Nebraska's Dylan Raiola talks key late hit on day he sets school freshman season passing markA sports story published Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, on Page B-1 incorrectly reported the date for the upcoming Isleta New Mexico Bowl between TCU and Louisiana. The game will be played Saturday, Dec. 28, in Albuquerque at University Stadium.Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Parnell Palme McGuinness explores the concept of the decline in “woke” (“ 2024 is the year that woke broke ”, December 22). Why do I find this disturbing? Woke seems to have been a pejorative term for having a social conscience. Detractors of woke attract all sorts of over-the-top caveats to it. Donald Trump finally gave people permission to be openly uncaring of various groups of people. With the alleged abandonment of woke, will we all be more openly hostile to these people? Is this behind the rise of antisemitism? Which group will we hate next? Stay tuned. Jan Marshall, Collaroy Having been a strident critic of all things “woke-ish” across the past decade, McGuinness cannot contain her joy and enthusiasm at her self-nominated demise of woke. According to McGuinness, the game is over for those who have supported social justice issues for minority, diverse or disadvantaged people. You have lost the contest and with it goes the hopes and dreams of those disadvantaged minorities in our community. What a Pyrrhic victory, as our society is much the poorer for our minority groups once again being cast adrift. I find the gloating quite distasteful. Warren Marks, Richmond (Tas) Independent climate action I don’t understand what US climate change policy under Trump would have to do with our own emissions reduction time frame or targets (“ Emissions target hit by Trump concerns ”, December 22). If Trump follows through with his threats to reduce climate action, then wouldn’t that mean other countries should step up their efforts to compensate for an irresponsible US on climate action? In the face of hundreds of climate scientists saying we should drastically cut the burning of fossil fuels, Trump wants to ramp up this burning. Let’s ignore him and every other country, and just get on with their own efforts to reduce pollution. Dennis O’Hara, Wanniassa (ACT) President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to reduce climate action. Credit: Bloomberg Using Donald Trump as an excuse for delaying Australia’s 2035 emissions target until after the election is convenient nonsense. An emissions target is just that, a target, and it is based upon what a country needs to do to reach net zero by 2050. It is also based on science. While Trump may make the target harder to achieve, the target itself should be independent. The best that can be said is “late is better than never”, unlike the Coalition, who would scrap the interim targets altogether. Ray Peck, Hawthorn (Vic) Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Energy Minister Chris Bowen should be able to make up their own minds. I really don’t understand why Australia can’t do its bit for the climate and environment without waiting for the Climate Change Authority or America. They should be leaders, not followers. Jenny Greenwood, Hunters Hill Time’s up for zoos I believe zoos have no place in modern society (“Residents fear zoo gondolas too much to bear” , December 22). The old line that “it helps subsidise the cost of preserving species” is spurious. There are better ways to do this without keeping these beautiful creatures in small enclosures to be gawked at by tourists. I used to go to the zoo, and even took my kids to the zoo. But as human beings we are forever evolving and should be questioning and reflecting on things and behaviours that we once thought were acceptable but don’t pass the pub test now. Turn Taronga Zoo into a park, and forget about the cable car. Lisa Del Vecchio, South Coogee No excuse for murder I detect a whiff of empathy from a correspondent ( Sun Herald letters , December 22) for alleged murderer Luigi Mangione, plus well-placed anger at health insurance companies, which reject 32 per cent of claims. The letter writer’s claims that Mangione “was not aiming at the grab-bag of issues Trump latched onto” is, unfortunately, dead accurate. Rather, Mangione allegedly aimed straight at the back of a health insurance company’s CEO, who’d previously had a name, Brian Thompson, a personality, a family, and a life. Rosemary O’Brien, Ashfield Good education needn’t break the bank St Clare’s College, a Catholic systemic school, and a number of comprehensive public schools have academically outperformed many expensive private schools (“ Low-fee Sydney schools that beat their expensive HSC rivals ”, December 22). The schools did it without a library resembling a Scottish baronial castle, $170 million worth of building upgrades, or a heated gymnasium and 50-metre indoor swimming pool. A quality education can be achieved without exorbitant excesses. John Cotterill, Kingsford Degree of civility No need to introduce new rules to contain the practice of “lecture bashing”, where students at the University of Sydney, with lecturer permission, have been granted five minutes to make political statements to a captive audience (“ The radical proposal that could end Sydney Uni’s proud history of rebellion”, December 22). Lecturers could allow the same five minutes at the conclusion of the lecture in which students can make their own decision regarding participation, by voting