the lack of transparency, saying it could help spread fear and misinformation. “We should know what’s going on over our skies,” he said Thursday. John Duesler, president of the Pennsylvania Drone Association, said witnesses may be confused about what they are seeing, especially in the dark, and noted it’s hard to know the size of the drones or how close they might be. “There are certainly big drones, such as agricultural drones, but typically they are not the type you see flying around in urban or suburban spaces,” Duesler said Thursday. Duesler said the drones — and those flying them — likely cannot evade detection. “They will leave a radio frequency footprint, they all leave a signature," he said. "We will find out what kind of drones they were, who was flying them and where they were flying them.” Fantasia, a Morris County Republican, was among several lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the sightings from the New York City area across New Jersey and westward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia. It is unknown at this time whether the sightings are related. Duesler said the public wants to know what's going on. “I hope (the government agencies) will come out with more information about this to ease our fears. But this could just be the acts of rogue drone operators, it’s not an ‘invasion’ as some reports have called it,” Duesler said. “I am concerned about this it but not alarmed by it.” Associated Press reporters Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and reporter Darlene Superville and videojournalists Serkan Gurbuz and Nathan Ellgren in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.After emerging from decades-long indebtedness, Benguet Corp. is looking at further expanding its footprint in the mining sector as well as venture into other businesses, such as renewable energy. “As [Benguet] embarks on a new chapter, it will continue to deepen its foothold in the mining sector as well as build up its portfolio in new business ventures like agriculture, real estate, bulk water and renewable energy,” the company said in a disclosure on Monday. Benguet Corp. said becoming debt-free relieved it of the negative restrictions of the restructured loans that hampered it from growing the business. READ: Benguet gets 25-year mining deal renewal The company operates a gold mine in Benguet, nickel mines in Zambales and a processing facility in Baguio City. Beyond mining, it has diversified into other sectors such as healthcare and diagnostics, mining logistics, industrial equipment trading, port services, shipping services, real estate and lime kiln operation. “Now with improved creditworthiness and clean balance sheet, [Benguet] can resume capital market activities and engage investors in undertaking new projects and expansion of existing operations that will create new revenue streams for the company and will hopefully lead to future dividend payouts,” it added. Benguet, which is primarily engaged in mining and mineral exploration and holds interests in various industries such as logistics, announced paying a cash dividend to its shareholders. It declared a cash dividend on its common stock at P0.20 a piece and P0.28 for its convertible preferred stock, payable starting Dec. 10 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 14. This is the first time in 35 years that Benguet made such payments as it became debt-free with the settlement of all its outstanding debts in October. “The termination of the 1993 debt restructuring agreement and mortgage trust indenture is the culmination of management’s long and hard struggle to free the company from its outstanding debt liabilities that have for more than 30 years subjected it to hardship and constraint of operation,” Benguet president Lina Fernandez said. The mining company signed a mutual rescission agreement with its remaining creditors Wilshire Business Consulting Corp. and Armstrong Capital Holdings Corp., along with Philippine Veterans Bank as trustee, effectively releasing the firm from mortgage. Such an agreement means that the parties involved are freed from the contract, in this case relating to restructured loans, which is considered ended. In 1993, Benguet restructured loans from 23 creditor banks and financial institutions amounting to over P1.4 billion and has settled substantial portions of the loans since then. 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 . The remaining creditors opted to transact with Benguet including leveraging the debts for investment purposes, it added.Ashland signs definitive agreement to sell Avoca business to Mane
Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad 's regime was brought down by insurgents in the country, who managed to take control of major territories of the country, forcing the President to escape to Russia and seek asylum there. Meanwhile, there are already reports on how Moscow intelligence officials helped plan Al-Assad's escape, through a Russian airbase along the Syria coast. Now, a shocking development has been seen, where it is being claimed that a white tiny pill, named the Captagon, was responsible for bringing down the Syrian regime, helping the insurgents. What is the Captagon? Captagon is a widely popular synthetic and amphetamine, in massive circulation in the Middle East, and its demand is simply so great outside Syria, that it is smuggled to different parts of the world, through Syria drug cartels. In fact, Captagon reportedly stems from Syria itself, and is exported so widely to neighboring countries, that these regions are also affected through the drug trades. This was one of the major forces that drove Al-Assad out, as neighboring country leaders want to tamp down on these pills, and abandoned the Syrian leader as a result, according to an ABC News report. Also Read : Unable to impress Donald Trump? Did