Stock market today: Wall Street gets back to climbing, and the Nasdaq tops 20,000Lendmark Financial Services Announces the Elevation of Bret Hyler to President & Chief Operations Officer and Retirement of Two C-Suite Members
Scammers walked away with millions from Albertans in 2024FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in January
WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 6, 2024-- Vicarious Surgical Inc. (“Vicarious Surgical” or the “Company”) (NYSE: RBOT, RBOT WS), a next-generation robotics technology company seeking to improve lives by transforming robotic surgery, today announced the pending departure of William Kelly, its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), to pursue other career opportunities, after nearly four years of dedicated service with the Company. Mr. Kelly has served as Vicarious Surgical’s CFO since January 2021. He will assist the Company to ensure minimal disruption and a successful transition of responsibilities prior to his departure, which is slated for January 2, 2025. “On behalf of the Company and Board, I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to Bill for his significant contribution over the last few years,” said Adam Sachs, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Bill has been an incredible asset to Vicarious Surgical, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.” Mr. Kelly added “My tenure at Vicarious Surgical has been a period of significant progress and accomplishment, both for the Company and for me personally. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities I have been afforded and the collaborative spirit of the entire team. I depart with immense pride in our collective achievements and unwavering confidence in the Company's continued success under its strong leadership.” The Company has initiated a CFO succession process and will provide updates as appropriate. About Vicarious Surgical Founded in 2014, Vicarious Surgical is a next generation robotics company, developing a unique disruptive technology with the multiple goals of substantially increasing the efficiency of surgical procedures, improving patient outcomes, and reducing healthcare costs. The Company’s novel surgical approach uses proprietary human-like surgical robots to virtually transport surgeons inside the patient to perform minimally invasive surgery. The Company is led by an experienced team of technologists, medical device professionals and physicians, and is backed by technology luminaries including Bill Gates, Vinod Khosla’s Khosla Ventures, Innovation Endeavors, Jerry Yang’s AME Cloud Ventures, Sun Hung Kai & Co. Ltd and Philip Liang’s E15 VC. The Company is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Learn more at www.vicarioussurgical.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The company’s actual results may differ from its expectations, estimates, and projections and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained herein, are forward-looking statements that reflect the current beliefs and expectations of management. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Most of these factors are outside Vicarious Surgical’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the ability to maintain the listing of Vicarious Surgical’s Class A common stock on the New York Stock Exchange; the approval, commercialization and adoption of Vicarious Surgical’s initial product candidates and the success of its single-port surgical robot, called the Vicarious Surgical System, and any of its future product candidates and service offerings; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the ability of Vicarious Surgical to raise financing in the future; the success, cost and timing of Vicarious Surgical’s product and service development activities; the potential attributes and benefits of Vicarious Surgical’s product candidates and services; Vicarious Surgical’s ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval for the Vicarious Surgical System, and any related restrictions and limitations of any approved product; the size and duration of human clinical trials for the Vicarious Surgical System; Vicarious Surgical’s ability to identify, in-license or acquire additional technology; Vicarious Surgical’s ability to maintain its existing license, manufacture, supply and distribution agreements; Vicarious Surgical’s ability to compete with other companies currently marketing or engaged in the development of products and services that Vicarious Surgical is currently marketing or developing; the size and growth potential of the markets for Vicarious Surgical’s product candidates and services, and its ability to serve those markets, either alone or in partnership with others; the pricing of Vicarious Surgical’s product candidates and services and reimbursement for medical procedures conducted using its product candidates and services; the company’s estimates regarding expenses, revenue, capital requirements and needs for additional financing; Vicarious Surgical’s financial performance; economic downturns, political and market conditions and their potential to adversely affect Vicarious Surgical’s business, financial condition and results of operations; Vicarious Surgical’s intellectual property rights and its ability to protect or enforce those rights, and the impact on its business, results and financial condition if it is unsuccessful in doing so; and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in Vicarious Surgical’s filings with the SEC. Vicarious Surgical cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. The company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Vicarious Surgical does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241206242926/en/ CONTACT: Investors Kaitlyn Brosco Vicarious Surgical