with their feet. Freedom of speech maintained – as well as freedom of choice. Trevor Wootten, PetershamOn paper, Luigi Mangione had it all: wealth, intellect, athleticism, good looks. But the child of a prominent Maryland family may have spurned it all in a spasm of violence, in a killing that has mesmerized Americans. The 26-year-old was arrested Monday and charged with the murder of Brian Thompson, a health insurance chief executive and father of two who was gunned down in Manhattan last week by someone who, evidence suggests, has endured his own debilitating health crises and grew angry with the privatized US medical system. The cold-blooded killing has laid bare the deep frustration many Americans feel toward the country's labyrinthine health care system: while many have condemned the shooting, others have praised Mangione as a hero. It has also prompted considerable interest in how a young engineer with an Ivy League education could have gone off the rails to commit murder. News of his capture at a Pennsylvania McDonald's triggered an explosion of online activity, with Mangione quickly amassing new followers on social media as citizen sleuths and US media tried to understand who he is. As Americans have looked for clues about a political ideology or potential motive, a photo on his X account (formerly Twitter) includes an X-ray of an apparently injured spine. Mangione lived in Hawaii in 2022 and, according to his former roommate R.J. Martin, suffered from back pain, and was hoping to strengthen his back. After a surfing lesson, Mangione was "in bed for about a week" because of the pain, Martin told CNN. Earlier this year, Martin said, Mangione confirmed he'd had back surgery and sent him photos of the X-rays. Police said the suspect carried a hand-written manifesto of grievances in which he slammed America's "most expensive health care system in the world." "He was writing a lot about his disdain for corporate America and in particular the health care industry," New York police chief detective Joseph Kenny told ABC. According to CNN, a document recovered when Mangione was arrested included the phrase "these parasites had it coming." Meanwhile, memes and jokes proliferated, many riffing on his first name and comparing him to the "Mario Bros." video game character Luigi. Many expressed at least partial sympathy, having had their own harrowing experiences with the US health care system. "Godspeed. Please know that we all hear you," wrote one user on Facebook. Mangione hails from the Baltimore area. His wealthy Italian-American family owns local businesses, including the Hayfields Country Club, according to local outlet the Baltimore Banner, and cousin Nino Mangione is a Maryland state delegate. A standout student, Luigi graduated at the top of his high school class in 2016. A former student who knew Mangione at the elite Gilman School told AFP the suspect struck him as "a normal guy, nice kid." "There was nothing about him that was off, at least from my perception," the person said. Mangione attended the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, where he completed both a bachelor's and master's degree in computer science by 2020, according to a university spokesperson. While at Penn, Mangione co-led a group of 60 undergraduates who collaborated on video game projects, as noted in a now-deleted university webpage. On Instagram Mangione shared snapshots of his travels, and shirtless images of himself flaunting a six-pack. X users have scoured Mangione's posts for potential motives. His header photo includes an X-ray of a spine with bolts attached. Finding a political ideology that fits neatly onto the right-left divide has proved elusive, though he had written a review of Ted Kaczynski's manifesto on online site Goodreads, calling it "prescient." Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, carried out multiple bombings in the United States from 1978 to 1995, in a campaign he said was aimed at halting the advance of modern society and technology. Mangione has also linked approvingly to posts criticizing secularism as a harmful consequence of Christianity's decline, and retweeted posts on the impact mobile phones and social media have on mental health. ia/abo-mlm/nro
Mariah Keopple and Alexandra Labelle scored their first goals of the season and the Montreal Victoire edged the Minnesota Frost 3-2 on Saturday. Marie-Philip Poulin's goal almost six minutes into the second period was the difference as she converted a 2-on-1 from Laura Stacey and Jennifer Gardiner and Montreal (2-2-0-1), which went 0 for 3 on the power play, won its third straight while handing Minnesota (3-1-1-1) its first regulation loss of the season. Despite having the better control of the action from the start Montreal fell behind 1-0 near the middle of the first period when Claire Thompson and Taylor Heise set up Britta Curl-Salemme for her third goal of the season. But in the last five minutes of the period Keopple scored on a pass from Claire Dalton, and Labelle banged in a rebound of her initial shot. WATCH | Poulin leads Montreal's win: Marie-Philip Poulin lifts Victoire over Frost for 3rd consecutive victory 1 hour ago Duration 0:55 Marie-Philip Poulin scores the game-winning goal in Montreal's 3-2 win over Minnesota. Minnesota pulled into a tie at just 3:17 into the second period when Brooke McQuigge picked up her first goal during a scramble in front of the Montreal goal. Barely 2 1/2 minutes later the Victoire were back on top on Poulin's second