Kimberly Guilfoyle’s dress sense lead to breakup with Don Jr.? Did Captagon cause the Syrian regime's downfall? The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's World Drug Report has already claimed that the majority of Captagon shipments stem from Syria and Lebanon itself, and this drug trade is so extensive, that it has the power to influence political landscape, and now it is being thought that this drug trade was responsible for Al-Assad's downfall. Also Read: Sleepy Joe targeting Elon Musk? World's richest person accuses the SEC of harassing him by reopening an investigation into Neuralink FAQs: Has Bashar Al-Assad escaped to Russia? Bashar Al-Assad has escaped to Russia and will be in exile there, after insurgents in Syria forced him and his regime out of the country. Entrepreneurship Building Your Winning Startup Team: Key Strategies for Success By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Soft Skills Cross-Cultural Communication Mastery: Connect with Confidence By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Web Development Advanced C++ Mastery: OOPs and Template Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Collaborative AI Foundations: Working Smarter with Machines By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Entrepreneurship Startup Fundraising: Essential Tactics for Securing Capital By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Advanced Java Mastery: Object-Oriented Programming Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Office Productivity Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By - Study At Home, Quality Education Anytime, Anywhere View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) ChatGPT Mastery from Zero to Hero: The Complete AI Course By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Strategy ESG and Business Sustainability Strategy By - Vipul Arora, Partner, ESG & Climate Solutions at Sattva Consulting Author I Speaker I Thought Leader View Program Leadership Business Storytelling Masterclass By - Ameen Haque, Founder of Storywallahs View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Java 21 Essentials for Beginners: Build Strong Programming Foundations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Tally Prime & GST Accounting: Complete Guide By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Entrepreneurship Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Django & PostgreSQL Mastery: Build Professional Web Applications By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Learn InVideo AI: Create Videos from Text Easily By - Prince Patni, Software Developer (BI, Data Science) View Program Marketing Future of Marketing & Branding Masterclass By - Dr. David Aaker, Professor Emeritus at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, Author | Speaker | Thought Leader | Branding Consultant View Program Is Captagon a drug? Yes, Captagon is a popular drug, and is widely in circulation across major regions of the Middle East, with its origin reportedly being in Syria and Lebanon. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )US senator says mysterious drones spotted in New Jersey should be 'shot down, if necessary'
Farm and construction equipment firm Escorts Kubota Ltd on Friday (November 22) announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Escorts Kubota Finance Ltd, will commence operations as a non-banking financial company (NBFC) without accepting public deposits starting November 26, 2024. NSE "...we are pleased to inform you that Escorts Kubota Finance Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary company of the company is intending to commence its business activities of non-banking financial institution without accepting public deposits from November 26, 2024," according to a stock exchange filing. Escorts Kubota's revenue for the second quarter was almost flat at ₹2,488.5 crore, compared to ₹2,478 crore during the same quarter last year. Net profit for the company came in at ₹324 crore. On a year-on-year basis, Escorts Kubota's bottom line increased by 54%. Also Read: Escorts Kubota tractor sales up 19.8% at 18,110 units in October Escorts Kubota's Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation stood at ₹265 crore, which was flat as against ₹264 crore reported in the year-ago quarter. Margins too were flat at 10.6%. Tractor sales fell by 0.9% at 25,995 units, while construction equipment sales dropped by 18.4% at 1,394 units. The railway equipment revenue was down by 9.9% at ₹211.2 crore. The company recently announced that it has signed a business transfer agreement with Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd. for the transfer of its railway equipment business division as a going concern, on a slump sale basis, for a cash consideration of ₹1,600 crore. Escorts Kubota attributed the sale to simplifying its operations, capital reallocation leading to an increase in scale and efficiency of the core business. Shares of Escorts Kubota Ltd ended at ₹3,510.15, up by ₹56.30, or 1.63% on the BSE. Also Read: Escorts Kubota shares fall 9% after sale of rail equipment business to Sona BLW