Kbrosco@vicarioussurgical.com Media Inquiries media@vicarioussurgical.com KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTS UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MEDICAL SUPPLIES TECHNOLOGY OTHER HEALTH HEALTH ROBOTICS HEALTH TECHNOLOGY OTHER TECHNOLOGY MEDICAL DEVICES HOSPITALS SURGERY HARDWARE SOURCE: Vicarious Surgical Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/06/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 12/06/2024 04:05 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241206242926/enMONTREAL, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Transcontinental Inc. (TSX: TCL.A TCL.B) announces its results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024, which ended October 27, 2024. “Once again, we posted solid quarterly results and therefore ended the fiscal year on a strong note,” said Thomas Morin, President and Chief Executive Officer of TC Transcontinental. “I am very pleased with the excellent results for fiscal 2024 and would like to thank our teams for their disciplined work in reducing costs and improving profitability. “In our Packaging Sector, despite the ongoing pressure on our medical market activities, we reported a 6.5% increase in adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization for the quarter, mainly as a result of our cost reduction initiatives. For the fiscal year 2024, our adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization amounted to $262.2 million, up 14.2% compared to the prior year. “In our Retail Services and Printing Sector, we recorded an increase in adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization for a second consecutive quarter. The actions taken to improve our cost structure, a more favourable product mix, including the roll-out of , as well as growth in our in-store marketing activities, continue to show results. For fiscal 2024, our adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization stood at $201.0 million, an increase of 2.1% compared to the prior year. “Mainly as a result of the implementation of the program aimed at improving our profitability and our financial position, we posted a solid performance for fiscal 2024,” added Donald LeCavalier, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of TC Transcontinental. “In addition, we generated significant cash flows in fiscal 2024 which, combined with the monetization of some real estate assets, enabled us to improve our balance sheet by reducing our net indebtedness ratio to 1.71 times the adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization while allocating $32.3 million to our share repurchase program.” Revenues decreased by $30.4 million, or 3.9%, from $779.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 to $749.3 million in the corresponding period of 2024. This decrease is mainly due to lower volume in the Retail Services and Printing Sector and the Packaging Sector, partially mitigated by the favourable effect of exchange rate fluctuations. Operating earnings before depreciation and amortization increased by $8.6 million, or 7.0%, from $123.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 to $131.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. This increase is mainly attributable to our cost reduction initiatives and the decrease in asset impairment charges, partially offset by lower volume and the rise in restructuring and other costs. Despite an increase in adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization in the two main operating sectors, consolidated adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization decreased by $3.3 million, or 2.3%, from $145.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 to $142.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. This decrease is mainly due to the unfavourable effect of the change in the incentive compensation expense, including the stock-based compensation expense. Net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation increased by $6.2 million, or 14.9%, from $41.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 to $47.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. This increase is mainly attributable to the previously explained increase in operating earnings before depreciation and amortization, the decrease in depreciation and amortization, and lower financial expenses, partially offset by higher income taxes. On a per share basis, net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation went from $0.48 to $0.57, respectively. Adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation decreased by $4.5 million, or 6.3%, from $71.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 to $67.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2024. This decrease is mainly due to the previously explained decrease in adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization and higher income taxes, partially mitigated by the decrease in depreciation and amortization, and lower financial expenses. On a per share basis, adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation went from $0.83 to $0.79, respectively. Revenues decreased by $127.7 million, or 4.3%, from $2,940.6 million in fiscal year 2023 to $2,812.9 million in the corresponding period of 2024. This decrease is mainly due to lower volume in the Retail Services and Printing Sector as well as in the Packaging Sector. Operating earnings before depreciation and amortization increased by $25.1 million, or 6.3%, from $399.6 million in fiscal year 2023 to $424.7 million in the corresponding period of 2024. This increase is mainly attributable to our cost reduction initiatives and the decrease in asset impairment charges, partially offset by lower volume and the rise in restructuring and other costs. Adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization increased by $22.9 million, or 5.1%, from $446.5 million in fiscal year 2023 to $469.4 million in the corresponding period of 2024. This increase is mainly attributable to our cost reduction initiatives, partially offset by lower volume. Net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation increased by $35.5 million, or 41.4%, from $85.8 million in fiscal year 2023 to $121.3 million in the corresponding period of 2024. This increase is mainly attributable to the previously explained increase in operating earnings before depreciation and amortization, the decrease in depreciation and amortization, and lower financial expenses, partially offset by higher income taxes. On a per share basis, net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation went from $0.99 to $1.41, respectively. Adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation increased by $25.4 million, or 14.4%, from $176.0 million in fiscal year 2023 to $201.4 million in the corresponding period of 2024. This increase is mainly attributable to the previously explained increase in adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization, the decrease in depreciation and amortization, and lower financial expenses, partially offset by higher income taxes. On a per share basis, adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation went from $2.03 to $2.34, respectively. For more detailed financial information, please see the Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the year ended October 27, 2024, as well as the financial statements in the “Investors” section of our website at . In the Packaging Sector, our investments, including those related to sustainable packaging solutions, position us well for the future and should be a key driver of our long-term growth. In terms of profitability, we expect to generate organic growth in adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization for fiscal 2025 compared to fiscal 2024. In the Retail Services and Printing Sector, we are encouraged by the roll-out of and growth opportunities in our in-store marketing activities. Despite a decrease in revenues resulting from lower volume in our traditional activities and the roll-out of , we expect adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization for fiscal 2025 to be stable compared to fiscal 2024, excluding the impact of the labour conflict at Canada Post. Lastly, in addition to the amount received for the sale of our industrial packaging operations, we expect to continue generating significant cash flows from operating activities, which will enable us to reduce our net indebtedness while continuing to make strategic investments and return capital to our shareholders. On November 15, 2024, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers initiated a national strike. As of December 11, 2024, this labour conflict at Canada Post, which remain unresolved, is disrupting the distribution services of flyers, including the leaflet. As a result, the Corporation is incurring revenue losses in regions where is not distributed through alternative networks, as well as additional costs, including the printing costs of undistributed flyers and the establishment of alternative distribution networks in certain regions of Quebec. As of December 11, 2024, the revenue losses, and consequently the profit losses, along with the additional costs, are estimated at approximately $7.0 million. In this document, unless otherwise indicated, all financial data are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Accounting Standards (“IFRS”) and the term “dollar”, as well as the symbol “$” designate Canadian dollars. In addition, in this press release, we also use certain non-IFRS financial measures for which a complete definition is presented below and for which a reconciliation to financial information in accordance with IFRS is presented in the section entitled “Reconciliation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures” and in Note 3, “Segmented Information”, to the audited annual consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended October 27, 2024. The financial information has been prepared in accordance with IFRS. However, financial measures used, namely adjusted operating earnings before depreciation and amortization, adjusted operating earnings, adjusted income taxes, adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation, adjusted net earnings attributable to shareholders of the Corporation per share, net indebtedness and net indebtedness ratio, for which a reconciliation is presented in the following table, do not have any standardized meaning under IFRS and could be calculated differently by other companies. We believe that many of our readers analyze the financial performance of the Corporation’s activities based on these non-IFRS financial measures as such measures may allow for easier comparisons between periods. These measures should be considered as a complement to financial performance measures in accordance with IFRS. They do not substitute and are not superior to them. The Corporation also believes that these measures are useful indicators of the performance of its operations and its ability to meet its financial obligations. Furthermore, management also uses some of these non-IFRS financial measures to assess the performance of its activities and managers. The Corporation’s Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.225 per share on Class A Subordinate Voting Shares and Class B Shares. This dividend is payable on January 20, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 6, 2025. On June 12, 2024, the Corporation has been authorized to repurchase, for cancellation on the open market, or subject to the approval of any securities authority by private