goal of the season and Ann-Renee Desbiens, who made 22 saves, made that stand up. Kirk backstops Toronto Sceptres to 4-2 win over Boston Fleet Laura Stacey powers Montreal Victoire past Toronto Sceptres with OT winner Maddie Rooney made 22 saves for Minnesota, which went 0-1 on the power play. Boston plays at Montreal on Monday. The Frost are home against Boston on Thursday.Twilio Inc. ( NYSE: TWLO ) Barclays 22nd Annual Global Technology Conference December 11, 2024 2:00 PM ET Company Participants Khozema Shipchandler - CEO Conference Call Participants Ryan MacWilliams - Barclays [Call Started Abruptly] ...my associates for kind of put this for me, because it was a week after the birth of my son, so I was not going to make it. Khozema Shipchandler Congratulations. Ryan MacWilliams But we celebrated a year for Colin, so things are good, but it's great to be back. So I'm Ryan MacWilliams, mid-cap software analyst here at Barclays covering cloud comm, DevOps and MarTech. With me today is Twilio's CEO, Khozema Shipchandler. And for those who are on the room -- in the room or on the webcast, please e-mail me at ryan.macwilliams@barclays.com as we won't be taking questions direct. But Khozema, thanks being here. How are things? Khozema Shipchandler Things are great. Thanks for having me. Ryan MacWilliams I feel like we've hopefully turned a corner for SMID-cap software, because I launched coverage in 2021 and -- October 2021 and 2022, 2023 were some interesting years. You guys saw revenue reaccelerate in the most recent quarter in your comms business. Like how could you -- just kind of give us kind of a breakdown of how some of the changes you guys have made in your business over the last year, year and half has kind of led to where we are today? Khozema Shipchandler Yes. I mean I can't comment on mid-cap software broadly. But I think for Twilio, it really just starts with like running the company better. And I think as I think about the company and as I start to think about 2025 like what we want to be known as is a company that's run really well but that's also highly innovative. And I think overCameron Huefner scores 20 and Sam Houston beats Dallas 111-65
UnitedHealth murder suspect has angry outburst as details of his life emerge
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. It’s a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still unsatisfied but some hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. World Resources Institute president and CEO Ani Dasgupta called it “an important down payment toward a safer, more equitable future,” but added that the poorest and most vulnerable nations are “rightfully disappointed that wealthier countries didn’t put more money on the table when billions of people’s lives are at stake.” The summit was supposed to end on Friday evening but negotiations spiraled on through early Sunday. With countries on opposite ends of a massive chasm, tensions ran high as delegations tried to close the gap in expectations. Here’s how they got there: What was the finance deal agreed at climate talks? Rich countries have agreed to pool together at least $300 billion a year by 2035. It’s not near the full amount of $1.3 trillion that developing countries were asking for, and that experts said was needed. But some delegations said this deal is headed in the right direction, with hopes that more money flows in the future. The text included a call for all parties to work together using “all public and private sources” to get closer to the $1.3 trillion per year goal by 2035. That means also pushing for And it means, hopefully, that companies and private investors will follow suit on channeling cash toward climate action. The agreement is also a critical step toward helping countries on the receiving end create more ambitious targets to limit or cut emissions of heat-trapping gases that are due early next year. It’s part of the plan to keep cutting pollution with new targets every five years, which the world agreed to at the U.N. talks in Paris in 2015. The Paris agreement set the system of regular ratcheting up climate fighting ambition as away to keep warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. The world is already at 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) and carbon emissions keep rising. What will the money be spent on? The deal decided in Baku replaces a previous agreement from 15 years ago that charged rich nations $100 billion a year to help the developing world with climate finance. The new number has similar aims: it will go toward the developing world’s long laundry list of to-dos to prepare for a warming world and keep it from getting hotter. That includes paying for the transition to clean energy and away from fossil fuels. Countries need funds to build up the infrastructure needed to deploy technologies like wind and solar power on a large scale. Communities hard-hit by extreme weather also want money to adapt and prepare for events like floods, typhoons and fires. Funds could go toward improving farming practices to make them more resilient to weather extremes, to building houses differently with storms in mind, to helping people move from the hardest-hit areas and to help leaders improve emergency plans and aid in the wake of disasters. The Philippines, for example, has been hammered , bringing to millions of people howling wind, massive storm surges and catastrophic damage to residences, infrastructure and farmland. “Family farmers need to be financed,” said Esther