ABC has made the holiday season a little brighter thanks to The Great Christmas Light Fight . Season 12 is currently underway with more elaborate and unique displays. Even though Carter Oosterhouse has been judging for more than a decade, the longtime judge continues to be impressed. The construction expert and interior designer Taniya Nayak has the difficult task of deciding who out of the four families they visit in each episode takes home $50,000 and the coveted trophy. Here Oosterhouse talks about the show’s longevity and what his residence looks like during the holidays with his wife, actress Amy Smart . It’s amazing how this show has become such an annual holiday tradition for families to watch together. Carter Oosterhouse: The Great Christmas Light Fight is the gift that keeps on giving. The more we are on, the more people come up to me at the airport and reflect on how it’s a tradition for them. They tell me, “We know it’s Christmas time when we see this show come on air.” The family programming this embodies is so sweet and perfect for the holiday season. You have the holiday movies on, which are nostalgic and fun. This is a little bit different, yet gives the same moment for families to gather and have a nice little night at home. Disney/Jim Gensheimer How would you say your judging eye has evolved? That’s a good question. I think sometimes as a judge you don’t even realize how these displays continue to get better. And it’s not just bigger. It’s more than more lights. I always say I can pick the winner right when the lights go on, but that’s not always true because now what I’ve seen is the creativity level has skyrocketed. People are more and more creative than ever before. It’s not just about putting lights on a tree or making sure the balance is correct or the color profile is engaging and interesting. It’s really about creativity. What that means is people are starting to tell stories with their lights. That’s fascinating. In scripted or nonscripted TV, it’s all about telling a story. When you watch something, that is why you keep going back to it. Now these families with these light displays are telling stories. As the viewer, it’s so much more dynamic and interesting to the point you have to scratch your head and say, “I’m blown away. I’m shocked. Just when you think you’ve seen them all, you haven’t.” Technology has also advanced within these displays through computer programming and drones. The technology is there and every year it gets better. Sometimes we do have people who are extremely good with computers and putting light and synchronized lights together, but that’s not always the winner. I don’t want to say it’s usually not the winner, but it seems to me what I have learned is over time I go back to the creative ones. Those are going to be the winners. If they can throw tech in there, even better because it makes it faster, more efficient maybe, and more interesting to some degree. As far as technology goes, every year we’re seeing something different. The light fighters who have been doing it for decades and are at the forefront of this technology, really geek out over that. I do too. I love learning more about it. Then some people who are doing it for the first time knock your socks off because they have no frame of reference. They just want to do something they want to do and in their mind is really cool. I’m always amazed at the dedication of these participants. The light fighters work extremely hard. They are very diligent with what they are doing. The families are in the grind. When September comes around, they are starting to put their lights up and it’s all hands on deck. It’s a lot of work. As a judge too, I want to make sure I applaud them and give them the credit they deserve. It is impressive to see the lengths they go. These guys are beyond the next level. They know the drill. They take the kids to school, go to work, and then come home to start working on their display at all hours of the night. Then they get up the next day and do the same thing. The cool thing is I’d say 99 percent of the people are happy to do this for their community. That’s the best part. On your travels, have there been places you never thought about going but are glad you went? For Trading Spaces , we traveled all over the United States. I think that was the indoctrination of a really crazy travel schedule. I’d say the good thing is I can go back to some of these areas. To your point, I do get to see areas that have lit up these lights or sometimes they are theme parks because we do heavyweights as well. We get into bigger areas that have the capability of dressing it up. Those are eye-opening. I’m in this last round of shooting right now where there are plenty of places I’ve said, “I want to bring my daughter back here.” That’s a sign they’ve done a really good job. You and Taniya are solo judging in these episodes, but do you talk much? We touch base a couple of times during the season and before. It’s funny because it is all very similar for us. There is a progression of what these light fighters are doing. I always feel like I can figure it out if they are going to be a top tier when the lights go on. Lately, I feel as you’ve gotten into it, this is not what I expected at all and even better. That’s fun. Taniya and I have been on the same page with all that. Carter Oosterhouse and Amy Smart at “Common Ground” Screening. (Gregg DeGuire/Variety via Getty Images) Does this being known for this show put pressure on you at home to deliver a good display? Does Amy get you to work? Good question. It used to be my wife saying, “So what are we doing? Why aren’t we having any lights?” I say, “I am the judge of The Great Christmas Light Fight . I feel like I would not do a service and carry out the oath of being a judge and fail miserably putting lights up.” Usually, when I get home it’s a lot closer to Christmas. So, we do the inside. I’ve been trying to bring back things people make as a builder and duplicate them. There are a lot of makers out there. You see this guy who has been working in his workshop, who has this crazy Santa Claus walking up a ladder built on a timing system. I think that’s really cool that I want to go home and do that. So I have dabbled in those. You mentioned you’re filming right now for next year. Do you go back and watch the episodes airing as a family at home? We try to, absolutely, when I’m not shooting for next year. We critique. If my daughter is into it, I feel like I’m doing my job. There are tons of shows she can watch, especially during the holidays. I feel if she is into it, I’m doing alright. What’s your go-to Christmas movies to watch? Do you watch Amy’s movie Just Friends ? I feel sometimes people forget that is a Christmas movie. Just Friends , we do watch that. That is definitely a Christmas movie. We go back to all the nostalgic movies. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation , we run back through all that. Now there are all these shows, too. Like these Christmas baking shows. I feel like those are of interest to us too. I guess we’re finding shows I never thought I would watch and falling into. Also, being on a show this long, we’re so thankful it has been on the air this long and having such a successful run. You go through a rollercoaster of emotions. Right now, we’re doing great. It’s fun. It’s a new interest not just on the show but on Christmas too. It’s all about being loved ones. This experience has really helped me dive deeper into the whole Christmas world and look at it from other angles compared to when I first started on the show. Anything you can tease about the episodes to come? There is one episode that is coming up, and what was really of interest was the coordination. Not just of the lights but things that these blow molds were doing within the light display. We see a lot of coordination from the tech world, but when you can take traditional elements and mix those into a newer feel, that was really impressive. There was this choir of blow molds in the show, and that was so dynamic because you think, “Wait? Are those blow molds singing to me now?” There was a ton of them. Not only was it visually interesting but to hear it was amazing. What do you want to see from the show moving forward? I do like the heavyweights. Those are really fun to shoot because they are on such a different level. It’s also the community is helping out as well. You just have more people involved. I’d like to see more of those to tell you the truth because there seems to be a lot more people, which creates a bigger energy. That’s not to say the homes don’t do that. We only do one of these types of episodes a year, but I’d love to see more of them. The Great Christmas Light Fight , Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC More Headlines:Don't Forget About Holiday Poisoning Pitfalls
Tommy Mallet shares adorable snap with kids after baby girl’s ‘long and stressful' hospital dashQU, edX launch first Arabic entrepreneurship certificate program
JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister has confirmed that Israel assassinated Hamas’ top leader last summer and is threatening to take similar action against the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. The comments by Israel Katz appeared to mark the first time that Israel has acknowledged killing Ismail Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Iran in July. Israel was widely believed to be behind the blast and leaders have previously hinted at its involvement. In a speech Monday, Katz said the Houthis would meet a similar fate as the other members of an Iranian-led alliance in the region, including Haniyeh. He also noted that Israel has killed other leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, helped topple Syria’s Bashar Assad and destroyed Iran’s anti-aircraft systems. “We will strike (the Houthis’) strategic infrastructure and cut off the head of the leadership,” he said. “Just like we did to Haniyeh, Sinwar and Nasrallah in Tehran, Gaza and Lebanon, we will do in Hodeida and Sanaa,” he said, referring to Hamas and Hezbollah leaders killed in previous Israeli attacks. The Iranian-backed Houthis have launched scores of missiles and drones at Israel throughout the war, including a missile that landed in Tel Aviv on Saturday and wounded at least 16 people. Israel has carried out three sets of airstrikes in Yemen during the war and vowed to step up the pressure on the rebel group until the missile attacks stop. Here’s the latest: UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. food agency reports that 23 trucks in a 66-truck convoy carrying food and other humanitarian supplies to central Gaza were plundered and lost. U.N. associate spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay said Monday that the World Food Program convoy departed from the Kerem Shalon crossing via the recently approved Philadelphi Corridor on Sunday. Despite Israeli assurances that safety conditions would be in place, she said an airstrike took place. Tremblay said the first 35 trucks made it to a WFP warehouse without losses. She said Israeli Defense Forces delayed the rest of the convoy. News of the convoy’s movement spread, Tremblay said, leading to plundering along the way, with a total of 43 trucks making it to the warehouse while 23 others were lost. She called it “another example of why we continue to stress the need for the safe, unimpeded passage of assistance to reach populations that need it the most.” DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian witnesses and hospital officials say an aid truck carrying flour has been looted in central Gaza after an Israeli airstrike killed four policemen inside a car securing the delivery. An Associated Press journalist saw people walking away with flour bags, some stained with blood, after the blast. AP footage showed dozens of people gathered at the scene as emergency workers checked the burnt vehicle, which had spilled flour next to it. U.N. officials and international aid organizations have said they are struggling to deliver aid, including much-needed winter supplies, into Gaza, in part because of looting and a lack of security protecting the convoys. Israel often strikes armed men guarding the deliveries, saying they are Hamas militants. The Israeli military had no immediate comment on Monday’s strike. Earlier this month, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said it would halt aid deliveries through the main cargo crossing into the Gaza Strip because of the threat of armed gangs who have looted convoys. It blamed the breakdown of law and order in large part on Israeli policies. WASHINGTON — The Pentagon acknowledged Monday that there are more than 2,500 U.S. troops in Iraq, the total routinely touted publicly. It also said the number of forces in Syria has grown over the past “several years” due to increasing threats, but was not openly disclosed. Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement that there are “at least 2,500” U.S. military personnel in Iraq “plus some additional, temporary enablers” that are on rotational deployments. He said that due to diplomatic considerations, the department will not provide more specifics. The U.S. concluded sensitive negotiations with the government of Iraq in September that called for troops to begin leaving after the November election. The presence of U.S. troops there has long been a political liability for Iraqi leaders who are under increased pressure and influence from Iran. U.S. officials have not provided details about the withdrawal agreement, but it calls for the mission against the Islamic State group to end by September 2025, and that some U.S. troops will remain through 2026 to support the anti-IS mission in Syria. Some troops may stay in the Kurdistan region after that because the regional government would like them to stay. Ryder announced last week that there are about 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria – more than double the 900 that the U.S. had acknowledged publicly until now. On Monday he said the extra 1,100 deploy for shorter times to do force protection, transportation, maintenance and other missions. He said the number has fluctuated for the past several years and increased “over time.” JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister has confirmed that Israel assassinated Hamas’ top leader last summer and is threatening to take similar action against the leadership of the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. The comments by Israel Katz appeared to mark the first time that Israel has acknowledged killing Ismail Haniyeh, who died in an explosion in Iran in July. Israel was widely believed to be behind the blast and leaders have previously hinted at its involvement. In a speech Monday, Katz said the Houthis would meet a similar fate as the other members of an Iranian-led alliance in the region, including Haniyeh. He also noted that Israel has killed other leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, helped topple Syria’s Bashar Assad and destroyed Iran’s anti-aircraft systems. BEIRUT — The United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon on Monday said it has observed recent “concerning actions” by the Israeli army in southern Lebanon, including the destruction of residential areas and road blockages. A spokesperson for the peacekeeping mission, Kandice Ardiel, told The Associated Press that peacekeepers also observed on Monday an Israeli flag flying in Lebanese territory near Naqoura. The town hosts the headquarters of the peacekeeping mission, known as UNIFIL. Under the terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended the 14-month war between Israel and Hezbollah, the Israeli army is required to complete its withdrawal from Lebanon within 60 days of the agreement’s signing on Nov. 27. Since the ceasefire went into effect, the Israeli army has conducted near-daily military operations in southern villages, including firing gunshots, house demolitions, excavations, tank shelling and strikes. These actions have killed at least 27 people, wounded more than 30, destroyed residential buildings and, in one case, a mosque. “Peacekeepers continue to monitor the situation on the ground and report violations of Resolution 1701,” Ardiel said. “We reiterate our call for all actors to cease and refrain from violations of Resolution 1701 and any actions that may upset the current delicate balance.” On Monday, Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati visited the site of an Israeli airstrike in the southern town of Khiam as part of a tour of front-line areas alongside army chief Joseph Aoun and UNIFIL Head of Mission Aroldo Lazaro. Mikati and Lazaro urged the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanese territory to allow the army to fully assume its duties. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says three soldiers were killed Monday in combat in northern Gaza. The military did not provide details of the circumstances. According to a statement released Sunday, the brigade in which the three were serving completed its operational activities in the northern town of Beit Lahiya on Sunday. It then began operating in the nearby town of Beit Hanoun following intelligence suggesting the presence of militants there. Since the start of the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, 389 Israeli soldiers have been killed. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday there is “some progress” in efforts to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal in Gaza, although he added he could not give a time frame for a possible agreement. Of the roughly 250 people who were taken hostage in the Hamas-led raid on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 that sparked the war, around 100 are still inside the Gaza Strip, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Speaking in the Knesset, Netanyahu said “we are taking significant actions through all channels to return our loved ones. I would like to tell you cautiously that there is some progress.” Netanyahu said he could not reveal details of what was being done to secure the return of hostages. He said the main reasons for the progress were the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Israel’s military actions against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants who had been firing rockets into Israel from neighboring Lebanon in support of Hamas. “Hamas hoped that Iran and Hezbollah would come to its aid but they are busy licking the wounds from the blows we inflicted on them,” he said, adding that Israel was also putting “relentless military pressure” on Hamas in Gaza. “There is progress. I don’t know how long it will take,” Netanyahu said. JERUSALEM — Israel's military said Monday it intercepted a drone launched from Yemen before it entered Israeli territory, days after a long-range rocket attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels hit Tel Aviv, injuring 16 people from shattered glass. The military said no air raid warning sirens were sounded Monday. Israel says the Iran-backed Houthis have fired more than 200 missiles and UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles, during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Houthis have also been attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden — attacks they say won’t stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza. The attacks on shipping and Israel are taking place despite U.S. and European warships patrolling the area. On Saturday night and early Sunday, the U.S. conducted airstrikes on Yemen. Last week, Israel launched its own airstrikes on Yemen, killing at least nine people, and a Houthi missile damaged a school in Israel. DAMASCUS, Syria — A Qatari delegation visited the Syrian capital on Monday for the first time in more than a decade and met with the country's top insurgent commander, who said strategic cooperation between Damascus and Doha will begin soon. Qatar, along with Turkey, has long backed the rebels who now control Damascus, and the two countries are looking to protect their interests in Syria now that former President Bashar Assad has been overthrown. The Qatari delegation was headed by the minister of state for foreign affairs, Mohammed al-Khulaifi, who met with Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, the insurgent group that overthrew Assad on Dec. 8. Al-Sharaa was quoted as saying by Syrian media that they have invited the emir of Qatar to visit Damascus adding that relations will return to normal soon. Al-Sharaa said Qatar will back Syria during the transitional period and the two countries will soon start “wide strategic cooperation.” Al-Sharaa also met Monday with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi as well as a Saudi official. Unlike Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Jordan had relations with Assad’s government until he was removed from power. JENIN, West Bank — The Palestinian Authority says a second member of its security forces has been killed in the West Bank town of Jenin during clashes with Palestinian militants . Brig. Gen. Anwar Rajab, the spokesman for PA security forces, said 1st Sgt. Mehran Qadoos was killed on Monday by “outlaws” in the volatile northern town, where the security forces launched a rare crackdown earlier this month. A member of security forces also was killed on Sunday. An Associated Press reporter in Jenin heard heavy gunfire and explosions, apparently from a battle between the security forces and Palestinian militants. There was no sign of Israeli forces in the area. Militant groups had earlier called for a general strike across the territory, accusing the security forces of trying to disarm them in support of Israel’s half-century occupation of the territory. The Western-backed Palestinian Authority is internationally recognized but deeply unpopular among Palestinians , in part because it cooperates with Israel on security matters. Israel accuses the authority of incitement and of failing to act against armed groups. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited authority in population centers in the West Bank. Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Mideast War, and the Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state. Israel’s current government is opposed to Palestinian statehood and says it will maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Violence has soared in the West Bank following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, which ignited the war there. JENIN, West Bank — Palestinians in the volatile northern West Bank town of Jenin are observing a general strike called by militant groups to protest a rare crackdown by Palestinian security forces. An Associated Press reporter in Jenin heard gunfire and explosions, apparently from clashes between militants and Palestinian security forces. It was not immediately clear if anyone was killed or wounded. There was no sign of Israeli troops in the area. Shops were closed in the city on Monday, the day after militants killed a member of the Palestinian security forces and wounded two others. Militant groups called for a general strike across the territory, accusing the security forces of trying to disarm them in support of Israel’s half-century occupation of the territory. The Western-backed Palestinian Authority is internationally recognized but deeply unpopular among Palestinians , in part because it cooperates with Israel on security matters. Israel accuses the authority of incitement and of failing to act against armed groups. The Palestinian Authority blamed Sunday’s attack on “outlaws.” It says it is committed to maintaining law and order but will not police the occupation. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited authority in population centers in the West Bank. Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Mideast War, and the Palestinians want it to form the main part of their future state. Israel’s current government is opposed to Palestinian statehood and says it will maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Violence has soared in the West Bank following Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza, which ignited the war there. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister has begun a tour of military positions in the country’s south, almost a month after a ceasefire deal that ended the war between Israel and the Hezbollah group that battered the country. Najib Mikati on Monday was on his first visit to the southern frontlines, where Lebanese soldiers under the U.S.-brokered deal are expected to gradually deploy, with Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops both expected to withdraw by the end of next month. Mikati’s tour comes after the Lebanese government expressed its frustration over ongoing Israeli strikes and overflights in the country. “We have many tasks ahead of us, the most important being the enemy's (Israel's) withdrawal from all the lands it encroached on during its recent aggression,” he said after meeting with army chief Joseph Aoun in a Lebanese military barracks in the southeastern town of Marjayoun. “Then the army can carry out its tasks in full.” The Lebanese military for years has relied on financial aid to stay functional, primarily from the United States and other Western countries. Lebanon’s cash-strapped government is hoping that the war’s end and ceasefire deal will bring about more funding to increase the military’s capacity to deploy in the south, where Hezbollah’s armed units were notably present. Though they were not active combatants, the Lebanese military said that dozens of its soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes on their premises or patrolling convoys in the south. The Israeli army acknowledged some of these attacks.ASX shares were in the red on Thursday, with the (ASX: XAO) down 0.27% at the market close. In this article, we look at some recent transactions involving company insiders. All of these stocks have fallen in value substantially in 2024. Some of these buy-ups are significant in size, with the largest new investment worth $1.765 million. Are these 5 ASX shares going cheap? Could all these buy-ups among company insiders indicate that these ASX shares are now going cheap? Ultimately, this is open to interpretation. But it's almost always a good sign when company directors choose to invest more of their own money into the businesses they run. Here are the details. DGL Group is a materials sector business. It manufactures, transports, stores, and manages the processing of chemicals and hazardous waste. DGL was founded by CEO and executive director Simon Henry, who is also the largest shareholder. The ASX materials share closed on Thursday for 61 cents, down 1.6%. It has fallen 28.2% in the year to date and has a 52-week high of $1.10. Judging by a series of trades between October and November totalling $1.765 million in new investment, perhaps Henry feels the shares in his ASX company are going cheap. Henry conducted three large trades between October and December. Firstly, Henry purchased 276,000 shares on-market between 22 November and 27 November. The deal cost him $155,325.69, equating to an average share price of 56.27 cents. He then made a much bigger purchase, snapping up 1,646,461 shares worth $969,142.51 on-market between 28 November and 3 December. This averages out to 58.86 cents per share. These purchases followed another buy-up in October. Henry bought 1,063,000 shares on-market between 24 October and 28 October. The outlay was $641,237.54, which translates to an average share price of just over 60 cents. According to the ASX, DGL Group has 285,225,261 shares on issue. Henry owns 154,333,690 of them, which gives him a 54% stake in the company. The Tabcorp share price was trading at 56.5 cents, down 0.88% at the close on Thursday and down 31.9% in the year to date. Brett Chenoweth is the non-executive chair at the gaming and lottery services company. Chenoweth bought 178,571 Tabcorp shares on-market on 6 December. He purchased the stock through his superannuation fund and paid 56 cents per share. The $100,000 purchase raised his personal holdings in Tabcorp shares by 41%. Worley is a global supplier of engineering and construction management services, mainly for the energy, chemicals, and mining industries. The ASX industrial share closed at $13.22, down 0.97% yesterday and down 24.2% in the year to date. Non-executive director Joseph Chafic Geagea purchased 4,000 Worley shares for a bit over $53,000 on 4 December. This increased his personal holdings by 40%. Geagea paid $13.345 per share in the on-market trade. Martin Parkinson AC also bought more Worley stock in his first personal trade in more than two years. Parkinson is also a non-executive director at Worley. He bought 505 shares on-market at an average price of $13.800139. He now holds 17,505 shares in the company. This ASX was up 1.6% to 61 cents yesterday and has fallen 63.9% in the year to date. Company insider Adrienne Parker more than doubled her stake in the lithium producer by purchasing 15,000 Liontown shares on-market on 5 December for $10,110. Fellow director Shane McLeay bought 100,000 Liontowns shares on-market on 3 December. The outlay was $72,000, which equates to an average share price of 72 cents. The purchase increased his personal holdings in Liontown by 55%. Sonic Healthcare is a global company specialising in pathology, laboratory services, and radiology. This ASX share was trading for $28.10, down 0.64% at yesterday's close and down 12.7% in the year to date. Three company directors recently made new investments in the company. Kate Spargo purchased 1,500 Sonic Healthcare shares on-market on 10 December for $28.52 per share. Mark Compton bought 1,000 shares on-market on the same day for $28.46 per share. Suzanne Crowe bought 348 shares on-market on 9 December for $28.71 per share.