agreements, between June 17, 2024 and June 16, 2025, or at an earlier date if the Corporation concludes or cancels the offer, up to 3,662,967 of its Class A Subordinate Voting Shares and up to 668,241 of its Class B Shares. The repurchases are made in the normal course of business at market prices through the Toronto Stock Exchange. During the fourth quarter of 2024, the Corporation repurchased and cancelled 900,459 Class A Subordinate Voting Shares at a weighted average price of $16.20 and 2,000 Class B Shares at a weighted average price of $16.39, for a total cash consideration of $14.6 million. During fiscal 2024, the Corporation repurchased and cancelled 2,060,217 Class A Subordinate Voting Shares at a weighted average price of $15.65 and 7,000 Class B Shares at a weighted average price of $15.66, for a total cash consideration of $32.3 million. On October 16, 2024, the Corporation authorized its broker to repurchase shares between October 28, 2024, and December 13, 2024, inclusively, in accordance with parameters set by the Corporation. Subsequent to the year ended October 27, 2024, the Corporation repurchased 413,278 Class A Subordinated Voting Shares and 2,400 Class B Shares for a total cash consideration of $7.0 million. Upon releasing its results for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2024, the Corporation will hold a conference call for the financial community on December 12, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. The dial-in numbers are 1-289-514-5100 or 1-800-717-1738. Media may hear the call in listen-only mode or tune in to the simultaneous audio broadcast on TC Transcontinental’s website, which will then be archived for 30 days. For media requests or interviews, please contact Nathalie St-Jean, Senior Advisor, Corporate Communications of TC Transcontinental, at 514-954-3581. TC Transcontinental is a leader in flexible packaging in North America and in retail services in Canada, and is Canada’s largest printer. The Corporation is also the leading Canadian French-language educational publishing group. Since 1976, TC Transcontinental’s mission has been to create quality products and services that allow businesses to attract, reach and retain their target customers. Respect, teamwork, performance and innovation are the strong values held by the Corporation and its employees. TC Transcontinental’s commitment to its stakeholders is to pursue its business activities in a responsible manner. Transcontinental Inc. (TSX: TCL.A TCL.B), known as TC Transcontinental, has approximately 7,500 employees, the majority of which are based in Canada, the United States and Latin America. TC Transcontinental generated revenues of $2.8 billion during the fiscal year ended October 27, 2024. For more information, visit TC Transcontinental’s website at . Our public communications often contain oral or written forward-looking statements which are based on the expectations of management and inherently subject to a certain number of risks and uncertainties, known and unknown. By their very nature, forward-looking statements are derived from both general and specific assumptions. The Corporation cautions against undue reliance on such statements since actual results or events may differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in them. Forward-looking statements may include observations concerning the Corporation’s objectives, strategy, anticipated financial results and business outlook. The Corporation’s future performance may also be affected by a number of factors, many of which are beyond the Corporation’s will or control. These factors include, but are not limited to the impact of digital product development and adoption, the impact of changes in the participants in the distribution of newspapers and printed advertising materials and the disruption in their activities resulting mainly from labour disputes, including at Canada Post, the impact of regulations or legislation regarding door-to-door distribution on the printing of paper flyers or printed advertising materials, inflation and recession risks, economic conditions and geopolitical uncertainty, environmental risks as well as adoption of new regulations or amendments and changes to consumption habits, risk of an operational disruption that could be harmful to its ability to meet deadlines, the worldwide outbreak of a disease, a virus or any other contagious disease could have an adverse impact on the Corporation’s operations, the ability to generate organic long-term growth and face competition, a significant increase in the cost of raw materials, the availability of those materials and energy consumption could have an adverse impact on the Corporation’s activities, the ability to complete acquisitions and properly integrate them, cybersecurity, data protection, warehousing and usage, the impact of digital product development and adoption on the demand for printed products other than flyers, the failure of patents, trademarks and confidentiality agreements to protect intellectual property, a difficulty to attract and retain employees in the main operating sectors, the safety and quality of packaging products used in the food industry, bad debts from certain customers, import and export controls, duties, tariffs or taxes, exchange rate fluctuations, increase in market interest rates with respect to our financial instruments as well as availability of capital at a reasonable cost, the legal risks related to its activities and the compliance of its activities with applicable regulations, the impact of major market fluctuations on the solvency of defined benefit pension plans, changes in tax legislation and disputes with tax authorities or amendments to statutory tax rates in force, the impact of impairment tests on the value of assets and a conflict of interest between the controlling shareholder and other shareholders. The main risks, uncertainties and factors that could influence actual results are described in the for the fiscal year ended October 27, 2024 and in the latest . Unless otherwise indicated by the Corporation, forward-looking statements do not take into account the potential impact of non-recurring or other unusual items, nor of disposals, business combinations, mergers or acquisitions which may be announced or entered into after the date of December 11, 2024. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to the “safe harbour” provisions of applicable Canadian securities legislation. The forward-looking statements in this release are based on current expectations and information available as at December 11, 2024. Such forward-looking information may also be found in other documents filed with Canadian securities regulators or in other communications. The Corporation’s management disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise these statements unless otherwise required by the securities authorities. For information:10,673 Shares in Arhaus, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARHS) Purchased by Intech Investment Management LLC
Thousands of UK social media users experiencing ongoing Meta blackout
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck announces plan to enter NFL draft after season-ending elbow injuryPredictive Safety Announces Partnership with DISA Global SolutionsFonseca ‘revolted’ by ‘lack of respect’ of referee towards MilanFBI director Christopher Wray to resign at end of Biden’s term
None
Robinson won’t appear at Trump’s North Carolina rally after report on online posts, AP sources say
AT&T's CTO tells his US team there won't be 'one-for-one seating' upon the return to 5 days in office — read the memo
Altair Engineering Inc. ( NASDAQ:ALTR – Get Free Report ) CFO Matthew Charles Brown sold 1,048 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $108.90, for a total value of $114,127.20. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 55,519 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,046,019.10. This trade represents a 1.85 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website . Altair Engineering Stock Down 0.1 % Altair Engineering stock opened at $109.01 on Friday. Altair Engineering Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $75.71 and a fifty-two week high of $113.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 3.27 and a current ratio of 3.27. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $105.45 and its 200 day simple moving average is $96.94. The stock has a market cap of $9.27 billion, a PE ratio of 286.88, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 12.16 and a beta of 1.44. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the company. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Altair Engineering from $90.00 to $113.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 31st. Wolfe Research lowered shares of Altair Engineering from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Sunday, November 3rd. Loop Capital restated a “hold” rating and set a $113.00 price objective on shares of Altair Engineering in a report on Thursday, October 31st. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $100.00 price objective on shares of Altair Engineering in a report on Thursday, October 31st. Finally, Rosenblatt Securities upped their target price on shares of Altair Engineering from $88.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, October 31st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Altair Engineering currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $100.71. Hedge Funds Weigh In On Altair Engineering Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Blue Trust Inc. increased its position in shares of Altair Engineering by 572.1% during the third quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 289 shares of the software’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 246 shares during the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC increased its position in shares of Altair Engineering by 52.2% during the 3rd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 636 shares of the software’s stock valued at $61,000 after purchasing an additional 218 shares during the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp increased its position in shares of Altair Engineering by 41.7% during the 2nd quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 1,057 shares of the software’s stock valued at $104,000 after purchasing an additional 311 shares during the last quarter. KBC Group NV raised its stake in shares of Altair Engineering by 17.9% during the 3rd quarter. KBC Group NV now owns 1,640 shares of the software’s stock worth $157,000 after purchasing an additional 249 shares during the period. Finally, Ballentine Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Altair Engineering in the 2nd quarter worth about $202,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 63.38% of the company’s stock. About Altair Engineering ( Get Free Report ) Altair Engineering Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides software and cloud solutions in the areas of simulation and design, high-performance computing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Software and Client Engineering Services. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Altair Engineering Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Altair Engineering and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .I don’t go overboard every year cataloguing statements and actions by leaders and public personalities to grade them every December based on the marks they accumulated in the earlier 11 months, but one can’t avoid observing the importance of the never-ending trend of reviewing years that end and previewing that (and those) to come. This year, without considering gender or any other factors except leadership and results, I again place Prime Minister and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Castries East MP Philip J. Pierre, at the Head of Table at the end of a third year of delivering on election promises without end and taking governance to higher heights. As Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, PM Pierre again made it seem so easy to find the funds to fund projects successive previous administrations either abandoned or never thought of, while his government absorbs all taxes associated with cooking gas, fuel and essential food items. This year, his government, under his stewardship, introduced an affordable minimum wage and raised pension payments for government and NIC Pensioners, settled on outstanding public service backpay and agreed to a six-year 13% wage increase and new agreements with unions — and still found the funds to provide a $500 bonus for over 12,000 government employees. As Minister for The Youth Economy, the prime minister has established a Youth Economy Agency (YEA) that’s unprecedentedly transforming dreams into projects with opportunities for creative expansion. As Minister for The Youth Economy, the prime minister has established a Youth Economy Agency (YEA) that’s unprecedentedly transforming dreams into projects with opportunities for creative expansion. Under PM Pierre’s leadership, in three years the national health services have been so improved as to include the island among the Top 10 Best Healthcare Providers in the Caribbean in a list headed by Cuba; and he’s also promised the government will attach the ‘5th Finger’ of the original OKEU Hospital, carelessly excised by an earlier administration. As Minister for National Security, PM Pierre’s choice of entering into a six-month contract with current Police Commissioner Verne Garde is quietly paying dividends; and apart from pouring untold millions into preparing the police force to fight crime, the nation is ending the year with the first mobile police station through creative conversion of an ambulance by the police and fire departments. The list of accomplishments can go on and on, but enough’s been said here to explain why I still place him as my Person of the Year in the political field. My only other Saint Lucia Person of the Year for 2024 is Julien Alfred, the national and Olympic Women’s 100-meter Gold Medal and 200-metre Silver Medal winner, whose brief yet long winning streak this year made her the island’s first true national hero for the 21st Century. Julien’s worldly charm has also brought immense pride to her country and the smaller OECS islands in CARICOM – at to the Latin American and Caribbean region generally and her humility has remained among her most vital assets as she continues being the Fastest Woman on Planet Earth. Regionally, Guyana’s President Dr Irfaan Ali and the ruling PPP/Civic alliance are ending a fourth year demonstrating that good governance is possible in the face of infinite energy reserves and financial resources, closing the year with every qualifying citizen getting a $100,000 one-off payment in each of the nation’s ten regions. The Guyana leader has, yet again, demonstrated to the world that developing nations can very positively handle their own development, with their own resources, irrespective of negative expectations associated with imperial theories about poor nations’ leaders’ ingrained inability to handle new national riches. That makes President Ali my CARICOM Leader for 2024, while his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, gets my vote as the Latin American leader who most took the fight in 2024 to the declining world imperial order and a foreign-backed opposition that’s used violence and sabotage to influence the outcome of an election whose results it promised not to recognize if Maduro’s ruling PSUV party won. For everything between his First and Second Comings as 45th and 47th US President, TIME Magazine selected Donald Trump as its 2024 Man of the Year. Trump is leaving the world to ponder over whether Elon Musk’s ‘Space X’ will replace the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as the new independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research and space research. The Chief Twit at ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) is also already re-engineering US governance for Trump to, by design, reduce state employment across America. The Donald is readying to again enter the White House, dressed in black and red, to darken and lighten Washington’s global lights with luminous and voluminous presidential decrees and signatures. Meanwhile, Deep State America continues misreading and misjudging Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who’ve together survived every US President since 2000. Xi Jinping’s Thoughts on everything from Globalism to Modernity will take the People’s Republic through from the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party in 2021 to the 100th anniversary of the Founding of the PRC in 2049 and establish the philosophy of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics. Xi has also left no room for misunderstanding of the PRC’s insistence that Taiwan will be reintegrated with the mainland sooner than later in the Second Quarter of Century 21, the pace to be determined by circumstances in and beyond 2025. Russia’s Putin, on the other hand, has rebuilt Russia into a global powerhouse and restored its respect as a mighty power capable of meeting all threats and challenges, overcoming Ukraine-related sanctions and demonstrably resisting NATO threats at unprecedented ballistic