Penunia of the Asian Farmers Association. She described how many have already had to deal with millions of dollars of storm damage, some of which includes trees that won’t again bear fruit for months or years, or animals that die, wiping out a main source of income. “If you think of a rice farmer who depends on his or her one hectare farm, rice land, ducks, chickens, vegetables, and it was inundated, there was nothing to harvest,” she said. Why was it so hard to get a deal? Election results around the world that herald a change in climate leadership, a few key players with motive to stall the talks and a disorganized host country all led to a final crunch that left few happy with a flawed compromise. The ending of COP29 is “reflective of the harder geopolitical terrain the world finds itself in,” said Li Shuo of the Asia Society. He cited Trump’s recent victory in the US — with his promises to pull the country out of the Paris Agreement — as one reason why the relationship between China and the EU will be more consequential for global climate politics moving forward. Developing nations also faced some difficulties agreeing in the final hours, with one Latin American delegation member saying that their group didn’t feel properly consulted when small island states had last-minute meetings to try to break through to a deal. Negotiators from across the developing world took different tacks on the deal until they finally agreed to compromise. Meanwhile, activists ramped up the pressure: many urged negotiators to stay strong and asserted that no deal would be better than a bad deal. But ultimately the desire for a deal won out. Some also pointed to the host country as a reason for the struggle. Mohamed Adow, director of climate and energy think tank Power Shift Africa, said Friday that “this COP presidency is one of the worst in recent memory,” calling it “one of the most poorly led and chaotic COP meetings ever.” The presidency said in a statement, “Every hour of the day, we have pulled people together. Every inch of the way, we have pushed for the highest common denominator. We have faced geopolitical headwinds and made every effort to be an honest broker for all sides.” Shuo retains hope that the opportunities offered by a green economy “make inaction self-defeating” for countries around the world, regardless of their stance on the decision. But it remains to be seen whether the UN talks can deliver more ambition next year. In the meantime, “this COP process needs to recover from Baku,” Shuo said. ___ Associated Press reporters Seth Borenstein and Sibi Arasu contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at .Friends, colleagues remember former state Rep. Mary Murphy
Dailey leads No. 22 UCLA over 14th-ranked Gonzaga 65-62 in 1st college hoops game at Intuit DomeThe Virginia Cash Now Act enables the Treasury Department to automatically pay out unclaimed property, Norfolk Del. Phil Hernandez writes in a guest column. 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Who are they and why now? Need a cuddle? Check out America’s first CuppaPug caféJERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s attorney general has ordered police to open an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife on suspicion of harassing political opponents and a witness in the Israeli leader’s corruption trial. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara made the announcement in a terse message late Thursday, saying the investigation would focus on the findings of a recent report by the “Uvda” investigative program into Sara Netanyahu. The program uncovered a trove of WhatsApp messages in which Mrs. Netanyahu appears to instruct a former aide to organize protests against political opponents and to intimidate Hadas Klein, a key witness in the trial. The announcement did not mention Mrs. Netanyahu by name, and the Justice Ministry declined further comment. But in a video released earlier Thursday, Netanyahu listed what he said were the many kind and charitable acts by his wife and blasted the Uvda report as “lies.” “My opponents on the left and in the media found a new-old target. They mercilessly attack my wife, Sara,” he said. He called the program ”false propaganda, nasty propaganda that brings up lies from the darkness.” It was the latest in a long line of legal troubles for the Netanyahus — highlighted by the prime minister's ongoing corruption trial . The pair have also had a rocky relationship with the Israeli media. Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in a series of cases alleging he exchanged favors with powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. Netanyahu denies the charges and says he is the victim of a “witch hunt” by overzealous prosecutors, police and the media. The report obtained correspondence between Sara Netanyahu and Hanni Bleiweiss, a former aide to the prime minister who died of cancer last year. The messages indicated that Sara Netanyahu, through Bleiweiss, encouraged police to crack down violently on anti-government protesters and ordered Bleiweiss to organize protests against her husband's critics. She also told Bleiweiss to get activists in Netanyahu's Likud party to publish attacks on Klein. Klein is an aide to billionaire Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan and has testified in the corruption case about her role in delivering tens of thousands of dollars worth of champagne, cigars and gifts to Netanyahu for her boss. According to the report, Bleiweiss also