By WILL WEISSERT, JUAN ZAMORANO and GARY FIELDS PANAMA CITY (AP) — Teddy Roosevelt once declared the Panama Canal “one of the feats to which the people of this republic will look back with the highest pride.” More than a century later, Donald Trump is threatening to take back the waterway for the same republic. Related Articles National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl National Politics | Trump wants mass deportations. For the agents removing immigrants, it’s a painstaking process The president-elect is decrying increased fees Panama has imposed to use the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He says if things don’t change after he takes office next month, “We will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.” Trump has long threatened allies with punitive action in hopes of winning concessions. But experts in both countries are clear: Unless he goes to war with Panama, Trump can’t reassert control over a canal the U.S. agreed to cede in the 1970s. Here’s a look at how we got here: What is the canal? It is a man-made waterway that uses a series of locks and reservoirs over 51 miles (82 kilometers) to cut through the middle of Panama and connect the Atlantic and Pacific. It spares ships having to go an additional roughly 7,000 miles (more than 11,000 kilometers) to sail around Cape Horn at South America’s southern tip. The U.S. International Trade Administration says the canal saves American business interests “considerable time and fuel costs” and enables faster delivery of goods, which is “particularly significant for time sensitive cargoes, perishable goods, and industries with just-in-time supply chains.” Who built it? An effort to establish a canal through Panama led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, who built Egypt’s Suez Canal, began in 1880 but progressed little over nine years before going bankrupt. Malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases devastated a workforce already struggling with especially dangerous terrain and harsh working conditions in the jungle, eventually costing more than 20,000 lives, by some estimates. Panama was then a province of Colombia, which refused to ratify a subsequent 1901 treaty licensing U.S. interests to build the canal. Roosevelt responded by dispatching U.S. warships to Panama’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The U.S. also prewrote a constitution that would be ready after Panamanian independence, giving American forces “the right to intervene in any part of Panama, to re-establish public peace and constitutional order.” In part because Colombian troops were unable to traverse harsh jungles, Panama declared an effectively bloodless independence within hours in November 1903. It soon signed a treaty allowing a U.S.-led team to begin construction . Some 5,600 workers died later during the U.S.-led construction project, according to one study. Why doesn’t the US control the canal anymore? The waterway opened in 1914, but almost immediately some Panamanians began questioning the validity of U.S. control, leading to what became known in the country as the “generational struggle” to take it over. The U.S. abrogated its right to intervene in Panama in the 1930s. By the 1970s, with its administrative costs sharply increasing, Washington spent years negotiating with Panama to cede control of the waterway. The Carter administration worked with the government of Omar Torrijos. The two sides eventually decided that their best chance for ratification was to submit two treaties to the U.S. Senate, the “Permanent Neutrality Treaty” and the “Panama Canal Treaty.” The first, which continues in perpetuity, gives the U.S. the right to act to ensure the canal remains open and secure. The second stated that the U.S. would turn over the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, and was terminated then. Both were signed in 1977 and ratified the following year. The agreements held even after 1989, when President George H.W. Bush invaded Panama to remove Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega. In the late 1970s, as the handover treaties were being discussed and ratified, polls found that about half of Americans opposed the decision to cede canal control to Panama. However, by the time ownership actually changed in 1999, public opinion had shifted, with about half of Americans in favor. What’s happened since then? Administration of the canal has been more efficient under Panama than during the U.S. era, with traffic increasing 17% between fiscal years 1999 and 2004 . Panama’s voters approved a 2006 referendum authorizing a major expansion of the canal to accommodate larger modern cargo ships. The expansion took until 2016 and cost more than $5.2 billion. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said in a video Sunday that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to.” He added that, while his country’s people are divided on some key issues, “when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.” Shipping prices have increased because of droughts last year affecting the canal locks, forcing Panama to drastically cut shipping traffic through the canal and raise rates to use it. Though the rains have mostly returned, Panama says future fee increases might be necessary as it undertakes improvements to accommodate modern shipping needs. Mulino said fees to use the canal are “not set on a whim.” Jorge Luis Quijano, who served as the waterway’s administrator from 2014 to 2019, said all canal users are subject to the same fees, though they vary by ship size and other factors. “I can accept that the canal’s customers may complain about any price increase,” Quijano said. “But that does not give them reason to consider taking it back.” Why has Trump raised this? The president-elect says the U.S. is getting “ripped off” and “I’m not going to stand for it.” “It was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions — you’ve got to treat us fairly. And they haven’t treated us fairly,” Trump said of the 1977 treaty that he said “foolishly” gave the canal away. The neutrality treaty does give the U.S. the right to act if the canal’s operation is threatened due to military conflict — but not to reassert control. “There’s no clause of any kind in the neutrality agreement that allows for the taking back of the canal,” Quijano said. “Legally, there’s no way, under normal circumstances, to recover territory that was used previously.” Trump, meanwhile, hasn’t said how he might make good on his threat. “There’s very little wiggle room, absent a second U.S. invasion of Panama, to retake control of the Panama Canal in practical terms,” said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. Gedan said Trump’s stance is especially baffling given that Mulino is a pro-business conservative who has “made lots of other overtures to show that he would prefer a special relationship with the United States.” He also noted that Panama in recent years has moved closer to China, meaning the U.S. has strategic reasons to keep its relationship with the Central American nation friendly. Panama is also a U.S. partner on stopping illegal immigration from South America — perhaps Trump’s biggest policy priority. “If you’re going to pick a fight with Panama on an issue,” Gedan said, “you could not find a worse one than the canal.” Weissert reported from West Palm Beach, Florida, and Fields from Washington. Amelia Thomson-Deveaux contributed to this report from Washington.
- Previous: 1660 super game test
- Next: 2023 super bowl game