levels. Putin divorced his wife to marry the state and after overcoming the two-term limit by being willing to serve as prime minister between presidencies, is undoubtedly Russia’s most popular politician. With Sergei Lavrov as foreign affairs minister, Putin has succeeded, in less than 25 years, in restoring some past Soviet glories before the USSR lowered all its flags under Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1990s. Xi has successfully led China’s responses to Western military actions in the South and East China Seas, the Korean Peninsula and the Sea of Japan, in the Asia-Pacific, while Putin has demonstrated his ability to lead Russia through sanctions by establishing new economic corridors with developing nations and regions. For the joint and separate leadership of their nations and the developing world during a year of tighter external pressures at all levels for the global south, Xi and Putin stand out not only as my World Leaders of the Year but also as my Presidents of the Century.
BNP Paribas Financial Markets raised its holdings in Verona Pharma plc ( NASDAQ:VRNA – Free Report ) by 176.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 60,211 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 38,434 shares during the quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets owned about 0.08% of Verona Pharma worth $1,732,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its stake in Verona Pharma by 77.0% in the third quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 105,159 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,025,000 after acquiring an additional 45,741 shares during the period. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P bought a new position in Verona Pharma in the 3rd quarter worth $31,966,000. Jennison Associates LLC lifted its position in shares of Verona Pharma by 54.3% in the 3rd quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 1,740,886 shares of the company’s stock worth $50,085,000 after purchasing an additional 612,854 shares during the period. First Turn Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Verona Pharma during the 3rd quarter valued at about $16,483,000. Finally, Claro Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Verona Pharma during the third quarter valued at about $209,000. 85.88% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades Several analysts have commented on the stock. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price objective on shares of Verona Pharma from $37.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. Truist Financial raised their target price on Verona Pharma from $38.00 to $44.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 9th. HC Wainwright upped their price target on Verona Pharma from $36.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 5th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Verona Pharma from $50.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, Verona Pharma has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $43.83. Verona Pharma Stock Performance Verona Pharma stock opened at $40.50 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $35.74 and its 200 day moving average is $26.28. The company has a market capitalization of $3.31 billion, a P/E ratio of -21.09 and a beta of 0.46. Verona Pharma plc has a twelve month low of $11.39 and a twelve month high of $40.76. The company has a quick ratio of 12.88, a current ratio of 13.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.93. Verona Pharma ( NASDAQ:VRNA – Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Monday, November 4th. The company reported ($0.56) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.44) by ($0.12). The firm had revenue of $5.62 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.31 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted ($0.18) earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Verona Pharma plc will post -2.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Insider Activity at Verona Pharma In related news, CEO David Zaccardelli sold 110,456 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $4.38, for a total value of $483,797.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 14,894,464 shares in the company, valued at $65,237,752.32. The trade was a 0.74 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . Also, CFO Mark W. Hahn sold 12,936 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.00, for a total value of $64,680.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 14,276,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $71,380,000. This represents a 0.09 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 2,094,432 shares of company stock valued at $9,748,833. 4.80% of the stock is owned by insiders. Verona Pharma Profile ( Free Report ) Verona Pharma plc, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on development and commercialization of therapies for the treatment of respiratory diseases with unmet medical needs. The company's product candidate is ensifentrine, an inhaled and dual inhibitor of the phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3 and PDE4 enzymes that acts as both a bronchodilator and an anti-inflammatory agent in a single compound, which is in Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and cystic fibrosis. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VRNA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Verona Pharma plc ( NASDAQ:VRNA – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Verona Pharma Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Verona Pharma and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Mnangagwa Bribes The Elderly With RiceOusted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russia media say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The reports came hours after a stunning rebel advance swept into Damascus to cheers and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire, joyful after a stifling, nearly 14-year civil war. But the swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country still split among armed factions. One rebel commander said “we will not deal with people the way the Assad family did." Analysis: Collapse of Syria's Assad is a blow to Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — For Iran’s theocratic government, it keeps getting worse. Its decadeslong strategy of building an “Axis of Resistance” supporting militant groups and proxies around the region is falling apart. Hamas has been batttered by Israel's campaign in Gaza. In Lebanon, Israeli bombardment has crippled Iran’s most powerful ally, Hezbollah, even as Israel has launched successful airstrikes openly inside of Iran for the first time. And now Iran’s longtime stalwart ally and client in Syria, President Bashar Assad, is gone. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” A timeline of the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the search for his killer NEW YORK (AP) — The search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer has stretched into a fifth day — and beyond New York City. Police say it appears the man left the city on a bus soon after Wednesday's shooting outside the New York Hilton Midtown. The suspect is seen on video at an uptown bus station about 45 minutes later. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Police believe that words found written on ammunition at the shooting scene, including “deny," “defend” and "depose,” suggest a motive driven by anger toward the healthcare company. The words mimic a phrase used by insurance industry critics. Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. Gaza health officials say latest Israeli airstrikes kill at least 14 including children DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza have killed at least 14 people including children, while the bombing of a hospital in northern Gaza has wounded a half-dozen patients. Israel’s military continues its latest offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza, whose remaining Palestinians have been almost completely cut off from the rest of the territory amid a growing humanitarian crisis. One airstrike flattened a residential building in the urban Bureij refugee camp Sunday afternoon. That's according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. South Korea's democracy held after a 6-hour power play. What does it say for democracies elsewhere? SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A short-lived martial law decree by South Korea's leader last week raised worries about budding authoritarianism around the world. In the end, though, democracy prevailed. President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that he was declaring martial law and giving his government sweeping powers to crack down on protesters, ban political parties and control the media. Members of the military blocked lawmakers from using the legislature's constitutional power to cancel the power grab. But the National Assembly within hours unanimously voted to do so. The stars will come out at the Kennedy Center for Coppola, the Grateful Dead, Raitt and Sandoval WASHINGTON (AP) — Celebrities, cultural icons and a few surprise guests are gathering for the annual Kennedy Center Honors celebration in Washington. This year’s recipients of the lifetime achievement award for artistic accomplishment are director Francis Ford Coppola, the Grateful Dead, jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, and singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt. In addition, the venerable Harlem theater The Apollo, which has launched generations of Black artists, is being recognized Sunday night. There will be personalized tributes with performances and testimonials from fellow artists during the gala at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. College Football Playoff's first 12-team bracket is set with Oregon No. 1 and SMU in, Alabama out SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs, losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama of the SEC but one fewer loss. The inaugural 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.
Stanford takes aim at Andrej Stojakovic, CalShares of Triumph Gold Corp. ( CVE:TIG – Get Free Report ) rose 35.3% during mid-day trading on Saturday . The stock traded as high as C$0.23 and last traded at C$0.23. Approximately 178,150 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 599% from the average daily volume of 25,471 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.17. Triumph Gold Stock Performance The firm has a fifty day moving average of C$0.19 and a 200-day moving average of C$0.19. The stock has a market capitalization of C$9.83 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.67 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a quick ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 0.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 56.37. Triumph Gold Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Triumph Gold Corp., a junior natural resource company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, copper, and molybdenum deposits. Its flagship project is the Freegold Mountain project located in Yukon, Canada. The company was formerly known as Northern Freegold Resources Ltd. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Triumph Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Triumph Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
49ers’ guard Dominick Puni reflects on the one (snap) that got awayGaming simulators in the online gambling space