was instructed to organize demonstrations outside the homes of the lead prosecutor in the corruption case, Liat Ben-Ari, and then Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who had issued the indictments, and protests and social media campaigns smearing political opponents. According to the report, Bleiweiss was a loyal aid to Netanyahu for decades. But while she was ill, it said Sara Netanyahu mistreated her, prompting her to share the messages with a reporter shortly before her death. Sara Netanyahu has been accused of abusive behavior toward her personal staff before. This, together with accusations of excessive spending and using public money for her own extravagant personal tastes, has earned her an image as being out of touch with everyday Israelis. In 2019, she was fined for misusing state funds . National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees police and has repeatedly said the attorney general, Baharav-Miara should be fired over a series of grievances against her, said the latest announcement was another reason for her to be dismissed. “Someone who politically persecutes government ministers and their families cannot continue to serve as the attorney general,” he said. And Justice Minister Yariv Levin, another Netanyahu ally and critic of Baharav-Miara, accused her of focusing on “television gossip.” “Selective enforcement is a crime!” he said in a statement. Associated Press writers Eleanor H. Reich in New York and Isaac Scharf in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
Macomb County Library events week of Dec. 28 and beyondNBA players don’t like to get injured. Fans don’t like paying for tickets when star players are injured. But the franchise can sometimes benefit in the long term when the team on the court isn’t the most competitive in the short term. And so it is that the injury to Brooklyn Nets ’ star guard Cam Thomas has inadvertently helped the team sink in the standings while rising in the Tankathon standings. The Nets (11-18) are 3-8 without Thomas and have moved to No. 7 in the Tankathon standings where they are currently projected to get Texas freshman guard Tre Johnson in next summer’s NBA Draft. Duke freshman Cooper Flagg is the ultimate prize as the projected No. 1 pick, with Rutgers stars Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey projected as Nos. 2 and 3. Thomas is averaging 24.7 points per game, and the Nets -- who visit the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday night -- have struggled while he’s been out with a left hamstring strain since late last month. “It’ll be nice when we get Cam Thomas back just to have some ... a real half-court bucket, half-court scorer,” center Nic Claxton said, per the New York Post . “That’ll be good. We’re missing him right now a lot.” The Nets are just half a game behind the Philadelphia 76ers (11-17) in the Atlantic Division standings, but while the Sixers are hoping to challenge for an NBA championship with their “Big 3′′ of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, the Nets were expected “to get in the bag for Cooper Flagg.” “We don’t use some of those words [like ‘tanking’], so it’s go compete, go compete and let the chips fall where they may,” Nets GM Sean Marks told NJ.com in an exclusive interview last month. He added: “I think you navigate the season as it goes, and you don’t go into a season saying this is where we’re going to be, this is how it’s going to end. There’s a lot of unforeseen things.” He continued: “You’ve gotta give credit to these players, they’re playing with a chip on their shoulder, the coaches are doing a helluva job, so that’s exciting to see. It’s exciting to see an identity being formed and a culture being driven. So who am I to push back on that?” Since those comments, the Nets traded veteran point guard Dennis Schroder to the L.A. Lakers in exchange for guard De’Anthony Melton, guard Reece Beekman and three second-round draft picks. Nets’ forwards Cam Johnson, the team’s second-leading scorer at 19.1 points per game, and Dorian Finney-Smith (10.8 ppg, are both contenders to be traded before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Johnson is making $22.5 million this season and will earn $20.5 million next year. Finney-Smith makes almost $15. million this year and has a player option for nearly that much next season. The Nets have four first-round picks in the 2025 Draft and have been heavily scouting Flagg, Harper, Bailey and other top prospects. “This year specifically, with all the picks that we have, we have to be scouting a very wide range,” Marks said. “And that’s fine, that’s exciting, we’ve never had that opportunity before.” Of course, the more games Thomas misses, the more likely the Nets are to lose and the higher they will rise in the Tankathon ratings. They Nets are also about to be without forward Ziaire Williams (left knee sprain) for a ninth game. He’s averaging 8.6 points. “Cam’s doing great,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez told reporters, per the Post. “As well as Ziaire. They played five-on-five and did a great job. So we’ll see how they feel after. That’s part of the process that they’re in right now. It seems like they’re getting close.” Of course, it may be in the Nets’ long-term interest to keep them out a while longer. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter and Basketball Insider for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @ AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com .
Fears supermarket Guinness shortage ’caused by idiots stockpiling’ could mean NO supplies for New Year’s Eve
Ark Investment Management operates several exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on innovative technology stocks. Its founder, Cathie Wood, believes software companies are the next big opportunity in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry, predicting they could generate up to $8 in revenue for every $1 they spend on chips from suppliers like Nvidia . Wood has invested in AI start-ups like xAI, OpenAI, and Anthropic through the Ark Venture Fund since making that prediction last year, so she's backing up her words with decisive action. Moreover, Ark's various ETFs own several leading AI software stocks like Amazon and Tesla . If Wood proves to be right about AI software companies, here's why C3.ai ( AI -4.26% ) and Microsoft ( MSFT -1.73% ) might be two of the biggest winners in the coming years. 1. The case for C3.ai C3.ai was the world's first enterprise AI company when it was founded in 2009. Now, it offers over 100 ready-made AI applications for businesses, which can help them accelerate their adoption of this revolutionary technology. C3.ai's software is especially popular in industries that aren't normally known for developing cutting-edge technology, like energy, manufacturing, and financial services. Dow , which is one of the world's largest manufacturers of chemicals, uses the C3.ai Reliability application to monitor equipment and conduct predictive maintenance. It has reduced downtime by 20% so far, which translates to fewer costs and more revenue. Similarly, one multinational bank deployed the C3.ai Anti-Money Laundering application to detect fraud, and it resulted in a 200% increase in the number of correctly identified suspicious transactions. C3.ai sells its applications directly to customers, but it also has joint sales agreements with the three major cloud giants, Amazon Web Services , Microsoft Azure, and Alphabet 's Google Cloud. C3.ai integrates with those platforms and leverages their computing power to give customers the performance they need. Since most businesses already use one of those three cloud providers, it's extremely easy for them to adopt C3.ai's applications. During C3.ai's fiscal 2025 second quarter (ended Oct. 31), 62% of its deals were closed through its partnership network, so it's a critical sales channel for the company. C3.ai generated a record $94.3 million in revenue during the quarter. That was a 29% increase from the year-ago period, and it marked the seventh consecutive quarter of accelerating growth. The company is reaping the benefits of a change to its business model from two years ago, when it switched from subscription-based revenue to consumption-based revenue. It streamlined the onboarding process by eliminating lengthy negotiating processes, so customers can sign up faster than ever. Developing AI is expensive, and it requires specialized expertise that many companies don't have. Therefore, as AI adoption spreads, more enterprises will turn to providers of ready-made solutions like C3.ai. That's why this could be a great AI stock for investors to own for the long term. 2. The case for Microsoft Microsoft has a rich history of innovation that led to the creation of a broad portfolio of software products like the Windows operating system, Azure cloud platform, and 365 productivity applications (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint). The company is also a leader in AI software, thanks to its near-$14 billion investment in ChatGPT creator OpenAI . The partnership -- which dates back to 2019 -- paved the way for Microsoft to launch the Copilot AI assistant, which is now embedded into most of its flagship software apps. Copilot for 365, for example, can help users rapidly create text and image content in Word and PowerPoint, which can significantly boost their productivity. It can also answer complex questions, which is very useful when conducting research. Organizations around the world pay for more than 400 million 365 licenses for their employees, and each of them is a candidate to add Copilot for an additional monthly subscription fee. Microsoft says 70% of the Fortune 500 companies are using Copilot for 365 already, and the number of people who use it daily more than doubled in the first quarter of fiscal 2025 (ended Sept. 30). Microsoft also created Azure AI for its cloud customers. It allows businesses to access state-of-the-art computing infrastructure to develop AI software, and it also provides them with access to industry-leading large language models (LLMs), including OpenAI's latest o1 series. Microsoft says demand is outstripping supply for its AI data center infrastructure, but the company spent around $20 billion to build more capacity during Q1. That spending is likely to ramp up in the coming quarters. Valuation might be one drawback to buying Microsoft stock right now. It trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 36.2, which is a 10% premium to its 10-year average of 32.8. However, as represented by the orange line in the below chart, its forward P/E ratio (based on the consensus earnings estimate from Wall Street for the next year) is 29.2: MSFT PE Ratio data by YCharts In other words, even though Microsoft stock is technically expensive today, it might actually be cheap for investors who are willing to hold it for at least the next year. If Cathie Wood is right and AI software generates $8 in revenue for every $1 companies spend on chips, the potential payoff from Microsoft's data center infrastructure investments could be in the hundreds of billions of dollars in the future. As a result, it's hard to look past Microsoft stock as one of the top AI software plays .
Navigating 4 Analyst Ratings For ASGN
‘Tale of two leaders’: Jewish community leader praises Minns, blasts Albanese
Donald Trump set to be named Time's 'Person of the Year' Ringing bell signifies start or closing of trading day at world’s largest stock exchange, NYSE WASHINGTON: US President-elect Donald Trump is likely to be announced as Time magazine’s "Person of the Year" on Thursday, the day when he is set to appear at the New York Stock Exchange, where he will ring the opening bell, sources familiar with the matter have revealed. A spokesperson for Time declined to comment on the selection. The Republican president-elect built his fortune as a New York real estate investor before turning to politics. During his first term as president, he measured his success in part by the strength of the stock market, which has so far welcomed his re-election. The ringing of the bell signifies the start or closing of the trading day at the world’s largest stock exchange, and is considered an honour. The act has historically been reserved for company executives celebrating an initial public offering or other major corporate milestones, but celebrities and politicians like Ronald Reagan, Nelson Mandela and Arnold Schwarzenegger have also rung it. Politico first reported the news of Trump's selection and plans. Time bestowed the "Person of the Year" title to Trump once before, in 2016. It named Democratic President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris "Person of the Year" in 2020, after they defeated Trump. Pop star Taylor Swift received the title last year. Musk's net worth surpasses $400 billion after Trump's Nov victory Indian beauty start-up faces criticism over pretend emails sacking workers Woman sells 30-day-old baby to pay husband's loans in India Sara Sharif's father, step mother convicted of her murderTrump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan
NoneCloud Native Technologies Market To Grow At 23.8% CAGR, Reaching $53.6 Billion By 2032An Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) convicted 10 people on Friday over the nationwide riots on May 9, 2023, although they were acquitted of charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. Following the arrest of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan on May 9, 2023, from the Islamabad High Court’s premises, riots erupted across the country that went on for at least 24 hours. At least 10 people lost their lives and hundreds sustained injuries, while approximately 40 public buildings and military installations were damaged, including Lahore Corps Commander’s House (Jinnah House) and Askari Tower in Lahore, General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Office in Faisalabad, FC Fort in Chakdara, Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar, Toll Plaza at Swat Motorway and the Mianwali Air Base. The state then launched a severe crackdown on his party, rounding up thousands of PTI workers and almost the entire top-tier leadership, with many still facing court proceedings under serious charges. On November 16, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar unveiled what he described as “ new video evidence ” related to the May 9 riots and demanded the swift disposal of all pending cases. ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra presided over a hearing today for a case lodged at the Industrial Area police station on May 10, 2023. According to the order — a copy of which is available with Dawn.com — 17 individuals were booked under Sections 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing a public servant), 188 (disobeying order promulgated by a public servant), 341 (wrongful restraint), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to the committing of the theft) and 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), read with Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti Terrorism Act, 1997, as per a police report. It said one person was discharged from the case, six were absconders and the remaining 10 were formally indicted while they denied the charges. Four of the 10 individuals were mentioned as being permanent Afghan residents. The order said that on May 10, 2023, the 10 accused — armed with sticks and waving PTI banners — attacked police personnel, stole a police radio and riot gear, burned police vehicles and a police check post, creating a “sense of fear and terror in the vicinity”. The judge sentenced them to three years imprisonment under Section 148 read with Section 149 and a fine of Rs20,000 each; three months imprisonment under Section 186 and an Rs1,000 fine each; six months imprisonment under Section 188 and an Rs3,000 fine each; one month’s imprisonment under Section 341 and an Rs1,000 fine each; and two years imprisonment under Section 353 and a fine of Rs20,000 each. It added that the sentences would run concurrently, adding that benefit under Section 382-B of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) that compensates an accused person by deducting the time they spent in detention as an under-trial prisoner from their sentence, would be extended to all of them. The order said the convicts were on bail and directed that they be taken into custody and imprisoned. However, the accused were acquitted of the terrorism charge as “the charge levelled against them has not been proved for these offence beyond shadow of doubt”. The order also said: “Although it is mentioned that the mob belonged to a political party but nothing has been mentioned in [the] complaint or in the statements of the witnesses about the object, design and purpose of the acts alleged against the accused persons to declare them as [an] act of terrorism.” According to the order, offences under Sections 382 and 436 of the PPC were also not proven against the accused and thus they were acquitted. The order also directed perpetual non-bailable arrest warrants be issued for the six absconders and they be arrested and produced before the court.
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin bids farewell to Capitol Hill with criticism of Democrats and calls for a third partyDULUTH — Friends and colleagues took to social media to remember Mary Murphy upon the news of her death on Wednesday, Dec. 25. Murphy was the longest-serving female legislator and second-longest-serving member of the Minnesota House. Murphy died at the age of 85 on Christmas Day, just days after suffering . House Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL-Fridley) announced Murphy’s death in a post on Facebook, which read: “She was a wonderful state representative and human being. So many people will miss her, and remember her and her accomplishments fondly.” “Mary was in so many ways ahead of her time and was often the only woman at the table in northern Minnesota,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in a statement. “That’s changed now thanks to her trailblazing legacy.” Murphy was first elected to serve House District 14B from 1977-1982 and went on to serve District 8A from 1983-2002, District 6B from 2003-2012 and District 3B from 2013-2022. In 2022, Murphy lost the District 3B race against Republican by a mere 33 votes. Zeleznikar, who retained the seat in the 2024 election, expressed condolences in a Facebook post, writing: “Mary worked hard for northern Minnesota, a place she called home her entire lifetime. Her dedication, service and hard work can be witnessed in multiple projects across the communities she served. I was honored to know her, and work with her on senior care issues during my nursing home administrator years.” A Hermantown High School graduate, Murphy earned a bachelor's degree in history and economics from the College of St. Scholastica and attended graduate school at multiple universities. Before retiring from the classroom in 1997, Murphy also served as a history and social studies teacher at Central High School in Duluth for more than three decades, a career Klobuchar cited in her tribute. “As a former teacher, she was a strong advocate for improving education for our children and she also fought to protect victims of domestic violence and stalking,” Klobuchar’s statement said. Murphy had championed programs like Head Start and DARE, as well as initiated legislation to fund statewide juvenile correction facilities. Last January, St. Louis County commissioners honored Murphy by renaming the Environmental Trust Fund in her honor. Having worked alongside Murphy during the redistricting process in 2010, Deputy Mayor of St. Paul Jaime Tincher commented: “Mary didn’t raise her voice, she didn’t engage in political sparring. Instead, she led with the quiet power of earned trust and deep credibility. Her effectiveness was rooted in the respect she had built over decades of service, and her ability to bring people together in ways that made them feel heard and valued, no matter their political affiliation.” During Murphy’s time in the House, she chaired multiple committees, including the judiciary finance, ethics, energy, and state government and veterans affairs committees. “As chair of bonding and later the Ways and Means Committee, she demonstrated an unwavering dedication to institutional support, always willing to offer her wisdom and advice on how best to approach the financial needs of our zoos,” State Rep. John Huot (DFL-Rosemount) posted on Facebook. “Mary was a remarkable legislator and a compassionate friend and mentor to many,” State Rep. Jay Xiong (DFL-St. Paul) said in a Facebook post. “Her unwavering commitment to her community and tireless advocacy for those in need have left an indelible mark on our state. Mary's legacy will continue to inspire us all as we strive to uphold the values she championed.” Murphy left a legacy of advocacy for women’s rights, health care, criminal justice, and labor and advocacy issues. Gov. Tim Walz spoke of Murphy as a “true champion for the Northland” in his post on Facebook and said “Gwen (his wife) and I are sending our love to her family.”
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